Influence of Teachers' Philosophy and Practice on Preschoolers' Print Development

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the relation between Teachers' Stated Philosophy about how children learn and should be taught, Teachers' Developmentally Appropriate Literacy Practice (DALP), and Children's Print Concepts. Teachers' DALP consists of the classrooms' Physical Environment, Social Environment, and Active Learning Program. Both mediating and moderating models were tested. The sample consisted of 455 preschool children that came from 115 preschool classrooms. Multiple regression analysis was conducted on the variables to determine which model provided the most explanatory power. Teachers' Stated Philosophy did not predict Children's Print Concept development. Therefore, the mediating model could not be tested. When tested, the moderating model was also not significant. However, Teachers' Stated Philosophy was found to predict Teachers' DALP, and Teachers' DALP (with the exception of the Physical Environment) was found to predict Children's Print Concept development.