Early Childhood Professional Development: Coaching and Coursework Effects on Indicators of Children’s School Readiness

TLDR

The study evaluated the effects of two sequential interventions—coursework and coaching—to improve teacher–student interactions on children’s school readiness over two years. Teachers from ten public prekindergarten sites were randomly assigned to treatment or control groups each year, and the impact on literacy, language, and self‑regulation was assessed using an intent‑to‑treat framework across coaching and post‑coaching years. Coaching and coursework each produced modest gains in children’s multi‑word language use and behavioral control, with coaching alone improving inhibitory control, while no significant differences emerged in literacy or language skills and effects were consistent across child, classroom, and program characteristics.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Research Findings Effects on children’s school readiness were evaluated for 2 interventions focused on improving teacher–student interactions (coursework, coaching) implemented sequentially across 2 years. Teachers from public prekindergarten programs in 10 locations were assigned randomly to treatment or control conditions in each year. Children’s language behavior was observed during the coaching year: Coaching and the course each had positive impacts on children’s multiword language behavior. Treatment impacts on directly assessed literacy, language, and self-regulation skills were evaluated within an intent-to-treat framework for children taught by the participating teachers in the coaching and postcoaching years. Children demonstrated higher levels of inhibitory control in direct assessments when their teacher had received coaching the prior year. Teachers who received both coursework and coaching reported in the postcoaching year that children in their classrooms demonstrated greater levels of behavioral control. Treatment effects did not differ as a consequence of child, classroom, or program characteristics, and there were no significant effects on directly assessed literacy or language skills. Practice or Policy: Results suggest modest benefits for children’s language behavior and self-regulation for intervention(s) that improve the quality of teacher–child interaction.