This paper describes the scope and findings of a separately published comprehensive review of research on optimum age of entry into first grade, covering the literature from 1915 to 1976. (Not included was research on reading, the gifted, mentally retarded, and materials in popular journals.) Findings noted the inadequacy of chronological age as a…

This paper presents a study of the educational problems of the Skolt Lapp children living in Finland. (The Skolt Lapps have a distinctively different culture from the rest of the Finnish people.) The study was designed to define: (1) to what degree cultural factors affect the educational readiness (intellectual functions, school motivation, and…

This report describes: (1) a study of desirable kindergarten goals as perceived by the principals, teachers, and parents of Kentucky's 1973-74 pilot kindergarten programs; and (2) a study of the learning needs of entering first-grade pupils as perceived by a structured sample of first-grade teachers in Kentucky. In the first study, data collected…

The purpose of this manuscript is to encourage the development of the communication skills of preschool children by introducing their parents to a number of learning activities suitable for implementation in the home. It is written to be used by an instructor who is working with preschool parents. The activities, which are designed to be…

The needs of students in the public schools of Colorado are reviewed in a report that contains two types of information: (1) descriptions of some educational outcomes commonly desired in Colorado, as found in statements of goals and objectives; and (2) descriptions of student performance on the assessment inventory given in the spring of 1971.…

The Parent Teacher Kindergarten Student Assessment instrument (PTKSA) described here was developed over a 4-year period and used extensively at each stage of its revision, with the goal of evolving a feasible and sensitive pre-primary pupil profile or early childhood education inventory. Intended for use by both parents and teachers at the…

This document provides a compilation of measures of progress toward school readiness and three contributing conditions as used in several local, state, and national surveys. The report begins with a legend listing the surveys examined, their acronyms, and contact information. The remainder of the report, in tabular format, lists measures of…

In response to California Legislation that would change the cut-off for the minimum 5-year entrance age from December 2 to September 1, this paper reviews the literature discussing the appropriate age for beginning school. The review includes a brief history of kindergarten and its place in California law; discusses the possible impact of the…

This report assesses where America's Great City Schools (GCS) were on the National Urban Education goals in 1996-97 and how they compared to where they were in 1990-91. The National Urban Education Goals address the unique and pressing needs of urban schools and provide an enabling set of targets on the way toward achieving national goals. This…

The state of Washington implemented the Readiness to Learn program as part of the state's Family Policy Initiative. The primary goal of the program is to serve as a formal link between education and human services by authorizing grants to local school-linked, community-based consortia to develop and implement strategies that ensure children arrive…

Examined the opinions of principals and teachers about appropriate school entry age. Found common belief that children should be at least five years of age when they begin school. Younger children have more problems academically and socially and tend to remain behind their older classmates. Results suggest that children be evaluated for school…

Discusses student learning behavior in two history classes. Suggests that many students do not understand the culture of college and inadvertently violate simple rules for success. Asserts that many students lack the knowledge of how to be successful in an academic environment and would benefit from a course serving as an "On-The-Job Professional…

In this paper, the authors report the results of a study that compared differences in the linguistic gains made by native English-speaking students from the United States who were studying Spanish in one of two different contexts of learning. One was a regular university classroom situation in Colorado; the other was a study abroad program in…

Helping teachers decide the critical point when a young child is ready to learn and the appropriate strategy to use with that child is the crux of this successful program. Scaffolding Early Literacy is helping close the learning gap between higher-performing students and minority, special needs, and low socioeconomic students. (Contains 3…

This paper examines the behavioral issues associated with homelessness and marginal lifestyles. It describes classroom techniques that may be used to develop self-directed learning readiness as a tool for mitigating the psychological problems associated with the causes and outcomes of marginal living and homelessness. Discussed first are 26 issues…