The Role of Mealtimes in Fostering Language Development and Aligning Home and School Learning: Protocol for a Multi-Method Study of Preschool Children in Rural Kenya and Zambia
BackgroundThe association between school and home is fundamental to sustainable education: parents’ understanding of the school’s priorities and teachers’ understanding of their pupils’ home environment are both vital for children to remain in school and succeed academically....
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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JMIR Publications
2022-07-01
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| Series: | JMIR Research Protocols |
| Online Access: | https://www.researchprotocols.org/2022/7/e36925 |
| _version_ | 1797734961637228544 |
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| author | Henriette Zeidler Claire Farrow Megan Jarman Grace Koteng Barnabas Simatende Danielle Matthews Haatembo Mooya Laura R Shapiro Pamela Wadende |
| author_facet | Henriette Zeidler Claire Farrow Megan Jarman Grace Koteng Barnabas Simatende Danielle Matthews Haatembo Mooya Laura R Shapiro Pamela Wadende |
| author_sort | Henriette Zeidler |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
BackgroundThe association between school and home is fundamental to sustainable education: parents’ understanding of the school’s priorities and teachers’ understanding of their pupils’ home environment are both vital for children to remain in school and succeed academically. The relationship between parents and teachers is closest in preschool settings, providing a valuable opportunity to build bridges between home and school. In this protocol paper, we outline our planned methods for identifying beneficial home and school behaviors.
ObjectiveOur project aims to identify culture-specific structures and behaviors in home and school settings, which influence the quantity and quality of child-directed speech and identify positive experiences that can help improve children’s linguistic development and nutrition.
MethodsUsing a mixed methods approach and focusing on early language learning, nutrition, and responsive caregiving, we will video-record and analyze mealtime language and eating behaviors at home and in school, targeting 80 preschool children and their families in rural Kenya and Zambia. In addition, we will assess children’s language skills through audio recordings and use questionnaire-based interviews to collect extensive sociodemographic and dietary data.
ResultsBetween the start of our project in January 2020 and the end of December 2021, we had collected complete sets of sociodemographic, observational, and food recall data for 40 children in Kenya and 16 children in Zambia. By the end of May 2022, we had started data collection for an additional 24 children in Zambia and transcribed and coded approximately 85% of the data. By the end of September, 2022, we plan to complete data collection, transcription, and coding for the entire sample of 80 children across both countries. From September 2022 onwards, we will focus on analyzing our language data, and we hope to have results ready for publication in early 2023. By relating children’s language outcomes and nutritional intake to the observed mealtime behaviors, we hope to identify practices that increase the quantity and quality of child-directed speech and improve children’s nutritional intake.
ConclusionsGood nutrition and the promotion of language learning are key issues in early childhood development. By using a cross-cultural approach, combining a variety of methods, and working closely with stakeholders and policy makers throughout the project, we hope to find and share best practices for improving children’s linguistic outcomes and nutrition and lay the foundation for the development of practitioner networks and parent outreach programs.
International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/36925 |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T12:51:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f4a32284595443a888eb94f6cb13cd78 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1929-0748 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T12:51:28Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | JMIR Research Protocols |
| spelling | doaj.art-f4a32284595443a888eb94f6cb13cd782023-08-28T22:41:58ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Research Protocols1929-07482022-07-01117e3692510.2196/36925The Role of Mealtimes in Fostering Language Development and Aligning Home and School Learning: Protocol for a Multi-Method Study of Preschool Children in Rural Kenya and ZambiaHenriette Zeidlerhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5521-102XClaire Farrowhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-9822-957XMegan Jarmanhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-4477-9314Grace Kotenghttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-0591-8844Barnabas Simatendehttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-1474-9680Danielle Matthewshttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-3562-9549Haatembo Mooyahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-8303-5414Laura R Shapirohttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-3276-457XPamela Wadendehttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-0846-3977 BackgroundThe association between school and home is fundamental to sustainable education: parents’ understanding of the school’s priorities and teachers’ understanding of their pupils’ home environment are both vital for children to remain in school and succeed academically. The relationship between parents and teachers is closest in preschool settings, providing a valuable opportunity to build bridges between home and school. In this protocol paper, we outline our planned methods for identifying beneficial home and school behaviors. ObjectiveOur project aims to identify culture-specific structures and behaviors in home and school settings, which influence the quantity and quality of child-directed speech and identify positive experiences that can help improve children’s linguistic development and nutrition. MethodsUsing a mixed methods approach and focusing on early language learning, nutrition, and responsive caregiving, we will video-record and analyze mealtime language and eating behaviors at home and in school, targeting 80 preschool children and their families in rural Kenya and Zambia. In addition, we will assess children’s language skills through audio recordings and use questionnaire-based interviews to collect extensive sociodemographic and dietary data. ResultsBetween the start of our project in January 2020 and the end of December 2021, we had collected complete sets of sociodemographic, observational, and food recall data for 40 children in Kenya and 16 children in Zambia. By the end of May 2022, we had started data collection for an additional 24 children in Zambia and transcribed and coded approximately 85% of the data. By the end of September, 2022, we plan to complete data collection, transcription, and coding for the entire sample of 80 children across both countries. From September 2022 onwards, we will focus on analyzing our language data, and we hope to have results ready for publication in early 2023. By relating children’s language outcomes and nutritional intake to the observed mealtime behaviors, we hope to identify practices that increase the quantity and quality of child-directed speech and improve children’s nutritional intake. ConclusionsGood nutrition and the promotion of language learning are key issues in early childhood development. By using a cross-cultural approach, combining a variety of methods, and working closely with stakeholders and policy makers throughout the project, we hope to find and share best practices for improving children’s linguistic outcomes and nutrition and lay the foundation for the development of practitioner networks and parent outreach programs. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/36925https://www.researchprotocols.org/2022/7/e36925 |
| spellingShingle | Henriette Zeidler Claire Farrow Megan Jarman Grace Koteng Barnabas Simatende Danielle Matthews Haatembo Mooya Laura R Shapiro Pamela Wadende The Role of Mealtimes in Fostering Language Development and Aligning Home and School Learning: Protocol for a Multi-Method Study of Preschool Children in Rural Kenya and Zambia JMIR Research Protocols |
| title | The Role of Mealtimes in Fostering Language Development and Aligning Home and School Learning: Protocol for a Multi-Method Study of Preschool Children in Rural Kenya and Zambia |
| title_full | The Role of Mealtimes in Fostering Language Development and Aligning Home and School Learning: Protocol for a Multi-Method Study of Preschool Children in Rural Kenya and Zambia |
| title_fullStr | The Role of Mealtimes in Fostering Language Development and Aligning Home and School Learning: Protocol for a Multi-Method Study of Preschool Children in Rural Kenya and Zambia |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Role of Mealtimes in Fostering Language Development and Aligning Home and School Learning: Protocol for a Multi-Method Study of Preschool Children in Rural Kenya and Zambia |
| title_short | The Role of Mealtimes in Fostering Language Development and Aligning Home and School Learning: Protocol for a Multi-Method Study of Preschool Children in Rural Kenya and Zambia |
| title_sort | role of mealtimes in fostering language development and aligning home and school learning protocol for a multi method study of preschool children in rural kenya and zambia |
| url | https://www.researchprotocols.org/2022/7/e36925 |
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