Child Studies

Editorial - Being a child in a complex and violent world

Rui Ramos — 2023-12-31

Public policies for preschool education in Angola: from formulation to implementation, what has changed?

Narciso Dumbo — 2023-12-31

This text seeks to reflect on the nature of the formulation of the current public policy for preschool education in Angola. Based on documentary analysis of the main official and legislative documents, we see the involvement of the state in regional and international challenges has increased the development of a set of policy texts directed at children's rights. Thus, the question arises as to whether the public policy for preschool education, fragmented in normative instrumentalization and in national development programmes and plans, mimics and complies with the international Agendas, or if they are functional and indicative of social justice in education that allows for the mitigation of inequalities in access, especially for vulnerable children, in a context where out of 10 children from low-income families, only two children have guaranteed access to attendance.

Application of the DECOLE programme in a natural classroom situation: effects on emergente literacy skills

Sylvia Domingos Barrera — 2023-12-31

This quasi-experimental study investigated the effects of the DECOLE Program, applied by a teacher in natural classroom conditions, on preschoolers' emergent literacy skills. Fifty-three Brazilian children attending a public preschool participated (average age: 5 years and 7 months; standard deviation: 3.9 months), separeted into an Experimental Group (n=30) and a Control Group (n=23). Before and after the intervention, participants’ phonological awareness, vocabulary, oral comprehension, and letter knowledge skills were assessed. The results indicate that the groups were equivalent in the pre-test regarding the skills assessed. In the post-intervention, significant differences were observed in favor of the Experimental Group, which participated in the intervention, in phonological awareness, oral comprehension and vocabulary. The results suggest the effectiveness of the DECOLE Program, when applied in a natural classroom situation, for the development of emergent literacy skills considered highly relevant for learning to read and write.

Efficacy of a metacognitive intervention programme on reading comprehension in third grade students

Martina Ares Ferreirós — 2023-12-31

This study examined the efficacy of a metacognitive intervention programme in a classroom group of 33 third-grade students. Two groups were formed: the intervention group with students in the classroom who showed reading delay and cognitive attention processes (n=8) and the comparison group (n=25). In the intervention group, a planning facilitation programme was implemented that aimed to improve inhibition processes and, correspondingly, overall reading comprehension indices. The Das-Naglieri: Cognitive Assessment System (D.N: CAS; Naglieri & Das, 1997) was used to measure attention processes. For reading processes, the Catalan et al. (2010) Reading Comprehension Assessment (ACL) test was used. The measurements were taken at pre-test, post-test, and follow-up. The results showed that the intervention group equalled the comparison group in reading comprehension and significantly improved in inhibition processes in the post and follow-up measures. It is concluded that the programme has had an impact on improving inhibition processes when facing reading activities.

Sail away, save a whale: ocean awareness in children’s books and picture books

Marisa da Silva Martins — 2023-12-31

This article discusses two children's books, The Whale Watchers (2022), written by Dougie Poynter and illustrated by Amberin Huq, and Calling the Whales (2023), written by Jasbinder Bilan and illustrated by Skylar White, as well as one picture book, The Tale of the Whale (2022), written by Karen Swann and illustrated by Padmacandra. Highlighting the relationship between children and whales, the article draws upon ecocriticism and ecology in the context of children’s literature. Arguing that these narratives present both species as climate activists, the article also explores the significance of the text, not only for the purpose of exposing environmental issues, but by also contributing to environmental literacy and pedagogy. This article aims to conclude that whales’ representation throughout the narratives bestows ocean awareness, leading the children to experience and engage with the sea.

Biopsychosocial pediatric nursing interventions in the adolescente diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus

Eduarda Vieira — 2023-12-31

Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (DM1) influences the self-perception of adolescents, their behaviour, and their integration into the social environment. The practice of Nursing Specialists in Children and Pediatric Health promotes their adaptation to the disease. The aim of the current study was to reflect on the interventions of these specialist nurses with adolescents with DM1 and their families. We performed an integrative literature review of the literature about the impact of DM1 on adolescents and the relevance of Specialist Nurses in Children and Pediatric Health in providing care to adolescents and their families. The nurse's intervention must contemplate the adolescent and macrosystem. Since diagnosis, it is crucial that the specialist nurse recognizes the adolescent's difficulties, combining technical care with constant emotional support. The nurse's intervention enables the adolescent and family to manage feelings, adjust the therapeutic regimen and integrate new routines into their daily lives.