ABSTRACT

Research Findings: The Classroom Assessment Scoring System Toddler (CLASS-T) is one of the most commonly used measures to assess the quality of teacher-child interactions in toddler classrooms. Despite widespread use of the CLASS-T, few studies have examined the factor structure of the CLASS-T for use in Early Head Start (EHS) and subsidized child care programs serving children from low-income, ethnically and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The purpose of the present study was (a) to examine the factor structure of the CLASS-T in a sample of 106 classrooms comprised of ethnically and linguistically diverse toddlers attending EHS and subsidized child care programs; and (b) to examine the invariance of the factor structure across classrooms in which teachers spoke predominantly English or Spanish in the classroom. Findings supported the two-factor structure of the CLASS-T, which included the Emotional and Behavioral Support and Engaged Support for Learning domains. Additionally, findings provide preliminary support for the use of the two-factor structure of the CLASS-T in linguistically diverse classrooms. Practice or Policy: Overall, research findings provide evidence for the use of the CLASS-T to measure quality within toddler classrooms that serve ethnically and linguistically diverse toddlers. Future directions and implications for both policy and practice are discussed.

摘要

研究成果: 幼儿课堂评估评分系统 (CLASS-T) 是评估幼儿课堂中师生互动质量最常用的衡量标准之一。尽管 CLASS-T 得到广泛使用，但很少有研究检查 CLASS-T 的因子结构用于早期启蒙 (EHS) 和为来自低收入、种族和语言不同背景的儿童提供补贴的儿童保育计划。本研究的目的是 (a) 在 106 个教室的样本中检查 CLASS-T 的因子结构，这些教室由参加 EHS 和补贴儿童保育计划的种族和语言不同的幼儿组成；(b) 检查教师在课堂上主要讲英语或西班牙语的课堂中因素结构的不变性。研究结果支持 CLASS-T 的双因素结构，其中包括情绪和行为支持以及对学习领域的参与支持。此外，研究结果为在语言多样化的课堂中使用 CLASS-T 的双因素结构提供了初步支持。实践或政策：总体而言，研究结果为使用 CLASS-T 来衡量为不同种族和语言的幼儿提供服务的幼儿教室的质量提供了证据。讨论了政策和实践的未来方向和影响。