This phenomenological study examines teachers' self-reported practices related to the learning centers in classrooms that were recommended by the 2013 Turkish Preschool Curriculum and the conditions of such centers. Data from 38 female and six male preschool teachers were collected through a semi-structured interview protocol and an observation…

Object exploration is considered a driver of motor, cognitive, and social development. However, little is known about how early childhood education and care settings facilitate object exploration. This study examined if children's exploration of objects during free play was facilitated by the use of particular spatial components (floor, tables,…

The childcare environment impacts physical activity participation, but little descriptive information is available in different types of programs. Most studies focus on the schoolyard despite children spending more time indoors. This study identified which learning centers were available, used by children, and promoted physical activity, both…

The aim of the research is to determine pre-service preschool teachers' views on creating learning environments in preschool classrooms. Qualitative research methods were used in the research. The study group was composed of 35 pre-service preschool teachers. In this study, a semi-structured interview form was chosen as data collection tool. The…

This study investigated the effect of the use of content-specific material-based activities on children's mathematical skills, and changes in emotions for both sides with the help of math workstations to serve as responsive partners in delivering quality mathematics education to children and teachers. A total of 20 female kindergarten teachers and…

The two studies examined in this paper compare the different mathematical opportunities provided in preschool classrooms in China, Japan, and the United States, with an emphasis on mathematical-themed books in classroom libraries. Study one presents the results of an online survey to examining the content of preschool classroom libraries in China…

This article explores the correspondence between the vision of play articulated in Singapore's national kindergarten curriculum framework and the play-related pedagogies enacted by teachers on the ground, particularly during Learning Centre Time (LCT). Influenced by neo-liberal ways of thinking, the curriculum states that "purposeful…

Environmental modifications to the block area are important to promote children's early spatial learning experiences. It is not enough just to include block materials in the classroom. Sarama and Clements (2009) have proposed that children's free play with novel math-related activities rarely facilitates the intended educational concepts without…

The Texas Woman's University Future Classroom Laboratory (TWUFCL) is a unique learning space designed for use by university faculty, future teachers, and local PreK-12 teachers and students. Part of the European Schoolnet's Network of Future Classroom Labs, the TWUFCL offers users the chance to explore the science of teaching and learning in a…

A mixed-methods research design was employed to investigate the impact of use of learning centers to support language and academic skills of children aged 61-72 months. The sample of quantitative data of the study consisted of 70 children (35 in the experimental group and 35 in the control group). In the quantitative dimension of the study, data…

Background: The template for the current study was the project conducted by Rosenthal [1973. "An Ecological Study of Free Play in the Nursery School." Doctoral diss., Wayne State University] where she investigated the attraction and holding power of various learning centres during free play in a naturalistic preschool setting.…

This study compared the financial literacy and teaching practices of 82 early and elementary teachers in India and US using a 43-item survey. Analysis showed that financial literacy of Indian teachers was lower than their American counterparts. Teachers in India enjoyed teaching financial literacy more than teachers in the US. Indian teachers…

Jennifer Miller is a special education preschool teacher at Grant Elementary School in Muscatine, Iowa. In this article, she describes how she created and implemented a learning center with three-to-five-year-old students in an integrated morning class (nine students; four on IEPs) and an integrated afternoon class (10 students; four on IEPs) to…

Preschool teachers from a high-poverty, urban school district were trained to implement Story Talk, a book reading intervention designed to increase children's vocabulary and language development using supportive materials and strategic individualized coaching. Thirty-five teachers were randomly assigned by site to the intervention (20) or the…

Early childhood STEM activities are part of developmentally appropriate practices that are the foundation of quality preschool experiences for all young children (Copple & Bredekamp, 2009). However, young children with developmental delays or disabilities require planning and specialized practices that allow them to participate and engage…