Descriptive Studies

Eager to Learn: Educating Our Preschoolers

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National Research Council. 2001. Eager to Learn: Educating Our Preschoolers. Committee on Early Childhood Pedagogy. Barbara T. Bowman, M. Suzanne Donovan, and M. Susan Burns, editors. Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

The last half of the 20th century witnessed an outpouring of research on cognition and learning, child development, and the social and cultural context of learning. One clear message to emerge from this explosion of knowledge is the prodigious enthusiasm and competence for learning shown by young children. Eager to Learn: Educating Our Preschoolers is the most recent publication from a series of National Research Council (NRC) studies sponsored by the Department of Education for the purpose of making scientific research accessible and salient to educators, policy makers, and parents. Eager to Learn: Educating Our Preschoolers is the product of a 3-year study during which 17 experts, appointed by the NRC as members of the Committee on Early Childhood Pedagogy, reviewed studies from many fields in the behavioral and social sciences that used many different research methods, both quantitative and qualitative, and both observational and experimental. We restricted our attention to those aspects of the research literature that have clear implications for what and how young children are taught.

From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development

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National Research Council and Institute of Medicine. 2000. From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development. Committee on Integrating the Science of Early Childhood Development. Jack P. Shonkoff and Deborah A. Phillips, editors. Board on Children, Youth, and Families, Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.

From Neurons to Neighborhoods is the product of a two-and-a-half-year project during which 17 individuals, as a committee, evaluated and integrated the current science of early childhood development. Scientists have had a long-standing fascination with the complexities of the process of human development. Parents have always been captivated by the rapid growth and development that characterize the earliest years of their children's lives. Professional service providers continue to search for new knowledge to inform their work. Consequently, one of the distinctive features of the science of early childhood development is the extent to which it evolves under the anxious and eager eyes of millions of families, policy makers, and service providers who seek authoritative guidance as they address the challenges of promoting the health and well-being of young children.

NCEDL Pre-kindergarten Study

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FPG Child Development Institute. 2005. Preliminary Descriptive Report. Diane Early, Oscar Barbarin, Donna Bryant, Margaret Burchinal, Florence Chang, Richard Clifford, Gisele Crawford, & Wanda Weaver University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Carollee Howes & Sharon Ritchie University of California at Los Angeles Marcia Kraft-Sayre & Robert Pianta University of Virginia, and W. Steven Barnett Rutgers University. Chapel Hill, NC: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The National Center for Early Development and Learning (NCEDL) has conducted two major studies of state-funded pre-kindergarten programs: The Multi-State Study of Pre-Kindergarten that included six states and the State-Wide Early Education Programs Study that included five states. When combined, these two studies provide detailed information on pre-kindergarten teachers, children, and classrooms in 11 states. This report is the first presentation of the combined data from these two studies. It provides a descriptive picture of pre-k children and classrooms.

Entering Kindergarten: A Portrait of American Children When They Begin School: Findings from The Condition of Education 2000

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U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. 2001. Entering Kindergarten: A Portrait of American Children When They Begin School: Findings from The Condition of Education 2000. Nicholas Zill and Jerry West. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998–99, provides a first-ever look at the knowledge, skills, health, and behavior of a nationally representative sample of U.S. kindergarten children upon entry to school. On the whole, the study provides a portrait of what today’s American children are like when they begin school. This essay from the Condition of Education summarizes information from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-99 on the reading and mathematics skills and knowledge children possess when they enter school, and their social skills and interest in learning. Children who entered kindergarten at different ages and who are at risk of not succeeding in school are compared in these areas.

America's Kindergartners

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U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. 2000. America's Kindergartners. Kristin Denton and Elvira Germino-Hausken. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

This report presents the first findings from a new national study of kindergartners, their schools, classrooms, teachers and families. The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998- 99 (ECLS-K), sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics(NCES), began following a nationally representative sample of some 22,000 kindergartners in the fall of 1998. This report provides national data on children’s skills, knowledge and experiences as they enter kindergarten for the first time. The data are the first findings from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-99. This report, using data collected in the fall of 1998 from approximately 22,000 kindergarten children attending about 1,000 public and private schools, provides estimates concerning children’s cognitive skills and knowledge, their social skills, their physical well-being, their approaches to learning and their family environments and experiences. Children’s developmental status across these domains was directly assessed. Parents and teachers also reported information on children’s development, as well as their early care and home experiences. This descriptive report presents the information by characteristics of children (e.g., age and race/ethnicity) and families (e.g., mother’s education and primary language spoken in the home).

Children's Reading and Mathematics Achievement in Kindergarten and First Grade

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National Center for Education Statistics. 2002. Children's Reading and Mathematics Achievement in Kindergarten and First Grade. Kristin Denton, Education Statistics Services Institute and Jerry West, National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education.

This report examines the relationship of children's early literacy skills and resources at the start of kindergarten to their reading and mathematics achievement at the end of kindergarten and first grade. It describes these relationships for children from different race/ethnic backgrounds and for boys and girls. It is the third in a series of reports from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-99. Children’s experiences with school are almost as varied as children themselves. This report is the third in a series based on findings about young children’s early experiences with school from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998–99 (ECLS-K). Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the ECLS-K selected a nationally representative sample of kindergartners in the fall of 1998 and is following these children through the spring of fifth grade. The study collects information directly from the children, their families, teachers, and schools. The full ECLS-K base-year sample is comprised of approximately 22,000 children who attended about 1,000 kindergarten programs during the 1998–99 school year.

Good Beginning: Sending America's Children to School with the Social and Emotional Competence They Need to Succeed

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Child Mental Health Foundations and Agencies Network. 2000. Good Beginning: Sending America's Children to School with the Social and Emotional Competence They Need to Succeed. Robin Peth-Pierce. Bethesda, MD: National Institute of Mental Health

On September 6, 2000 the Child Mental Health Foundations and Agencies Network (FAN) released A Good Beginning: Sending America's Children to School with the Social and Emotional Competence They Need to Succeed. The purpose of the report is to raise awareness that "children who do not begin kindergarten socially and emotionally competent are often not successful in the early years of school--and can be plagued by behavioral, emotional, academic, and social development problems that follow them into adulthood." The report summarizes findings on risk and protective factors that affect children's early social and emotional competence. It provides an overview of current federal programs that serve young children and makes recommendations for improving services though research and public policies.

The Digital World of Young Children: Emergent Literacy

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Pearson Foundation. 2010. The Digital World of Young Children: Emergent Literacy. Jay Blanchard and Terry Moore, Arizona State University College of Teacher Education and Leadership. London, United Kingdom: Pearson Foundation.

A research white paper on the effects of digital media on young children’s learning, the paper examines the latest research on how young children learn using increasingly personalized and mobile media, including cell phones, television, video games, smart devices, and computers. The report focuses on the impact of these new ways of learning and highlights the degree to which these emergent literacies are rooted in young people’s use of common-place mobile devices - especially in developing and least-developed nations.

Applied Studies

How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School

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National Research Council. 2000. How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School Committee on Developments in the Science of Learning. John D. Bransford, Ann L. Brown, and Rodney R. Cocking, editors with additional material from the Committee on Learning Research and Educational Practice M. Suzanne Donovan, John D. Bransford, and James W. Pellegrino, editors Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

This expanded edition of How People Learn is the result of the work of two committees of the Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education of the National Research Council (NRC). The original volume, published in April 1999, was the product of a 2-year study conducted by the Committee on Developments in the Science of Learning. Following its publication, a second NRC committee, the Committee on Learning Research and Educational Practice, was formed to carry that volume an essential step further by exploring the critical issue of how better to link the findings of research on the science of learning to actual practice in the classroom. The results of that effort were captured in How People Learn: Bridging Research and Practice, published in June 1999. The present volume, published in 2000, draws on that report to expand on the findings, conclusions, and research agenda presented in the original volume.

Effective Early Childhood Programs: Turning Knowledge into Action

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University of Texas. 2005. Effective Early Childhood Programs: Turning Knowledge into Action. Susan Landry. Houston, TX: Rice University.

Derived from scientific results, the book contains practical details for providing high-quality experiences in early childhood programs that promote the learning and development of three- and four-year-old children.

PK-3: An Aligned and Coordinated Approach to Education for Children 3 to 8 Years Old

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Society for Research in Child Development. 2005. PK-3: An Aligned and Coordinated Approach to Education for Children 3 to 8 Years Old. Kimber Bogard and Rudy Takanishi. Washington, DC: Society for Research in Child Development.

This report argues that an aligned set of educational experiences from pre-kindergarten through 3rd grade (PK-3) has the potential to impact large numbers of children and save public dollars by reducing grade retention and special education placement while increasing college attendance and future earnings. The report discusses relevant research and proposes a theoretical framework for PK-3.

Developing Literacy: A Scientific Synthesis of Early Literacy Development and Implications for Intervention

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National Early Literacy Panel. 2008. Developing Literacy: A Scientific Synthesis of Early Literacy Development and Implications for Intervention. Timothy Shanahan, Chair. Louisville, KY: National Center for Family Literacy.

The National Early Literacy Panel (NELP) was convened in 2002 to conduct a synthesis of the scientific research on the development of early literacy skills in children ages zero to five. The National Institute for Literacy (NIFL) acted as the lead agency in this project, NELP was established for the express purpose of summarizing scientific evidence on early literacy development and on home and family influences on that development. The panel’s primary purpose was to synthesize research to contribute to decisions in educational policy and practice that affect early literacy development and to determine how teachers and families could support young children’s language and literacy development. In addition, this evidence would be a key factor in the creation of literacy-specific materials for parents and teachers and staff development for early childhood educators and family-literacy practitioners.

Mathematics Learning in Early Childhood: Paths Toward Excellence and Equity

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National Research Council. 2009. Mathematics Learning in Early Childhood: Paths Toward Excellence and Equity. Committee on Early Childhood Mathematics, Christopher T. Cross, Taniesha A. Woods, and Heidi Schweingruber, Editors. Center for Education, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

Early childhood education has risen to the top of the national policy agenda with recognition that ensuring educational success and attainment must begin in the earliest years of schooling. There is now a substantial body of research to guide efforts to support young children’s learning. Over the past 15 years, great strides have been made in supporting young children’s literacy. This report summarizes the now substantial literature on learning and teaching mathematics for young children in hopes of catalyzing a similar effort in mathematics. The majority of support for this study was provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start.

Adding It Up: Helping Children Learn Mathematics

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National Research Council. 2001. Adding it up: Helping children learn mathematics. J. Kilpatrick, J. Swafford, and B. Findell (Eds.). Mathematics Learning Study Committee, Center for Education, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

In this report, we have attempted to address the conflicts in current proposals for changing school mathematics by giving a more rounded portrayal of the mathematics children need to learn, how they learn it, and how it might be taught to them effectively. Adding It Up: Helping Children Learn Mathematics is about school mathematics from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade. It addresses the concerns expressed by many Americans, from prominent politicians to the people next door, that too few students in our elementary and middle schools are successfully acquiring the mathematical knowledge, the skill, and the confidence they need to use the mathematics they have learned. Moreover, certain segments of the U.S. population are not well represented among those who do succeed in school mathematics.

Ready to Enter: What Research Tells Policymakers About Strategies to Promote Social and Emotional School Readiness Among Three- and Four-Year-Old Children

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National Center for Children in Poverty. 2002. Ready to Enter: What Research Tells Policymakers About Strategies to Promote Social and Emotional School Readiness Among Three- and Four-Year-Old Children. Cybele Raver and Jane Knitzer. New York, NY: Columbia University.

This policy paper focuses on what emerging research tells policymakers about why it is so important to intervene to help young children at risk for poor social, emotional, and behavioral development and what kinds of research-based interventions seem most effective. It addresses the relationship between early academic learning and emotional development; the prevalence of emotional problems in preschool-aged young children and young children who are exposed to multiple family and environmental risk factors; the role of teachers and child care providers in reducing or exacerbating problems; and the emerging but still limited research on the efficacy of preventive and early interventions explicitly targeted to address the social, emotional, and behavioral difficulties of young children, particularly in the context of early care and education settings.

Pathways to Early School Success

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National Center for Children in Poverty. 2006. Pathways To Early School Success—Issue Brief No. 2 Effective Preschool Curricula And Teaching Strategies. Lisa Klein and Jane Knitzer. New York, NY: Columbia University.

This issue brief explores lessons from research and practice about the role of intentional curriculum and professional development and supports for teachers in closing the achievement gap in early literacy and math for low-income preschool-age children. The aim is to help policymakers and administrators integrate this emerging knowledge more rapidly into their decisions to support teachers. It is part of a series of reports from the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP) that address the question “What will it take to ensure that young low-income children succeed in the early school years?”

Using Scientific Knowledge to Inform Preschool Assessment: Making the Case for "Empirical Validity"

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Society for Research in Child Development. 2005. Using Scientific Knowledge to Inform Preschool Assessment: Making the Case for "Empirical Validity". Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, Anita Kochanoff, Nora S. Newcombe, and Jill de Villiers. Washington, DC: Society for Research in Child Development.

In this report, we propose two major thrusts designed to bring about a more scientifically informed accountability system: reconceptualizing the ways in which we think about the validity of our test instruments, and reconceptualizing markers of development from products of learning (performance standards) to processes of learning. We introduce the term "empirical validity" to draw attention to the fact that assessments should be built on current empirical work in the various developmental domains. This report focuses on the domains of language and literacy, two areas of major concern for the Federal Head Start program and for which there is an abundance of current research.

Using Science to Inform Preschool Assessment

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Center for Improving Resources in Children’s Lives (CIRCL). 2003. Using Science to Inform Preschool Assessment: A summary report of the Temple University Forum on Preschool Assessment. Anita Kochanoff, Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, Nora Newcombe, Marsha Weinraub, and Laura H. Carnell. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University.

The cofounders of the Center for Improving Resources in Children’s Lives (CIRCL)at Temple University held a forum on January 30-31, 2003, in order to address what recent research in developmental science can contribute to the best possible implementation of two recent trends in education: 1. An emphasis on early childhood learning, and 2. A concern about accountability.