Tarrant County Study Reveals Key Factors for Pre-K to Kindergarteners' Success During COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond
FORT WORTH, Texas, July 17, 2020 (Newswire.com) - A recent study commissioned by Early Learning Alliance (ELA) reveals children's health and social-emotional skills are the most important factors that poise students for success in kindergarten and beyond. The study's results are especially important in light of school openings being in flux and should buoy those parents who are providing important health and emotional support to their children.
Conducted by University of North Texas Health Science Center, the survey asked more than 100 Tarrant County kindergarten teachers to rank the importance of a variety of school readiness skills across seven domains, including: cognitive, health and wellness, language and communication, literacy, math, physical and social-emotional.
Health and social-emotional skills were ranked as most important out of the seven domains.
The study also revealed the top four social-emotional and health behaviors that are keys for success in pre-K to kindergarten age children:
- Participates safely in activities (100%)
- Communicates needs for assistance (100%)
- Manages personal needs independently (97%)
- Is rested and well-fed (96% )
"Children's experiences, environment and relationships most support their learning journey," said ELA board member Travis Davis, Ed.D. and HeadStart director of early education. "Social-emotional development shows how children relate to others and manage their own emotions."
ELA's study provides guidance to early childhood providers as they develop curriculum -- and further reveals that parents' at home efforts are more than enough to empower and increase their children's learning abilities.
"Parents can help their preschoolers successfully develop social-emotional skills through reading, playing and talking with their children -- things they are most likely already doing," said Kym Shaw Day, M.Ed, Vice President Equity and Community at Green Space Learning and an ELA member.
Other interventions to encourage social-emotional development include:
- Playing with siblings or parents
- Talking to children about their day
- Asking children to share a memory
- Having children tell stories
- Pretend play
- Reading together
ELA is a collaboration of more than 50 organizations dedicated to improving the lives of Tarrant County's youngest residents. The alliance works to eliminate disparities such as race, ethnicity, income and gender, which can undermine a child's well-being.
To learn how you can support children's learning journeys at home or in the classroom, visit http://earlylearningntx.org/experience-childhood.
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About Early Learning Alliance
Founded in 2016, the Early Learning Alliance is a collaboration of 50 organizations working together to help children in Tarrant County achieve success in school and in life. Members share a commitment to develop and sustain a coordinated, results-oriented approach to improve early learning systems. The alliance believes that race, ethnicity, income and gender influence opportunities for success, and that we must work to eliminate disparities that undermine children's well-being. Learn more at http://earlylearningntx.org
Source: Early Learning Alliance