How is language proficiency of children assessed and supported in German preschools - Results of the National Educational Panel Study

Author(s):

Ina-Sophie Ristau(presenting / submitting)

Conference:

ECER 2016

Network:

09. Assessment, Evaluation, Testing and Measurement

Format:

Poster

Session Information

09 SES 04.5 PS, General Poster Session

General Poster Session

Time:

2016-08-24

12:00-13:30

Room:

NM-Concourse Area

Chair:

Contribution

Language skills are key competencies which are essential to succeed at school and participate in social and cultural life (Jampert et al. 2007; Bos et al. 2003). Moreover language is not only important for communication; additionally it interacts with social, emotional and cognitive development (Albers 2011). Therefore, language acquisition and its support is a highly stressed topic in early childhood. The linguistic environment and the language support a child encounters in the family and preschool affects the linguistic development greatly (Connor et al. 2005; Pianta et al. 2002; Sylva et al. 2004). Considering this, language ability tests and programs, which promote language development, have become a key topic in institutional early child care settings in Germany (Ehlich 2005; Fried 2004; Lisker 2011; Redder et al. 2011).

There is no doubt about the importance and need for these programs either in education policy or in research and therefore several initiatives have been established all over Germany over the last decade. Nevertheless, there are no data based quantitative results about the implementation of language programs in preschools and what language approaches children encounter (concerning e.g. duration, group sizes, teacher qualification). Even more, the relation between preschool variables (such as e.g. size, clientele, staff, equipment) and the implementation of language support in the form of standardized and structured language programs is rather unclear.

Method

By analyzing a representative sample of nearly 3,000 four- to five-year-old preschool-children out of 279 German preschools, which have been recruited by the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS) in 2010, the above mentioned research questions can be examined (von Maurice et al. 2011). Special attention is given to the implementation of structured language programs in the preschool setting. Information is gained through paper-pencil-questionnaires answered by preschool teachers and heads.

Expected Outcomes

Analyses of the data set reveal that the preschools are very heterogenic concerning their language support program. 24% of the participating preschools have not implemented a language ability test within their child care center and even more, only 71% apply a structured language program, which exceeds the daily language routine. Although many different programs are mentioned, only 54% of them are standardized programs, which have been advised statewide. Likewise the selection of children taking part in such programs turns out to be very heterogenic too. In one half of the preschools participating children have been rated beforehand to be in a need of language support (through language ability testing); in the other half of the preschools there is no assortment at all, subsequently every child participates. The main approach is on a regular basis (daily to several times a month) in a small-sized group. In addition, diversity within the group and training of the pedagogical staff play an important role when taking a closer look at the way children get supported in their language development. Besides heterogeneity of form and organization of these structured programs, the poster will also point out further analyses and emphasize the interrelation of preschool features and implementation of language support programs in the settings.

References

Albers, Timm (2011). Sag mal! Krippe, Kindergarten und Familie: Sprachförderung im Alltag. Weinheim, Basel: Beltz. Bos, W., Lankes, E.-M., Prenzel, M., Schwippert, K., Valtin, R., & Walther, G. (2003). Erste Ergebnisse aus IGLU. Schülerleistungen am Ende der vierten Jahrgangsstufe im internationalen Vergleich. Münster: Waxmann. Connor, C. M., Son, S-H., Hindman, A. H., & Morrison, F. J. (2005). Teacher qualifications, classroom practices, family characteristics, and preschool experience: Complex effects on first graders’ vocabulary and early reading outcomes. Journal of School Psychology, 43(4), 343-375. Ehlich, K. (2005). Eine Expertise zu "Anforderungen an Verfahren der regelmäßigen Sprachstandsfeststellung als Grundlage für die frühe und individuelle Sprachförderung von Kindern mit und ohne Migrationshintergrund". In: I. Gogolin (Hg.): Sprachdiagnostik bei Kindern und Jugendlichen mit Migrationshintergrund. Dokumentation einer Fachtagung am 14. Juli 2004 in Hamburg. Münster, S. 33–50. Fried, L. (2004). Expertise zu Sprachstandserhebungen für Kindergartenkinder und Schulanfänger. Eine kritische Betrachtung. München. Online verfügbar unter http://www.ph-karlsruhe.de/fileadmin/user_upload/dozenten/schlemminger/evaluation/02_Expertise_Sprachstand.pdf, zuletzt geprüft am 11.09.2014. Jampert, K., Best, P., Guadatiello, A., Holler, D., & Zehnbauer, A. (2007). Schlüsselkompetenz Sprache. Sprachliche Bildung und Förderung im Kindergarten. Konzepte, Projekte und Maßnahmen. Ergebnisse der bundesweiten Recherche im DJI-Projekt "Schlüsselkompetenz Sprache" zu Maßnahmen und Aktivitäten im Bereich der sprachlichen Bildung und Sprachförderung in Tageseinrichtungen für Kinder. 2. Aufl. Weimar [u.a.]: Netz-Verlag. Lisker, A. (2011). Additive Maßnahmen zur vorschulischen Sprachförderung in den Bundesländern. Expertise im Auftrag des Deutschen Jugendinstituts. München. Pianta, R., La Paro, K., Payne, C., Cox, M., & Bradley, R. (2002). The relation of kindergarten classroom environment to teacher, family, and school characteristics and child outcomes. The Elementary School Journal, 102(3), 225-238. Redder, A., Schwippert, K., Hasselhorn, M., Forschner, S., Fickermann, D., & Ehlich, K. (sowie M. Becker-Mrotzek, M. Krüger-Potratz, H.-G. Rossbach, P. Stanat, S. Weinert) (2011). Bilanz und Konzeptualisierung von strukturierter Forschung zu „Sprachdiagnostik und Sprachförderung“. Hamburg: ZUSE Berichte 2. Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B. (2004). The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project. Final Report. London: DfES Detailing. von Maurice, J., Leopold, T. & Blossfeld, H.-P. (2011). The National Educational Panel Study: A long-term assessment of competence development and educational careers (NEPS Working Paper No. 2). Bamberg: Otto-Friedrich-Universität, Nationales Bildungspanel.

Author Information

Ina-Sophie Ristau (presenting / submitting)

Leibniz-Institut für Bildungsverläufe e.V.

Bamberg

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