Document Type |
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Project |
Document Title |
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Between Reality and Expectation: Images from Saudi Preschool Centers إكساب الخبرات عن طريق اللعب لطفل ما قبل المدرسة في مدينة جدة – بين التأييد والمعارضة |
Subject |
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Learning by play in Early Years |
Document Language |
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Arabic |
Abstract |
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Despite the increasing number of children attending preschool centers in Saudi Arabia (KSA), there is little national information about the quality of the structural and variable features of these centers (Gahwaji, 2006). International research evidence provides a picture of what high-quality programs look like, however, there is a lack of a current profile of pre-school education in KSA. The current paper aims to fill this gap by providing information on various aspects of quality from parents’ and teachers’ perspectives. Parents and professionals have a sound understanding of quality programs; however, there are differences in emphasis between them based on their diverse perceptions (McMillan, 2004). Through interviews, mothers have reflected a concentration on basic academic skills. The major reason for this academic thrust has been the perceived need to prepare preschool children for the future demands of elementary school (Lahman & Park, 2004). As well, a glimpse of how mothers think about and judge quality of preschool education is underlined in this paper. On the other hand, teachers perceived that to achieve high quality programs, there should be a shift from a strong academic focus to more child-initiated activities. Data demonstrated that a mother tend to rate the quality of a preschool centre higher than a teacher does if that centre satisfied her individual needs such as working hours or annual fees. Teachers thought that qualifications determine the quality of preschool programs and concluded that quality levels were also associated with teachers’ attitudes toward parents, and interactions with children (Mahdly, 2001). |
Publishing Year |
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1428 AH
2008 AD |
Number Of Pages |
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12 |
Added Date |
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Sunday, February 17, 2008 |
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Researchers
| , | Researcher | | ngahwaji@kau.edu.sa |
نهلة محمود قهوجي | Gahwaji, Nahla Mahmoud | Investigator | Doctorate | |
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