ROLE OF AN ADULT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CHILD: EVIDENCE FROM A HOME BASED INTERVENTION PROGRAM

Deniz SenocakPrague, 31 August 2007

Research TeamSevda BEKMAN

Bilge TARBA

Implementation Ministry of National Education

Mother Child Education Foundation

Outline

Background to MOCEP

How MOCEP Works

Implementation of MOCEP

Selective Results of Evaluation Research of MOCEP

(Nationwide Program) Bekman, S. A Fair Chance

Background to MOCEP

1982 MOCEP was developed as a part of a scientific research

project conducted at Boğaziçi University

1992 Revision of MOCEP

1992 MOCEP-MONE collaboration starts

1993 Mother Child Education Foundation (MOCEF) was

established

2007 Implementation continues in collaboration with MONE

General Directorate of Non-Formal Education

How MOCEP Works

AIM

GROUP DISCUSSIONSAND HOME VISITS

CHILDREN AT 5 YEARS OF AGE and MOTHERS

25 WEEKS TOTAL

FORM

DURATION

COMPONENTS•Mother Enrichment Program•Reproductive Health and

Family Planning•Cognitive Training Program

Mother Enrichment Program

It aims to increase the

mother’s sensitivity to the

cognitive, social and

emotional development of

the child and to aid her in

preparing a home

environment.

It aims to support the

parent in creating a

consistent and positive

mother-child interaction.

Mother Enrichment Program

The mothers attend group discussions and are expected to

carry out group decisions at home. The consequences of

these decisions are followed by the group leaders in the

next meetings. They will feel the support of the group when

faced with resistance for the decision taken at home.

This process is believed to facilitate more attitude and

behavior change than other means of disseminating

information which makes the participants passive receivers.

Cognitive Training Program

Prepare the child for school, by stimulating his pre-

literacy and pre-numeracy skills.

Mediated learning approach- the aim is to promote

school readiness through interaction with an adult

who is instructing the child.

Enhances the mothers educator role.

A preschool program for children based on activity

sheets and storybooks that the mother learns in the

group and implements at home with her child.

Cognitive Training Program

Each week’s materials contain various daily exercises to be

used by the mother with the child which takes about 15 to

20 minutes to complete.

The worksheets get progressively more difficult over time.

Through asking questions, making suggestions, instructing

and answering questions mothers help the child to

integrate their developing cognitive skills and create an

opportunity to function in their zone of proximal

development.

Interactions carry the characteristics of a scaffolding

dialogue.

Cognitive Training Program

8 picture story books are

used for training in listening

comprehension, verbal

description, vocabulary,

question-answer activities

and reasoning.

Interactive shared book

reading activities are given

particular emphasis.

Implementation

25 week program implemented in three hours sessions once a week + home activities

Group Meetings Mother Support Program – 1.5 hours discussion Reproductive Health – 0.5 hours Cognitive Training Program – 1 hour for mother to

learn worksheets in group Total three hours in group meetings

Home Activities Cognitive Training Program – mothers implement

worksheets at home with child every day for 30 minutes

total 30 minutes * 5 days* 25 weeks Home visits – facilitator can implement 4-5 home

visits to each mother child at home

Process of The Evaluation Research

AT THE BEGINNING OFTHE PROGRAM

•LEVEL OF THE PRE- LITERACY AND

PRE-NUMERACY SKILLS and

•MOTHER-CHILD RELATIONSHIP

AT THEEND OF

THE FIRSTGRADE

•LEVEL OF THE LITERACY AND

NUMERACY SKILLS AT THE END OF THE

1st GRADE and

•MOTHER-CHILD RELATIONSHIP

•EVALUATION BY THE TEACHER

AT THEEND OF THEPROGRAM

•LEVEL OF THE PRE- LITERACY AND

PRE-NUMERACY SKILLS and

•MOTHER-CHILD RELATIONSHIP

Results at the end of the Program

Sample

Mother Trained 102

Non-Trained 115

Total 217

Change in Pre Literacy and Pre Numeracy Skills

CH

AN

GE S

CO

RES

PRE-LITERACY PRE-NUMERACY05101520

253035404550

MOTHER-TRAINED

NON-TRAINED

Change in Pre-literacy and Pre-numeracy Scores According to Environmental Stimulation

PRE-LITERACY

PRE-NUMERACY

PRE-LITERACY

PRE-NUMERACY

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

STIMULATINGENVIRONMENT

NON-STIMULATINGENVIRONMENT

MOTHER-TRAINED NON-TRAINED

CH

AN

GE S

CO

RES

Results at the end of the first grade

Sample

Mother Trained 85

Non-Trained 92

Total 177

Literacy and Numeracy Skills

LITERACY SKILLS0

102030405060708090

100

NUMERACY SKILLS

MOTHER-TRAINED NON-TRAINED

MEA

N S

CO

RES

Passing Grades

4.55

4.6

4.65

4.7

4.75

4.8

4.85

4.9

MOTHER-TRAINED NON-TRAINED

MEA

N G

RA

DES

0

5

10

15

20

25

NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR

Date Child Began to Read

MOTHER-TRAINED NON-TRAINED

NU

MB

ER

OF C

HIL

DR

EN

School Readiness of Child According to Mother

72%

MOTHER-TRAINED NON-TRAINED

NOTREADY

READY

28%

NOTREADY

0%

READY

100%

Teachers Evaluation on School Readiness

COGNITIVE SOCIAL3.2

3.3

3.4

3.5

3.6

3.7

3.8

3.9

MOTHER-TRAINED NON-TRAINED

MEA

NS

Teacher’s Evaluation of Children

APPROPRIATEBEHAVIORS

ATTENTIVE CREATIVE CURIOUS00.511.522.533.544.5

MOTHER-TRAINED NON-TRAINED

MEA

NS

Summary- Effects on Cognitive Development

create a home environment with necessary stimulation for such literacy and numeracy activities by making the mother active in this environment.

better performance in pre-literacy and pre-numeracy skills

better prepared for formal schooling and achievement.

earlier date for reading

better school success of children at the end of their first year of primary school

Mothers Speaking

“A change with my son was such that it could clearly be observed. Before he was unable to hold even a pencil, now he sits down and paints pictures and write his name. He is also able to solve simply addition and subtraction problems.”

“With what I learnt in the course I also guided my child. I think that I enabled a considerable degree of change in my child.I think that we are learning all the subjects that can be learnt before schooling.”

Mothers Speaking

“I used to hit him at times when I could not stand it anymore. Now it is almost absolutely over.”

“I did not use to talk to my son thinking that he was just a kid, whereas now I feel the need to talk to him.”

“I was the one who benefited the most from the program. Then, I tried to reflect this change at home.”

Thank you