Evaluation of an Integrated Program for School Readiness

描述(由申请人提供)：拟议干预的主要目标是对一项多模式、综合学前计划进行纵向有效性试验，旨在通过促进有学习困难风险的儿童的识字前、沟通、数学和社交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，包括强化教师培训讲习班、采用正式协议的个人现场技术援助、具体的数学和识字前课堂活动，以及针对攻击性儿童亚群的个人初级/强化课程。生活在低收入家庭或社区的儿童入学失败的风险特别高，是这项申请的主要目标人群。样本将包括参加Head Start和社区托儿计划的儿童。教师将被随机分配到三个条件中的一个：对照组、仅限研讨会或研讨会加。在两种治疗条件下的教师将接受30小时的小组教师培训。参加加班的教师还将获得现场技术援助，包括个别咨询和辅导。教师成绩将在基线年、干预年和维护年进行评估。儿童评估将在干预年的秋季和春季以及在儿童过渡到幼儿园之后进行。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，让他们就美国幼儿工作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.