Journal article: Assessing the effectiveness and implementation of a universal classroom-based set of educator practices to improve preschool children’s social-emotional outcomes

CEI is pleased to share a new article authored by members of our global team in collaboration with the Centre for Holistic Initiatives for Learning and Development (CHILD, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore), published in the peer-reviewed journal PLoS ONE.

This study protocol is titled: "Assessing the effectiveness and implementation of a universal classroom-based set of educator practices to improve preschool children’s social-emotional outcomes: Protocol for a cluster randomized controlled type 2 hybrid trial in Singapore." 

The article was authored by CEI’s Dr Evelyn Tan, Dr Robyn Mildon and Dr Cheryl Seah, in collaboration with CEI Research Associate, Professor Aron Shlonsky of Monash University, and Virginia Commonwealth University’s Professor Bryce D McLeod, Associate Editor, Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (JCCAP).

Below is the abstract. The full published article is available from PLoS ONE 18(9): e0291723.

Abstract (as published in PLoS ONE)

Background

Providing high-quality early childhood care and education is understood as key to maximizing children’s potential to succeed later in life, as it stimulates young children’s development of skills and competencies needed to promote optimal outcomes and success later in life. Despite the government’s efforts to support the early childhood sector, educators in Singapore continue to report difficulties in implementing practices in classrooms that promote children’s social, emotional, and cognitive development. To enhance educators’ skills in these domains, we developed the Enhancing And Supporting Early development to better children’s Lives (EASEL) Approach, a set of universal, educator-delivered practices for use with 3-6-year-old children in early childhood settings to improve social, emotional, behavioral, and executive functioning (SEB+EF) outcomes.

Methods

This study will evaluate the effectiveness and implementation of the EASEL Approach in improving early childhood educators’ teaching practices and, in turn, children’s SEB+EF outcomes. We will conduct a cluster randomized controlled trial with a type 2 hybrid effectiveness-implementation study in 16 childcare centers. The EPIS (Explore, Prepare, Implement, Sustain) Framework will be used to inform the implementation of the EASEL Approach. Implementation strategies include training, educator self-assessments, practice-based coaching, and data monitoring. Our primary outcome is educators’ teaching practices. Secondary outcomes include educators’ adoption of the EASEL Approach in everyday practice, the acceptability and feasibility of the EASEL Approach, and children’s SEB+EF outcomes. Quantitative and qualitative data will be collected at baseline, six months, and after implementation.

Conclusion

Findings from this study will provide significant evidence on the effectiveness of the EASEL Approach in improving educators’ teaching practices and its impact on children’s SEB+EF outcomes and the implementation of the EASEL Approach in early childhood classrooms in Singapore.

Access and download the full article HERE