Each kindergarten teacher received a self-administered questionnaire consisting of three distinct parts. The first section, part A, asked about the teacher's class and classroom characteristics. It was designed to collect data about the composition and demographics of the children in the class. Part B addressed more specific questions on class organization, typical class activities, and evaluation methods, as well as teacher views on kindergarten readiness, school environment, and overall school climate. Background questions about the teacher were also included in this section.
Part C asked teachers to report about the sampled children in their classrooms. Teachers were asked to respond to 20 questions about the child's academic performance. The academic rating scale (ARS) gathered data on each sampled child's skills in areas of language and literacy, general knowledge, and mathematical thinking. For example, some questions asked if the child used complex sentence structure, demonstrated early writing behaviors, formed explanations based on observations, or solved problems involving numbers. Part C also included questions from the SRS that collected data on five areas of children's social skills.
2.3.1 Content of the ARS
There are three scales of the ARS: language and literacy, general knowledge, and mathematics. Each of these is described below. The areas measured in the ARS overlap and augment what is measured in the direct cognitive assessment. The items were designed to ascertain the current skill
levels, knowledge, and behaviors of the child based on the teacher's past observation and experience with the child. Unless otherwise noted, the fall and spring ARS have the same number of items for each concept.
The Language and Literacy section of the ARS asks teachers to rate each child's
proficiency in speaking (1 item), listening (1 item), early reading (3 items fall, 4 items spring), and writing (1 item fall, 2 items spring). In addition, teachers rate the child's computer literacy (1 item).
The General Knowledge section of the ARS asks teachers to rate each child's
proficiency in social studies (1 item fall, 2 items spring) and science (3 items).
In the Mathematics section, teachers rate each child on one item on each of five
skills: concept of numbers, solving number problems, use of math strategies, data analysis (graphing), and measurement.
In all sections, the teacher rated the child's skills, knowledge and behaviors on a scale from "Not Yet" to "Proficient" (see table 2-6). If a skill, knowledge, or behavior had not been introduced into the classroom, the teacher coded that item as N/A (Not applicable).
See chapter 3, section 3.3 for scale scores, value ranges, means, and standard deviations for the ARS.
Table 2-6. ARS response scale
Not yet: Child has not yet demonstrated skill, knowledge, or behavior.
Beginning: Child is just beginning to demonstrate skill, knowledge, or behavior but does so very inconsistently.
In progress: Child demonstrates skill, knowledge, or behavior with some regularity but varies in level of competence.
Intermediate: Child demonstrates skill, knowledge, or behavior with increasing regularity and average competence but is not completely proficient.
Proficient: Child demonstrates skill, knowledge, or behavior competently and consistently. N/A: Not applicable: Skill, knowledge, or behavior has not been introduced in classroom
2.3.2 Teacher SRS
Teachers rated individual students as part of a self-administered questionnaire. These items are intended to measure approaches to learning, self-control, and interpersonal skills. The items were rated on a scale of one (Never) to four (Very often). See chapter 3, section 3.6.1 for variable names, ranges, means, and standard deviations for these scales.
The Approaches to Learning Scale (Teacher SRS) measures behaviors that affect the
ease with which children can benefit from the learning environment. It includes six items that rate the child's attentiveness, task persistence, eagerness to learn, learning independence, flexibility, and organization.
The Self-Control (Teacher SRS) Scale has four items that indicate the child's ability
to control behavior by respecting the property rights of others, controlling temper, accepting peer ideas for group activities, and responding appropriately to pressure from peers.
The five Interpersonal Skills (Teacher SRS) items rate the child's skill in forming
and maintaining friendships, getting along with people who are different, comforting or helping other children, expressing feelings, ideas and opinions in positive ways, and showing sensitivity to the feelings of others.
The two problem behavior scales reflect behaviors that may interfere with the learning process and with the child's ability to interact positively in the classroom.
Externalizing Problem Behaviors (Teacher SRS) include acting out behaviors. Five
items on this scale rate the frequency with which a child argues, fights, gets angry, acts impulsively, and disturbs ongoing activities.
The Internalizing Problem Behavior (Teacher SRS) Scale asks about the apparent
presence of anxiety, loneliness, low self-esteem, and sadness. This scale comprises four items.
This measure is adapted with permission from the instrument Elementary Scale A ("How Often?") (Gresham, F. M. and Elliott, S.N., 1990).
Fall-Kindergarten Teacher Questionnaires
Part A of the fall-kindergarten teacher questionnaire was given to all kindergarten teachers, regardless of whether they taught a sampled child. It included items characterizing the classroom and
students. Part B included questions regarding class organization and evaluation, typical class activities, and views on kindergarten readiness. The part C questionnaire asked teachers to complete an ARS and SRS rating for each sampled child in his or her classroom.
Spring-Kindergarten Teacher Questionnaires
Similar to the fall instrument, the spring questionnaire was also divided into three sections. The content of the items varied between fall and spring instruments to ease respondent burden. Part A was again completed by all kindergarten teachers in the school, regardless of whether they taught a sampled child. This section asked about the characteristics of the kindergarten class and the children in the class. The spring part B questionnaire included some, but not all, of the questions used in the part B fall questionnaire. Part B of the teacher questionnaire was completed only by kindergarten teachers new to the study. This questionnaire was similar to the part B questionnaire completed in fall. It was used to gather information about teacher background, instructional practices, views on kindergarten readiness, and the teaching climate of the school. The teacher part C questionnaire was completed by kindergarten teachers who taught sampled children. This questionnaire, similar to the part C questionnaire completed in fall, asked teachers to provide ratings of each sampled child in their classroom in academic and social areas. The spring part C also included a section titled "student information" that asked for overall academic and physical activity comparisons of the sampled child with the other children in the class and student support service participation. Table 2-7 shows the overall structure of the teacher questionnaire and the distribution of topics among the fall and spring data collection points.
Table 2-7. Teacher questionnaire Teacher Questionnaire Fall- Kindergarten Spring- Kindergarten Part A
Description of class—age, race, and gender distribution X
Class organization X1 X
Children with special needs X
Classroom aides X
Class assignment and grouping X
Types of activity/ interest areas X
Class activities X1 X
Instructional time in different subjects X
Types of materials and activities X
Child vs. teacher initiated activities X1
Parent involvement X
Professional development X
Part B
Evaluation and grading practices of students X /
Sharing progress information with parents /
Teachers' views on school readiness X /
Perceptions about school climate X /
Perception of personal influence on policies and classroom planning X
Teacher demographic information X /
Teacher experience and education X /
Job satisfaction X /
Table 2-7. Teacher questionnaire (continued) Teacher Questionnaire Fall- Kindergarten Spring- Kindergarten Part C
Indirect child cognitive evaluation by teacher X X
Language and literacy, mathematics, general knowledge X X
Teacher evaluation of target child's social skills X X
Sampled child additional information X
Participation in special services and programs X
Target child's overall academic skills and physical activity X
Reading group participation X
1Collected in part B for fall-kindergarten.
Note: The columns to the right of each construct correspond to the waves of questionnaire administration. Waves that included the construct are marked with an "X." Content areas asked in spring only to new teacher participants are marked with a "/."