AN INVESTIGATION OF INSTRUCTIONAL ENVIRONMENT IN KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOMS

Abstract

The present study aims to investigate teachers’ current instructional practices in kindergarten classrooms. To this end, four-hour classroom observations were conducted in forty-five classrooms. Results indicated that on average, classrooms spent almost 44% of the time on teacher-directed instruction and almost 14% of the time on child-centered instruction. Classrooms also spent almost 42% of their time on non-instructional activities, such as meals, waiting for the next activity, and lining up for lunch or bathroom. With respect to the content of observed activities, in an average classroom, almost 41% of the time was spent with no content. Across ten content areas coded in the study, codes for visual arts, mixed, games, and language arts were relatively frequently observed. On the other hand, in the observed activities, mathematics, science, reading, social studies, drama, and music were the content areas that were less likely to be covered. Furthermore, mean level of instruction observed in these classrooms indicated teachers’ support of low-level to basic skills development in children. These findings have critical implications for future research in understanding children’s classroom experiences, and as a consequence their subsequent achievement in school.

Keywords

• Kindergarten Education,Young Children,Focus of Instruction,Content of Instruction,Classroom Observation

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