Reference no: EM13568249

Question: Write a literature review based on the following title and the research questions indicated below. The literature review must have in-text citations and a list of proper references following APA Format. It must be 5 pages (roughly 250 words per page). There must be a minimum of 10 references.

Note: In Singapore, K2 children are 6-year-olds who attended their final year in a kindergarten and will enter formal schooling which is called Primary School.

So, in the literature review, my supervisor has given inputs indicated below so expert can use this to guide in the writeup.

In the literature review must contain:

- Talk/Highlight about the academics/cognitive skills & social skills rampant issues in Singapore context...much emphasis is on academics thus social skills such as communication is lacking

- Literature review should indicate the findings from other research studies about these two learning areas in children..probably must strike a balance between both

- Highlight and define communication..why is it important for children for transition into formal schooling that is Primary School and for the future and successful in life..21st century competency skills highlighted by Ministry of Education Singapore

- Talk about the definition of teachers' perception in terms of these 3 areas: teachers' beliefs, abilities and their practices in nurturing communication in the pre-schoolers which are the K2 children in our local context here

- Lastly define ‘transition' and why communication is necessary to ensure smooth transition into primary school

PRESCHOOL TEACHERS' PERCEPTIONS OF NURTURING COMMUNICATION IN KINDERGARTEN TWO (K2) CHILDREN FOR TRANSITION INTO PRIMARY SCHOOL

1. Introduction:

Education is highly regarded in Singapore and for our children to be ready for the future, education must develop the whole person (Heng, 2012). According to Mr Heng Swee Keat, the Minister for Education, education is not so much about content knowledge, rather it is how students process information and make connections (Heng, 2012). In this competitive and fast-changing world, Mr Heng posits that students need to acquire critical and inventive thinking, civic literacy, information and communication skills.

At the 2012 Singapore Conference in Washington D.C., USA, Mr Heng affirmed that in an increasingly globally connected and information-rich world, it is important to help our children acquire 21st century competencies in particular communication skills. He posits that building fundamental values and skills such as communication in children is critical for success and to inculcate lifelong learning (Heng, 2012). He reiterated that it is not sufficient for students to be able to communicate, but the ability to communicate effectively (Heng, 2012).

Similarly, Tan (2007) also highlighted that education must equip our children with good values, relevant knowledge and skills for economic and social advancements. Thus, she explicates that teachers play a significant role as effective facilitators. They not only equip children with the relevant knowledge, but importantly, to also nurture them to acquire communication skills. Communication is indeed important to create a smooth transition for children to move from preschool to primary schooling as they interact with others meaningfully (Tan, 2007).

1.1 Background:

The preschool landscape in Singapore has changed considerably over the years. In the past, preschool education was perceived as preparation for Primary One (P1). As such, emphasis is placed on academic skills through a didactic teaching approach that put the children to numerous worksheets and repetitious exercises (Tan, 2007). Although academic skills are prerequisites for children for transition into primary school, Wong (2000) posits that the enduring effects of a child's social and emotional competence are of paramount importance for the holistic development of a life-long learner.

To ensure a smooth transition from preschool to primary school, the Education Ministry has issued a set of Desired Outcomes of Pre-school Education in 2000 that is aligned with the set of Desired Outcomes of Primary Education (Tan, 2007). These outcomes reflect values, dispositions and skills with emphasis on the child's holistic development. In fact, "the Education Ministry explained that the desired outcomes were deliberately formulated to demonstrate that social and communication skills are of significant importance" (Tan, 2007).

In recognition that there needs to be a balanced of academic and social competencies in children through a holistic development, the Kindergarten Curriculum Guide (2008) was made available to all preschool settings in Singapore. The Kindergarten Curriculum Guide (2008) aids preschool teachers in developing learning experiences in children for future achievements and to be lifelong learners through exploring their environment, getting along with others and using language to express their needs and feelings.

In the refreshed Kindergarten Curriculum Framework (KCF) (2012), it is reiterated that preschool teachers need to continue in developing learning experiences to help children to acquire social skills and build their confidence for transition to primary school. In the KCF, it is mentioned that preschool teachers need to equip children with "the ability to think critically and work with people from diverse cultural backgrounds, with different ideas and perspectives" (Ministry of Education, Republic of Singapore, 2012, p. 17). Hence, it is crucial for preschool teachers to nurture communication in children. This is to enable them to communicate their thoughts, ideas and feelings effectively with others for a smooth transition to primary school.

1.2 Purpose Statement:

Undoubtedly, preschool teachers play an important role in the lives of their young charges. They each have their own perceptions in developing learning experiences that are essential to the children under their care. Their daily teaching practices in the preschool are shaped by their own beliefs based on their perceptions. Pajares (1992) explicates that teachers' beliefs are main indicators of their perceptions and judgements affecting their teaching practices (p.307). Although there is much emphasis on academics, research shows that social skills are what most affect school adjustment (Ladd & Price, 1987; Ladd, 1990 as cited in Deyell-Gingold, 2008). One such social skill is communication. There should be continued focus on social and emotional development and preschool teachers should not feel pressured into teaching academics beyond what is developmentally "best practice" (Bredekamp & Copple, 1997 as cited in Deyell-Gingold). Besides beliefs and practices, another dimension of what shapes the perceptions of preschool teachers is ability. Teachers' ability in nurturing communication skills in preschoolers is associated with their level of confidence in executing the preschool's curriculum. As such, teachers' beliefs and confidence which in turn affects their daily practices sum up their perceptions on nurturing social skills such as communication in the pre-schoolers.

Thus, this study aims to comprehend the views held by preschool teachers in our local preschool setting about nurturing communication in K2 children for transition into primary school. Through gathering their responses, it will enable us to have a better understanding of preschool teachers' preparedness toward incorporating social skills such as communication in their daily teaching and practices. As such, the preschool leaders can provide the necessary assistance to the teachers to facilitate their nurturing of social skills such as communication in the pre-schoolers. Additionally, the management can also single out the possibility of providing appropriate intervention to the pre-schoolers who are at risk so as to ensure that they transit well into primary school.

1.3 Problem Statement
Generally, most preschool teachers are aware of the ‘Key Stage Outcomes of Pre-school Education' reflecting the importance of children's holistic development and the emphasis on building social skills (Ministry of Education, 2012). However, repeated observations done by the researcher on the preschool setting has surfaced an important discovery. The preschool teachers' seem to be more inclined towards academics. The teachers are concerned of the heavier demands placed on the pre-schoolers in this particular area as they transit into primary school. In fact, in an interview done by The Straits Times on preschools and enrichment centres, ranging from neighbourhood to elite centres has shown that most of them felt that academic standards have gone up in the past 10 years (The Straits Times, 2012). This could probably lead to the nurturing of the preschoolers' social skills such as communication being secondary as the primary focus is placed on preparing pre-schoolers for formal education and smoother transition into primary school. Additionally, as mentioned by Sharpe (1993) pre-schoolers' social and emotional well-being has often left unnoticed by early childhood educators who seem to focus on teaching content.

1.4 Research Questions:

To gain a deeper understanding of the issues, this research study proposes to focus solely on the preschool teachers' perceptions on nurturing communication in preschoolers for transition into primary school, through the following questions:

What are preschool teachers' perceptions of nurturing communication skills in K2 children for transition into primary school in terms of:

1) their beliefs about teaching communication,

2) their own ability to nurture communication in K2 children, and

3) their daily practices in nurturing communication in the preschool.