Evaluation of an Integrated Program for School Readiness

描述（由申请人提供）：提议的干预措施的主要目标是对一项多模式综合学前教育计划进行纵向有效性试验，该计划旨在通过提高有上学困难风险的儿童的识字、沟通、数学和社会情感技能来改善儿童的入学准备。拟议的干预计划包括各种综合课程材料和培训方法，包括密集的教师培训研讨会，带有正式协议的个人现场技术援助，特定的数学和识字前课堂活动，以及针对具有攻击性的儿童小组的个人初级/加强课程。生活在低收入家庭或社区的儿童学业失败的风险特别高，是这项申请的主要目标人群。样本将包括参加启智计划和社区儿童保育计划的儿童。教师将被随机分配到三种情况中的一种：控制、仅讲习班或讲习班加。两种治疗条件下的教师都将接受30小时的小组教师培训。参加工作坊的教师还将获得现场技术援助，包括个人咨询和指导。教师的成果将在基线、干预和维持年份进行评估。儿童评估将在干预年度的秋季和春季进行，并在孩子们过渡到幼儿园后进行。拟议的研究结果将为教师、项目主管和政策制定者提供信息，因为他们将就美国早期儿童努力的方向和扩展做出重要决定

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The primary goal of the proposed intervention is to conduct a longitudinal effectiveness trial of a multimodal, integrated preschool program designed to improve children's school readiness by promoting pre-Iiteracy, communication, mathematics and socioemotional skills in children at risk for school difficulties. The proposed intervention program consists of a variety of integrated curriculum materials and training methods including intensive teacher training workshops, individual on-site technical assistance with formalized protocols, specific math and pre-literacy classroom activities, and individual primer/booster sessions for a subgroup of aggressive children. Children living in a low-income family or community are at particularly high risk for school failure and constitute the primary target population for this application. The sample will include children attending Head Start and community child care programs. Teachers will be randomly assigned to one of three conditions: Control, Workshops Only, or Workshops Plus. Teachers in both treatment conditions will receive 30 hours of group-based teacher training. Teachers in the Workshops Plus condition will additionally receive on-site technical assistance consisting of individual consultation and mentoring. Teacher outcomes will be assessed in baseline, intervention, and maintenance years. Child assessments will be conducted in the fall and spring of the intervention year and after the children have made the transition to kindergarten. The outcomes of the proposed research will inform teachers, program directors, and policymakers as they make important decisions about the directions and expansion of early childhood efforts in the U.S.