OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
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The Kindergarten Readiness Research Program
The Kindergarten Readiness Research Program focuses on measuring and improving self-regulation skills in young children through the development of a measure (Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders) and research-based intervention (Red Light, Purple Light!).
The study examined the Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders (HTKS) task—a five to seven-minute activity measuring behavioral self-regulation and executive function (EF)—as a predictor of academic achievement over the transition to formal schooling. Compared to other measures of individual aspects of EF, the HTKS task is a practical and efficient predictor of academic growth and school readiness in children transitioning from prekindergarten to kindergarten.
Read full brief: Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders Task: Predicting Academic Success in Early Childhood Education
View Infographic: Predicting Academic Success in Early Childhood Education
Megan McClelland (Oregon State University)
Claire Cameron (University at Buffalo, SUNY), Ryan Bowles (Michigan State University)
John Geldhof (Oregon State University)
2015-2022
Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
This four-year project will revise an existing measure of self-regulation (the HTKS) for use as a school readiness screening tool for children from at-risk backgrounds. The existing HTKS is a predictor of school achievement for diverse groups of children. However, English language learners (ELLs) and children from low-income background have not performed well on the measure. The research team will develop and validate a revised version of the measure to assess self-regulation skills of preschoolers who are at risk.
Megan McClelland (Oregon State University)
Tominey, S. L. (Oregon State University), Geldhof, G. J. (Oregon State University), Schmitt, S. A. (Purdue)
Hatfield, B. (Oregon State University), Li, T. (Oregon State University), & Mashburn, A. (Portland State University)
2021-2026
$3,800,000
Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
This project will test the initial efficacy of Red Light, Purple Light (RLPL), a self-regulation intervention that was developed as part of an IES grant. Researchers will examine if access to one of two versions of RLPL, (self-regulation [SR] or SR+ math/literacy [SR+]), compared to a wait-list control (WLC) condition relates to gains in children's self-regulation, math, and literacy skills in preschool and six months later.
Megan McClelland (Oregon State University)
Alan Acock (Oregon State University), Claire Cameron (University of Virginia), Ryan Bowles (Michigan State University)
2010-2016
Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
This five-year project will adapt a self-regulation measure (the HTKS) as a school readiness screening tool that can be easily used by teachers, practitioners, and researchers to identify children who would benefit from additional support in self-regulation.
Megan McClelland (Oregon State University)
Shauna Tominey (Yale University), Sara Schmitt (Purdue University), David Purpura (Purdue University), Bridget Hatfield (Oregon State University), Karen Thompson (Oregon State University)
2015-2020
Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
The purpose of this project is to develop and evaluate the promise of a self-regulation intervention designed for use with children from low-income backgrounds with the goal of promoting the development of school readiness skills. Math and literacy content will be embedded into self-regulation based activities to explore the added benefit of academic content on the development of self-regulation skills.
Megan McClelland (Oregon State University)
2015-2019
Bezos Family Foundation.
The research team will develop a mobile app to facilitate the delivery of games and activities that have been developed to help children practice how to stop, think and THEN act. These previously developed games and activities have been shown to be effective in two randomized control trials and were designed to promote self-regulation skills in young children.
Megan McClelland (Oregon State University)
Sara Schmitt (Purdue University)
2015-2018
Families and Work Institute; W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
The primary aim of this project is to assess the impact of a Mind in the Making (MITM)-based intervention that targets teachers, preschool-age children, and parents. The intervention is designed to promote the healthy development of children’s executive function skills. Participating teachers and parents will receive training in the Seven Essential Skills Modules from MITM and circle time games (Tominey & McClelland, 2011).
