December 2021
In this month's newsletter, we're highlighting a longitudinal study led by the Ohio State University research team that examined the extent to which instructional practices in prekindergarten (pre-K) through third grade were vertically aligned.

Strong instructional alignment across pre-K and the early grades may help narrow opportunity gaps, and in particular, help children maintain skills gained in pre-K as they advance through school.

Researchers found:

  • Instructional practices in pre-K were very different from those in elementary school.
  • Kindergarten appears to be highly academic for about two-thirds of classrooms.
  • Kindergarten instructional practices were well aligned with practices used in the older grades.

Learn more about the study and its implications for research, policy and practice in the story and infographic below.
Pre-K learning experiences appear starkly different from elementary school
Pre-K experiences appear starkly different from early grades

A recent Early Learning Network study led by researchers at Ohio State University found that instructional practices in prekindergarten (pre-K) were starkly different from those in kindergarten through third grade, and that kindergarten appears...

Read more
earlylearningnetwork.unl.edu
Related to the story linked above, the Ohio State University research team studied grade-related differences in instructional experiences across three dimensions important for students’ learning:

1. Grouping practices
2. Academic content
3. Pedagogical methods

The following infographic highlights key differences observed in pre-K and kindergarten classrooms in Ohio.
The Early Learning Network, funded by the Institute of Education Sciences, leverages its expertise, resources and geographic diversity to help narrow opportunity gaps and maintain early learning success as children transition from preschool to third grade. Together, network researchers from universities and organizations across the U.S. are examining current policies and practices, identifying malleable factors associated with early learning and achievement, and developing tools to assess early learning instruction, interactions and environments. Learn more at earlylearningnetwork.unl.edu.
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