In recent years, several states have expanded a new publicly funded learning option: Transitional Kindergarten (TK). TK bridges prekindergarten and kindergarten in its eligibility, requirements, and design. Using Michigan as a case study, we examine TK's fit in the early learning landscape. Broadly, we find TK in Michigan reduces some…

Effective transitions to kindergarten engage families and ease children into new environments. Countdown to Kindergarten (CTK), a program in a southeastern U.S. state that serves more than 1,000 children each year and is grounded in Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, partners kindergarten teachers and families to facilitate effective…

This study aimed to determine the motor creativity of preschoolers, to develop a music education programme suitable for the interests and needs of children, and to investigate whether music education is effective in motor creativity. A quasi-experimental design was used to test the effect of music education programme on children's motor…

In recent years, several states have expanded a new publicly funded learning option: Transitional Kindergarten (TK). TK bridges prekindergarten and kindergarten in its eligibility, requirements, and design. Using Michigan as a case study, we examine TK's fit in the early learning landscape. Broadly, we find TK in Michigan reduces some…

The "first-grade problem" of the lack of concentration, listening, and following of instruction has been widely identified among Japanese kindergarten students. To promote their executive functioning and self-regulation to prevent this issue, we developed the Social Thinking and Academic Readiness Training (START) program. The…

Europe has recently seen a massive multi-ethnic influx of migrants, marred by high social costs of inter-ethnic confrontation. This has prompted scholars to develop training schemes to improve the social skills needed to cope with this situation. Decades of studies have acknowledged empathy as a crucial variable in the development of positive…

Information about effective interventions for students with early reading difficulties is essential when deciding about how best to provide support. MiniLit, a small-group intervention for young struggling readers, was released in 2011 after several years of development and trials. This paper provides a rationale for MiniLit, a brief history of…

Teaching basic personal financial concepts and principles even among young learners is beneficial not only for the child, but also for the family and the entire society. This study aimed to develop an integrated financial education program for kindergarten learners. The study employed developmental research following three stages (analysis,…

Created by Tufts University through a National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded project, the Novel Engineering website explains that "Novel Engineering is an integrated approach to teaching engineering and literacy" (2018) that asks teachers to support students' engagement in a project-based endeavor of problem-and-solution processes and…

A key part of promoting social justice as school psychologists is infusing practice with actions that breakdown systems of inequity and incorporate systems of inclusion. The current manuscript provides a description of applying social justice as a framework in universal programming through child rights education. Additionally, the manuscript…

Objective: To describe the process of developing a Health Qigong programme for stressed children using a formative evaluation approach. Methods: A multi-step formative evaluation method was utilised. These steps included (1) identifying programme content and drafting the curriculum, (2) synthesising effective and age-appropriate pedagogies, (3)…

In 2019, Policy Studies Associates conducted an evaluation of the Free Library of Philadelphia's Literacy Enrichment Afterschool Program (LEAP), focused on identifying program strategies to support early literacy development. The recommendations that emerged from this evaluation for the Free Library can also inform the efforts of other public…

Cultivating leadership identity early in a child's development is crucial. This article examines the development of an intentional leadership identity development program for young girls. Using participatory action research (PAR), faculty and students from a college school of social work and administrators and teachers from a suburban…

The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) conducted a needs assessment to understand and describe early childhood services for preschool-age children with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) in the state of Connecticut. In collaboration with the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE), NIEER developed survey…

This study examined the collaborative development of a comprehensive school-based intervention (CSBI) and component feasibility for seven children, aged 7 to 8 years, with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (HFASDs). In Phase I, focus groups were conducted in two school districts with school staff and/or parents of children with HFASDs.…