Improving children’s language skills through online learning during covid-19 pandemic

The present study was done to find out the children’s language skill improvement in online learning during Covid-19 pandemic at TK IT Bunga Harapan. In order to maintain children’s language development amid the pandemic, online learning was implemented. Qualitative approach was applied. We involved 12 preschool students as the participants of the study. The data were collected through observation, interview, and documentation. Children’s language skill improvement in TK Bunga Harapan was proven by the decrease in number of students suffering from speech delay, from 4 students (25%) to 1 student (6.25%) out of 12 students. This improvement was noticed after teachers conducted online learning activities that provided children with experience to make videos stimulating them to communicate and speak. With regard to the assessment, teachers used anecdotal notes by observing the children’s development through videos they made.

Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS): A strategy to improve children’s speaking ability

The implementation of Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) strategy in this research aimed to improve children’s speaking ability. The indicators of speaking ability are child understands the meaning of the word used, able to connect the word to the denoted object, and to pronounce words understood by others. In other word, child is able to repeat sentences, ask questions with the correct sentence, and express opinions to others. This study uses qualitative method with the type of action research. The study was conducted in two cycles, with 3 meetings in each. The design of this study starts from the planning, implementation, observation, and reflection. The participants were 17 children aged 4-5 years old of group A1 TK ABA 4 Mangli Kaliwates Jember. The result showed that prior to PECS the children's speaking development rate was 17%, after the PECS action the speaking ability increased from 35% in the first cycle to 88% in second cycle. This shows that the speaking ability of early childhood can be improved with PECS approach.

Development of snakes and ladders game (disaster response) as earthquake mitigation for children

This study aims to produce of snakes and ladders game with feasible to increase understanding of children related to earthquake disaster mitigation. Snakes and ladders game will be applied to children aged 5-6 years in Palu city. This research is a research and development according to Borg and Gall. Data collection techniques using observation, interviews and questionnaries. Data analysis in the form of quantitative descriptive. The results showed that the assessment of the material validators get an average of 3.63, media validators get an average of 3.8, and disaster validators get an average of 3.75 (feasible category). In the initial field trials, it averaged persentage 78% and was included in the feasible category. Operational field trials get an average persentage of 87% included in the feasible category. Comparative study results obtained sig. (2-tailed) of 0,000 <0.05, it can be concluded that Ha is accepted, which means that "there is a significant difference" between the average post-test results of the control group and the experimental group. The results obtained after applying the snake and ladder game, children can understand and carry out self-rescue activities when simulating an earthquake disaster.

Role of early childhood educators professionalism in managing learning activities in RA Uniq Kota Pekanbaru

Learning management process in early childhood classroom is inseparable from the early childhood educators’ professional role in creating a learning atmosphere, managing learning process, implementing learning strategies, providing learning media and learning model that are able to create a conducive, safe, and comfortable learning atmosphere. Good curriculum and learning management plan are likely to fail to meet their goals when teachers could not perform their professional role well. In RA Uniq, teachers’ professional role is pivotal in supporting the learning plan and management. The present study aimed to explore the role of early childhood educators’ professionalism in managing the learning process in RA Uniq To this end, five participants were recruited, consisting of four teachers as the main informant and the head of RA uniq as additional informant. The present study applied qualitative method, the data were collected using interview, observation, and documentation. This study revealed that early childhood educators in RA Uniq played some professional role in managing the learning process, namely as facilitator, motivator, inspirator, model, and a caregiver

Assessment of government’s involvement in implementation of national policy on early childhood education in Nigeria

The study examined the areas of Government’s involvement as stated in the national policy on early childhood education in South western Nigeria. It determined the implementation processes of the national policy on ECE on the areas of Government’s involvement and also investigated the level of compliance in the implementation processes of the national policy on ECE and the stakeholders' assessment of Government’s involvement in the implementation of the national policy on ECE. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. Data was collected from 72 head teachers, 144 classroom teachers and 144 parents of early childhood education pupils as well as 30 State Ministry of Education officials. Multistage sampling procedure was used to select the sample for the study. Three instruments were used for this study. The results of the study showed that governments were involved in the regulation of the establishment and registration of pre-school facilities at 91.7% and 96.7%, development and implementing educational support services to orphans and vulnerable children at 51.4% and 90%. The study concluded that Government’s involvement in the implementation of the national policy on early childhood education is only to a little extent. All the implementation processes of the national policy on education were not followed by the government.

Collaborative research between education and medical on study of early childhood neuroscience

Student experiences information process causing particular behaviors while studying. Neuroscience is a study to understand behavior and mental process based on brain activity. In Indonesian, collaborative study between education and medicine on preschool-aged children’s neuroscience is still scarce. In fact that using this collaboration, some elements related to student’s behavior and information process can be seen. This paper spells out potential collaborative studies on neuroscience of preschool-aged children. This study is categorized into qualitative descriptive research. The data were collected through an in-depth interview with the head of education and research section of UNS Hospital and document study. The result of the study found a number of potential collaborative studies between UNS Hospital and ECE department of UNS, namely: 1) Assessing level of stress using Bio-neurofeedback; 2) Assessing Learning comfort using Electroencephalograph; 3) Assessing Interest and Aptitude using Electroencephalograph; and 4) Therapy on Gadget Addiction using Bio-neurofeedback. Those findings can be used as a basic for further research about neuroscience in early childhood.

Storytelling method using big book to improve children's listening skill

The low of listen ability in children aged 5-6 years is the background of this action research, so this research aims to improve these abilities. One method that has proven to be effective solve that problem is the method of storytelling with a big book. Data on classroom action research was collected using observation techniques and analyzed in quantitative descriptive. This study involved ten students as participants. The result of the study showed that storytelling with a big book can improve the listening skill of 5-6 years old children in PAUD Bintang Mutiara, Pekanbaru. Before applying storytelling method with big book, the participants’ listening skill was categorized as ‘has not been developed”. After applying the storytelling method with big book, their listening skill was categorized as “Developed as expected” with a score of 71.67%. The improvement of participants’ listening skill from ‘pre-cycle’ to ‘cycle 1’ was 21%. From cycle I to cycle II, their listening skill was improved by 64%. From pre-cycle to cycle II, the improvement was 89%. Overall, the improvement of listening skills was 75.56%.

The role of loose parts play in logical thinking skill in KB Lab school

Logical thinking is a pivotal skill for children that must be developed as early as possible in order to prepare an ability to think realistic and systematic. Think logically somehow is difficult for age 3-4 years old shown by facts that some children only do activities based on teacher’s example. Loose part play was selected because it facilitates creative, logical, and systematic thinking in problem solving. Loose part play is one activity that uses concrete and real object to explore. Using qualitative approach, this study involves ten students from KB Lab school. The result was analyzed using qualitative descriptive method. The data were collected using observation, interview, and documentation. The result of the study showed that the 3-4 years old children showed an improvement after playing loose part because the activities suits their developmental stage and utilized objects in their surroundings.

Building blocks play: Model reconstruction, teacher’s guidance and early childhood creativity

Teachers in ECE (Early Childhood Education) should have the knowledge and skills in guiding children when playing blocks, but this is not shared by most PAUD teachers in Indonesia. Therefore, this study develops a block play model that refers to the PKPK model from Hirsch and Dodge with the adjustment of conditions in Indonesia. This research is a research and development (R&D) that seeks to develop, refine (re-construct), test, and validate Masnipal-models that are easy for teachers to use and effectively develop children's creativity. This study begins with testing the PKPK model to a group of subjects to obtain data about the ability of teachers to understand and apply the model. After revisions and improvements, the model of reconstruction results was further tested. Research subjects were PAUD teachers in Cianjur (n = 42) and Bandung (n = 78). Data collection uses observation and peer assessment techniques and data analysis uses descriptive analysis techniques. The novelty of this study is the resulting Masnipal-model that facilitates PAUD teachers in Indonesia in guiding children to develop creativity through block play.

Applying token economy to improve attention of child with ADHD

A child should be able to pay attention well during task working. But, children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) experience difficulty in focusing attention or in concentrating when doing a task, both at home or at school. In the other hand, there is a behaviour modification technique that effectively proven in increasing concentration of child with ADHD. The purpose of this study was to find out the effectiveness of token economy in improving the attention of children with ADHD when completing a task. The present study employed a single subject, a five years-old male Early Childhood Education student. The intervention was given in the form of token economy for two weeks through cooperation with parents. Observation and interviews were held to collect data regarding attention difficulty in engaging in the learning process and doing a task. The result of the study showed that there is an improvement in attention duration; the subject was able to give attention to the task in a longer duration (more than 5 minutes). The parents are expected to be more assertive and committed to applying token economy at home.