ECD practitioners’ perspectives on a linguistically and contextually adapted developmental milestone resource (Birth - 3 years 11 months)

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to describe the perspectives of early childhood development (ECD) practitioners in low-resourced settings on the linguistic and contextual appropriateness of an adapted milestone guide for use in group settings with children between the ages of birth and 3 years 11 months and to gather their recommended classroom activities to support development.

Design: A mixed method, cross sectional exploratory survey design was employed, combining qualitative and quantitative responses.

Study sample: Fifteen ECD practitioners from three centres in low-resourced settings of Pretoria participated in the study.

Results: Participants reported the milestone as linguistically and contextually appropriate, with minor changes. Suggested activities included both activities requiring equipment and those not requiring equipment.

Conclusions: The newly adapted developmental milestone guide was found to be linguistically and contextually appropriate to monitor and stimulate milestones. It is, therefore, ready to be trialled in multiple low-resourced group settings.