The purpose of the study discussed in this article was: to record the types of literacy activities in whole-day and half-day kindergarten classrooms, initiated either by teachers during the instructional time or by children during the free-choice center time; to examine the amount of time spent on teacher-initiated literacy activities; and to determine the effect of whole-day and half-day kindergarten programs on children’s literacy achievement. To record the types of literacy activities, two whole-day and two half-day kindergarten classrooms were observed for five continuous days (a week). Accordingly, five children from each classroom (a total of20) were selected randomly as subjects for the examination of literacy activities that engaged them during the free-choice center time activities and for the analysis of their literacy achievement. The results showed that:
(a) teachers in both programs initiated literacy activities related to: knowledge about print; phonological awareness; writing and storybook reading;
(b) the percentage of instructional time per day on teachers’ initiated literacy activities in half-day kindergarten classrooms was higher than in whole-day classrooms;
(c) children in both programs did not engage in several literacy activities during the free-choice center time, and
(d) children in half-day kindergarten classrooms made better progress in literacy development than children in whole-day classrooms.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Alber-Kelsay, K. (1998) ‘Full-day Kindergarten vs. Half-day Kindergarten: The Outcome of First Grade Reading Achievement’. ERIC DO: 417380. New Jersey, USA .
2.
Ball, E. W. (1997) ‘Phonological Awareness: Implications for Whole Language and Emergent Literacy Programs,’ Topics of Language Disorders17(3): 14-26 .
3.
Besse, J. M. (1992) ‘I paragogi grapton ton mikron paidion prin apo to dimotiko scholio (Young Children’s Writings Before Primary Education)’, in T. Anthoulias (ed.) Ta provlimata tis didaskalias tis protis grafis kai anagnosis (Teaching Problems in Early Reading and Writing). Athens: Ellinika Grammata .
4.
Bradley, L. and Bryant, P. E. (1978) ‘Difficulties in Auditory Organization as a Possible Cause of Reading Backwardness’ , Nature271: 746-747 .
5.
Bradley, L. and Bryant, P. E. (1983) ‘Categorizing Sounds and Learning to Read: A Causal Connection’ , Nature301: 419-421 .
6.
Bryant, P. E. and Bradley, L. (1985) Children’s Reading Problems. Oxford: Basil Blackwell .
7.
Campbell, R. (1995) Reading in the Early Years. Buckingham: Open University Press .
8.
Cryan, J., Sheehan, R., Weichel, J. and Bandy-Hedden, I. G. (1992) ‘Success Outcomes of Full-day Kindergarten: More Positive Behavior and Increased Achievement in the Years After’ , Early Childhood Research Quarterly7(2): 187-203 .
9.
Da Costa, J. L. and Bell, S. (2001) ‘Full Day Kindergarten at an Inner City Elementary School: Perceived and Actual Effects’ . Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the American Educational Research Association, 10-14 April.
10.
Demont, E. and Gombert, J. E. (1996) ‘Phonological Awareness as a Predictor of Recoding Skills and Syntactic Awareness as a Predictor of Comprehension Skills’ , British Journal of Educational Psychology66: 315-332 .
11.
Doliopoulou, E. (1999) Sigchrones taseis tis proscholikis agogis (Modern Tendencies in Preschool Education). Athens: Tipothito - Dardanos .
12.
Downing, J., Schaefer, B. and Douglas-Ayres, J. (1993) LARR Test of Emergent Literacy. Berkshire: NFER-NELSON .
13.
Ferreiro, E. and Teberosky, A. (1982) Literacy Before Schooling. London: Heinemann Educational .
14.
Greek Law 2525/97. Enieo Likio, prosvasi ton apofiton tou stin Tritovathmia Ekpedefsi, aksiologisi tou ekpedefitkou ergou ke alles diataksis (Unified Lyseum, access to the Third Degree Eduction, assessment of educational work and other arrangements). Official Government Gazette, 188/23-9-97, v. A.
15.
Gullo, D. (1990) ‘The Changing Family Context: Implications for the Development of All-day Kindergartens’ , Young Children45(4): 35-39 .
16.
Holmes, C. T. and McConnell, B. M. (1990) ‘Full-day Versus Half-day Kindergarten: An Experimental Study’. ERIC DO:369540. Georgia, USA .
17.
Hough, D. and Bryde, S. (1996) ‘The Effects of Full-day Kindergarten on Student Achievement and Affect’. ERIC DO:395691. Missouri, USA .
18.
Hurry, J., Sylva, K. and Riley, J. (1999) ‘Evaluation of a Focused Literacy Teaching Programme in Reception and Year 1 Classes: Child Outcomes’ , British Education Research Journal25(5): 637-649 .
19.
Kirby, P. (1992) ‘Story Reading at Home and at School: Its Influence Upon Children’s Early Literacy Growth’ , Reading26(2): 7-12 .
20.
Kitsaras, G. (2000) ‘Anagnosi kai grafi sto nipiagogeio: charas evaggelia i to provlima? (Reading and Writing in Kindergarten: Enjoyment or the Problem?)’ , Sigchrono Nipiagogeio16: 30-33 .
21.
Koopman, M. (1991) ‘A Study of the Longitudinal Effects of All-day Kindergarten Attendance on Achievement’. ERIC DO:336494. New Jersey, USA .
22.
Koutsouvanou, E. (2000) Proti anagnosi kai grafi (Early Reading and Writing). Athens: Odisseas .
23.
Lazo, M. G. and Pumfrey, P. D. (1996) ‘Early Predictors of Later Attainment in Reading and Spelling’ , Reading30(3): 5-11 .
24.
Liberman, I. Y. (1982) ‘A Language-oriented View of Reading and its Disabilities’, in H. Myklebust (ed.) Progress in Learning Disabilities, Vol. 5, pp. 81-101. New York: Grune & Stratton .
25.
Lundberg, I., Frost, J. and Petersen, O. (1988) ‘Effects of an Extensive Program for Stimulating Phonological Awareness in Preschool Children’ , Reading Research Quarterly23: 263-284 .
26.
Lundberg, I., Olofsson, A. and Wall, S. (1980) ‘Reading and Spelling Skills in the First School Years Predicted from Phonemic Awareness Skills in Kindergarten’ , Scandinavian Journal of Psychology21: 159-173 .
27.
Manolitsis, G. (2000) Metrisi kai axiologisi metaglossikon ikanotiton paidion ilikias 5-6 eton (Measurement and Evaluation of Metalinguistic Abilities of Children Aged 5-6 Years). Athens: Grigoris .
28.
Miller, L. (1996) Towards Reading. Buckingham: Open University Press .
29.
Morrow, L. M, Strickland, D. S. and Woo, D. G. (1998) Literacy Instruction in Half- and Whole-day Kindergarten. Newark: International Reading Association and Chicago: National Reading Conference .
30.
Naslund, J. C. and Schneider, W. (1996) ‘Kindergarten Letter Knowledge, Phonological Skills, and Memory Processes: Relative Effects on Early Literacy’ , Journal of Experimental Child Psychology62: 30-59 .
31.
Nunnelley, J. (1996) ‘The Impact of Half-day Versus Full-day Kindergarten Programs on Student Outcomes: A Pilot Project’. ERIC DO:396857. Indiana, USA .
32.
Nutbrown, C. (1997) Recognising Early Literacy Development: Assessing Children’s Achievements. London: Paul Chapman Publishing Ltd.
33.
Papoulia-Tzelepi, P. (1993) ‘I anadisi tou grammatismou sto elliniko grafimiko sistima: i anagnorisi simperiforon grammatismou (The Emergence of Literacy in the Greek Graphemic System: the Recognition of Literacy Behaviours)’ , Glossa30: 5-18 .
34.
Pontecorvo, C. and Zucchermaglio, C. (1990) ‘A Passage to Literacy: Learning in a Social Context’, in Y. M. Goodman (ed.) How Children Construct Literacy: Piagetian Perspectives, pp. 59-98. Newark: International Reading Association .
35.
Porpodas, C. (1989) ‘I orthografia stin A’ Dimotikou se schesi me ti glossiki kai mnimoniki ikanotita (Spelling in Primary First Grade in Relation to Linguistic and Memory Abilities)’ , Psychologica Themata2(4): 201-214 .
36.
Porpodas, C. (1992) ‘I ekmathisi tis anagnosis kai tis grafis se schesi me tin ilikia kai ti fonimiki enimerotita (Learning of Reading and Spelling in Relation to Age and Phonemic Awareness)’ , Psychologia1: 30-43 .
37.
Riley, J. (1996) The Teaching of Reading. The Development of Literacy in the Early Years of School. London: Paul Chapman Publishing Ltd.
38.
Rothenberg, D. (1984) ‘Full-day or Half-day Kindergarten?’. ERIC DO:256474. Illinois, USA .
39.
Rothenberg, D. (1995) ‘Full-day Kindergarten Programs’. ERIC DO:382410. Illinois, USA .
40.
Senechal, M., LeFevre, J., Thomas, E. M. and Daley, K. E. (1998) ‘Differential Effects of Home Literacy Experiences on the Development of Oral and Written Language’ , Reading Research Quarterly33(1): 96-116 .
41.
Stahl, S. A. and Murray, B. A. (1994) ‘Defining Phonological Awareness and Its Relationship to Early Reading’ , Journal of Educational Psychology86(2): 221-234 .
42.
Stanovich, K. E., Cunningham, A. E. and Cramer, B. B. (1984) ‘Assessing Phonological Awareness in Kindergarten Children: Issues of Task Comparability’ , Journal of Experimental Child Psychology38: 175-190 .
43.
Stinard, T. A. (1982) ‘Synopsis of Research on Kindergarten Scheduling: Half-day, Everyday; Full-day, Alternate Day; and Full-day, Everyday’. ERIC DO:219151. Iowa, USA .
44.
Sulzby, E. (1986) ‘Writing and Reading: Signs of Oral and Written Language Organisation in the Young Child’, in W. H. Teale and E. Sulzby (eds) Emergent Literacy: Writing and Reading, pp. 50-89. Norwood, NJ: Ablex .
45.
Sulzby, E., Teale, W. H. and Kamberelis, G. (1989) ‘Emergent Writing in the Classroom: Home and School Connections’, in D. S. Strickland and L. M. Morrow (eds) Emerging Literacy: Young Children Learn to Read and Write, pp. 63-79. Newark: International Reading Association .
46.
Tafa, E. (1997) ‘I phonologiki enimerotita ton paidion kata tin proscholiki ilikia os kritirio prosdiorismou tou epipedou tis anagnostikis tous ikanotitas kata ti scholiki ilikia (The Phonological Awareness of Preschool Aged Children as a Criterion Prognosis of Reading Ability of School Aged Children)’ . Paper presented at The 6th Panhellenic Conference of Psychological Research, Pantio University, 29 May - 1 June.
47.
Tafa, E. (2000) ‘Anagnosi kai grafi sto nipiagogio: i technikes ton erotiseon (Reading Stories in Kindergarten: The Question Techniques)’, in P. Papoulia-Tzelepi (ed.) Grammatismos sta Valkania (Emergent Literacy in the Balkans), pp. 99-116. Athens: Greek Reading Association .
48.
Tafa, E. (2001a) ‘I vivliothiki stin taxi tis proscholikis ekpaidefsis: i organosi ke i litourgia tis sto plaisio tou programmatos gia tin anadisi tou graptou logou (The Library in the Preschool Classroom: Its Organisation and Function in the Emergent Literacy Programme)’, in P. Papoulia-Tzelepi (ed.) Anadisi tou grammatismou (The Emergence of Literacy), pp. 211-239. Athens: Kastaniotis .
49.
Tafa, E. (2001b) Anagnosi kai grafi stin proscholiki ekpaidefsi (Reading and Writing in Preschool Education). Athens: Ellinika Grammata .
50.
Tafa, E. (2001c) ‘I anadisi tis anagnosis kai tis grafis sta pedia tis proscholikis ilikias: o rolos ton paidagogon (The Emergence of Reading and Writing in Preschool Children: The Teachers’ Role)’ , Sigchrono Nipiagogeio21: 12-20 .
51.
Tafa, E. (2003) ‘Ti gnorizoun ta paidia tis proscholikis ilikias gia ta grammata tou alphavitou kai pos ta chrisimopioun gia na grapsoun to onoma tous (Kindergarten Children’s Knowledge About the Alphabet Letters and Letters in Their Own Names)’ , Paper presented at the Proceedings of the International Conference for Literacy and Mathematics in Preschool Education, University of Crete, Rethymnon, 22-23 November.
52.
Tantaros, S. (1999) ‘I exelixi ton michanismon oikeiopoiisis tis graptis glossas sto paidi (Child’s Developmental Acquisition of Written Language)’ , Glossa47: 57-75 .
53.
Tantaros, S. and Vamvoukas, M. (1999) ‘I epinoimeni grafi apo paidia tou nipiagogiou kai dimotikou scholeiou (The Invented Spelling in Kindergarten and Primary Children)’, in St. Papastamou, A. Kanellaki, S. Mantoglou, S. Samartzi and N. Christaki (eds) I psychologia sto stavrodromi ton epistimon tou anthropou kai tis koinonias (Psychology at the Crossroads of the Human and Social Sciences), pp. 117-143. Athens: Kastaniotis .
54.
Teale, W. H. and Sulzby, E. (1989) ‘Emergent Literacy: New Perspectives’, in D. S. Strickland and L. M. Morrow (eds) Emerging Literacy: Young Children Learn to Read and Write, pp. 1-15. Newark: International Reading Association .
55.
Tolchinsky-Landsmann, L. (1990) ‘Literacy Development and Pedagogical Implications: Evidences from the Hebrew System of Writing’, in Y. M. Goodman (ed.) How Children Construct Literacy: Piagetian Perspectives, pp. 26-44. Newark: International Reading Association .
56.
Torneus, M. (1984) ‘Phonological Awareness and Reading: A Chicken and Egg Problem?’ , Journal of Educational Psychology76(6): 1346-1358 .
57.
Tunmer, W. E. and Nesdale A. R. (1985) ‘Phonemic Segmentation Skill and Beginning Reading’ , Journal of Educational Psychology77(4): 417-427 .
58.
Tunmer, W. E., Herriman, M. L. and Nesdale A. R. (1988) ‘Metalinguistic Abilities and Beginning Reading’ , Reading Research Quarterly23(2): 134-158 .
59.
Wade, B. and Moore, M. (1996) ‘Home Activities: The Advent of Literacy’ , European Early Childhood Education Research Journal4(2): 63-76 .
