Factors involved in first grade entrance in Wyoming schools

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This thesis, having been approved by the special Faculty Committee, is accepted by the Graduate School of the University of Wyoming, iri partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of—Easiex-nLJxts.______ __________ Dean of the Graduate School,

Date_

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FACTORS INVOLVED IN FIRST GRADE ENTRANCE IN WYOMING SCHOOLS bj Laurence A. W alker

A T h e sis Subm itted to th e D epartm ent o f E lem entary E d u catio n and th e G raduate School o f th e U n iv e rs ity o f Wyoming i n P a r t i a l F u lf illm e n t o f R equirem ents f o r th e Degree o f M aster o f A rts

U n iv e rs ity o f Wyoming L aram ie, Wyoming A ugust, 19£ l

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UMI Number: EP19735

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HE3ARD ROOM ii

ACKNOWLEDGMENT The w r i t e r e x p re s s e s h is a p p r e c ia tio n to D r. George H o l l i s t e r , Head o f th e D epartm ent o f E lem entary E d u catio n o f th e U n iv e rs ity o f lyom ing, f o r h is h e lp f u l s u g g e s tio n s , c r i t i c i s m s , and encouragem ent th ro u g h o u t th e developm ent of t h i s s tu d y . To th e sch o o l p eo p le o f th e S ta te of YJyoming who a s s i s t e d by su p p ly ­ in g in fo rm a tio n , th e w r i t e r i s a ls o most in d e b te d .

I8fcl27

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iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS C hapter I.

Page

THE PROBLEM AND METHOD OF STUDY....................... .............................. . In tr o d u c tio n . . . . . .

..................................................................

1

................................................

3

S tatem en t o f th e Problem

II.

Im portance o f th e P r o b l e m .....................

h

Method o f P rocedure

...........................................................................

3

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE.............................................................

7

M a te ria l on School A tten d an ce R equirem ents ...........................

7

M a te ria l on C h ro n o lo g ic a l A g e ...............................................

III.

1

.

8

M a te ria l on D iffe re n c e s Due to S e x ............................................

11

M ental Age a s a B a sis f o r School A d m is s io n ...........................

13

Reading R ead in ess T e s ts and T e a c h e rs' F o re c a s ts

. . . .

16

l h a t E x p e rts i n Reading Say About R e a d i n e s s ......................

17

THE SURVEY OF PRACTICES IN WYOMING

.

........................................

26

The Q u e stio n n a ire and th e R e t u r n s ...........................................

26

G rouping th e R e t u r n s ...........................................................................

27

P r a c tic e s i n Wyoming Schools f o r A dm itting C h ild re n to th e F i r s t G r a d e ...............................................................................

29

P o li c ie s o f A ccep tin g Under-Age F i r s t Grade C h ild re n from O ther S c h o o l s ......................................................................

30

P re v e n tin g th e Immature C h ild from E n te rin g

......................

33

Prom otion P o li c ie s f o r F i r s t Grade C h ild re n

. . . . . .

37

R ead in ess i n Wyoming's F i r s t Grade C la sse s ...........................

39

E s tim a te s o f A chievem ent and A djustm ent o f Under-Age C h ild re n

...............................................................................

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Ill

XV

C h ap ter

Page B est P r a c tic e s f o r A d m ittin g C h ild re n as Recommended

IV.

by Wyoming E d u c a t o r s ...........................................................................

U5

SUMMAHI..................................................................................................................

li-8

O pinions o f E d u c a tio n a l L eaders R egarding School A d m i s s i o n .................................................................................................

U8

The Thoughts o f Wyoming E d u c a to rs w ith R espect to A dm itting C h i l d r e n ..................................................................................................... F a c to rs i n R eadiness Needing C o n sid e ra tio n

53

...............................

56

C onclusions and Recommendations .........................................................

58

SELECTED REFERENCES .

.....................

A PPEN D IX ...........................................................................................................................

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V

LIST OF TABLES Table I., II.

.

Page

Q u e s tio n n a ire s Sent and R e t u r n e d ..............................................................28 P r a c tic e s i n lyom ing Schools f o r A dm itting C h ild re n to th e F i r s t G r a d e ..............................................................................

III. IV ,

31

A ccep tin g th e Under-Age C h ild from O th er Schools .....................

3U

Schools A dvising P a re n ts to D efer E n tran ce o f Immature C h i l d r e n .......................................................................................................... 36

V.

Success i n S e c u rin g P a re n t C o o p eratio n R egarding E n te rin g Immature C h i l d r e n ........................................................................................ 36

V I. V II.

Schools t h a t R e ta in C h ild re n i n F i r s t Grade

..............................

A pproxim ate P e r C ents o f C h ild re n R ep o rted a s R ep eatin g F i r s t G r a d e ...........................................

V III.

38

38

P e r Cent o f C h ild re n Whose F i r s t Grade Program, i s R eported a s Being L a rg e ly One o f R e a d i n e s s ......................................................L|D

IX .

Prom otion P o li c ie s f o r C h ild re n Whose Programs a re L a rg e ly R ead in ess . . . .

X.

...............................................................

U2

E s tim a te s o f Academic Achievement o f Under-Age C h ild re n as Compared w ith R egular-A ge C h ild re n

X I.

. . . . .

............................................

h3

E stim a te s o f S o c ia l and Em otional A djustm ent o f Under-Age C h ild re n as Compared w ith R egular-A ge C h i l d r e n ....................... L1.3

X II.

C o r r e la tio n o f th e E stim a te s o f Academic Achievement and S o c ia l-E m o tio n a l A djustm ents of Under-Age C h ild re n as Compared w ith T h e ir C lassm ates

X III.

..........................................................ill;

B est P r a c tic e s f o r A d m ittin g C h ild re n to F i r s t Grade as Recommended by lyom ing E d u c a t o r s ......................................................I4.6

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CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM AND METHOD OF STUDY In tr o d u c tio n The Yfyoming School Law i n re g a rd t o com pulsoiy e d u c a tio n and f r e e sc h o o ls i n th e s t a t e i s worded a s fo llo w s : The p u b lic sc h o o ls o f each sch o o l d i s t r i c t o f th e S ta te s h a l l a t a l l tim e s be e q u a lly f r e e and a c c e s s ib le to a l l c h ild r e n r e s i ­ d e n ts t h e r e in o v e r s i x ( 6 ) and u n d e r th e age o f tw en ty -o n e ( 2 1 ) y e a r s , s u b je c t t o such r e g u la tio n s a s th e d i s t r i c t b o a rd i n each d i s t r i c t may p r e s c r i b e . Every p a r e n t, g u a rd ia n o r o th e r p e rs o n in t h i s S ta te h aving c o n tr o l o r charge o f any c h ild o r c h ild r e n b e ­ tween th e ages o f seven ( 7 ) and s ix te e n ( 1 6 ) in c lu s iv e o r o f any c h ild o r c h ild r e n , who have n o t com pleted th e work o f th e e ig h th g ra d e , and who a re m e n ta lly cap a b le o f do in g such work and a re n o t ov er 1 6 y e a r s o f a g e, s h a l l be r e q u ire d to send such c h ild o r c h i l ­ d ren to a p u b lic , p r i v a t e , o r p a r o c h ia l s c h o o l , . . . 1 In th e above q u o ted law i t i s s t a t e d t h a t th e d i s t r i c t b o a rd s o f th e v a rio u s sch o o l d i s t r i c t s a re th e ones r e s p o n s ib le f o r th e e s ta b lis h m e n t o f r e g u la tio n s f o r a c c e p tin g c h ild r e n i n t h e i r own d i s t r i c t s .

The above

quoted law s t a t e s t h a t th e com pulsory sch o o l b e g in n e rs age i n Yfyoming i s seven, y e a r s .

G e n e ra lly , sch o o l b o a rd members i n Yfyoming have had d i f f e r ­

e n t p o l i c i e s f o r a d m ittin g c h ild r e n to th e f i r s t g ra d e , and f r e q u e n tly th e y have l e f t t h i s problem t o th e sc h o o l a d m in is tr a to r .

When p r o t e s t s

a ro se th e sch o o l b o a rd m ight o r m ight n o t back th e s u p e rin te n d e n t i n th e e s ta b lis h e d p o lic y .

F or t h i s re a s o n th e S ta te Board o f E d u c a tio n has

made recom m endations as t o p o lic y on a d m ittin g c h ild r e n t o th e f i r s t

-*-State D epartm ent o f E d u c a tio n , School Laws o f th e S ta te o f Yfyoming, 191*8, p . 3 2 -3 3 .

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2 g ra d e , b u t i t sh o u ld be n o te d t h a t th e law le a v e s th e f i n a l a u th o r it y to th e d i s t r i c t sch o o l b o a rd . For many y e a r s th e S ta te Board o f E d u catio n recommended t h a t c h i l ­ d re n be s ix y e a r s o ld on o r b e fo re

th e f i r s t day of November

o f th e y e a r

i n which th e y began sc h o o l; b u t i n

O ctober 19 U5, th e loom ing

S ta te Board

o f E ducation p a ss e d a new recom m endation to th e e f f e c t t h a t a c h ild sh o u ld be s i x y e a r s o ld on o r b e fo re Septem ber f i r s t o f th e y e a r t h a t he i s ad­ m itte d to th e f i r s t g ra d e .

T h is recom m endation f u r t h e r s t a t e s t h a t " . . . a

s t r i c t i n t e r p r e t a t i o n would r e q u ir e t h a t a c h i l d be c h ro n o lo g ic a lly s i x p y e a rs o f age a t th e opening o f th e sch o o l te rm ." In th e e x p la n a tio n o f th e recom m endation o f

th e S ta te Board o f Edu­

c a tio n we f i n d th e fo llo w in g : T h is a c ti o n was ta k e n a f t e r a th o ro u g h d is c u s s io n r e l a t i v e to th e need f o r a more c o n c e rte d e f f o r t i n r e a d in g , a s th e r e a re to o many c h ild r e n i n o u r sc h o o ls who have f a i l e d to m a ste r th e b a s ic fun d am en tals o f r e a d in g . R e lia b le s t a t i s t i c s , c o lle c te d w id ely th e c o u n try o v e r, i n r e c e n t y e a r s r e v e a l th e f a c t t h a t ap p ro x im a te ly 2 0 p e r c e n t o f c h ild r e n who e n t e r th e f i r s t g rad e a r e n o t read y f o r re a d in g . M ental age may b e d eterm in ed by g iv in g a s ta n d a rd i n t e l ­ lig e n c e t e s t f o r th e c a s e s t h a t r e q u ir e s p e c ia l c o n s id e r a tio n . These t e s t s sh ould be g iv e n by a. q u a l i f i e d p e rs o n . Most c h ild r e n a re i n th e normal group and sh o u ld th e r e f o r e be s ix y e a r s o f age b e fo re e n te r in g s c h o o l. There a re many f a c t o r s w hich should be re c o g n iz e d when a d m ittin g c h ild r e n t o sch o o l f o r th e f i r s t tim e . The d is ta n c e a c h ild t r a v e l s to s c h o o l, bus r o u te s , s ev e re w e ath e r c o n d itio n s a re a l l c lo s e ly r e l a t e d to th e c h i l d 's h e a lth . E x p e rim en ta l ev id en ce has e s t a b lis h e d a minimum m en tal age o f accom panied by com parable p h y s ic a l, s o c i a l , and e m o tio n a l ma­ t u r i t y , f o r alm ost c e r t a i n su c c e ss i n le a r n in g t o r e a d . Since le a r n in g t o re a d i s one o f th e m ajor ta s k s now s e t f o r f i r s t g ra d ­ e r s , th e c r i t e r i o n f o r ad m issio n sh o u ld be a m a tu rity l e v e l o f a t le a s t 6 -6 . 6-6

C h ild re n m ight rang e i n c h ro n o lo g ic a l age fro m f i v e t o seven o r e ig h t y e a r s , a lth o u g h th e y a re a t th e same d evelopm ental p o in t. O S ta te De o f loom ing, 19

E d u c a tio n , Handbook f o r th e E lem en tary Schools ^.

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3 J u s t a s some have re a c h e d t h a t p o in t more r a p id ly th a n o th e r s , so •wil l th e y p ro g re s s f a r t h e r i n a s p e c if i e d tim e . C onsequently even though e s ta b lis h e d re q u ire m e n t ■would in s u re a lm o st c e r t a i n su c c e ss f o r e v ery c h i l d , Yri.de in d iv id u a l d if f e r e n c e s would be o b se rv a b le from th e f i r s t , d if f e r e n c e s which would r e q u ir e m o d ific a tio n o f th e program . There seems t o be no re a so n why e a r ly e n tra n c e sh o u ld be i n ­ s i s t e d upon when th e chances a re u s u a lly a g a in s t th e c h ild i n such c a s e s . F a i l u r e , d isco u rag e m e n t, and o fte n tim e s exposure a re im­ p o r ta n t f a c t o r s w hich m ust be c o n sid e re d i n a c h i l d 's e d u c a tio n . I t i s a d v is a b le to se c u re a b i r t h c e r t i f i c a t e of p u p ils e n te r in g th e f i r s t g ra d e . R eg a rd le ss o f th e r e s u l t s o f a m en tal t e s t , th e f i n a l d e c is io n o f w hether o r n o t c h ild r e n who a re s ix a f t e r Septem ber f i r s t may e n t e r s c h o o l, i s a r e s p o n s i b i l i t y which sch o o l b o ard s must assum e. What i s b e s t f o r th e in d iv id u a l sh o u ld alw ays be o f m ajor im por­ ta n c e .3 The above s ta te m e n t s e t s f o r t h many o f th e elem en ts b a s ic to a su c­ c e s s f u l t r a d i t i o n a l sch o o l program w hich demands t h a t c h ild r e n le a r n to re a d in th e f i r s t g ra d e .

I t b rin g s o u t many im p o rta n t f a c t s t o be con­

s id e r e d i n a d m ittin g c h ild r e n to th e f i r s t g ra d e , and i t em phasizes t h a t a m ental age o f s i x y e a rs s i x months accom panied by com parable p h y s ic a l, s o c i a l , and e m o tio n a l m a tu rity sh o u ld be th e minimum s ta n d a rd i f su c c e ss i s t o be a ss u re d i n th e f i r s t g ra d e re a d in g program . Schools o v er th e s ta t e have e s t a b lis h e d many a id v a r ie d p o l i c i e s f o r a d m ittin g c h ild r e n to s c h o o l, and many o f them would l i k e a c l e a r c u t sta te m e n t w hich th e y co u ld ad o p t a s t h e i r p o lic y .

Some a d m in is tr a to r s

b e lie v e t h a t th e S ta te D epartm ent o f E d u catio n should s e t up a d e f i n i t e p o lic y f o r th e whole s t a t e ; and, no d o u b t, o th e r s would c a l l t h i s an i n ­ frin g e m e n t a g a in s t th e r i g h t s o f th e l o c a l d i s t r i c t . S tatem en t o f th e Problem The puxpose o f t h i s stu d y was t o re v ie w some o f th e a v a il a b le so u rc es o f in fo rm a tio n Y dth r e g a rd to d e s ir a b le c r i t e r i a f o r e n te r in g b e g in n e rs i n

•^ Ib id ., p .

13

.

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h s ch o o l and t o show what th e g e n e ra l p r a c tic e i s i n Yfyoming w ith r e s p e c t to a d m ittin g c h ild r e n to th e f i r s t g ra d e .

S p e c ific p r a c t i c e s i n lyom ing

sch o o ls were a ls o s tu d ie d w ith re g a rd to a c c e p tin g c h ild r e n who w ish to t r a n s f e r t o a sc h o o l d u rin g th e y e a r i f th e y co u ld n o t have met t h a t s c h o o l's re q u ire m e n t f o r e n tr a n c e . Im portance o f th e Problem As o u r s t a t e h as grown i n p o p u la tio n and o ur Trays of l i v i n g have b e ­ come more complex we f i n d t h a t we must l i v e more c lo s e ly w ith o th e r s , and t h i s f r e q u e n tly means t h a t we m ust change o u r custom s o r a d ju s t some o f o u r ways o f l i v i n g .

F or many y e a r s Yfyoming sc h o o ls and sc h o o l d i s t r i c t s

were e n t i r e l y in d e p en d e n t o f one a n o th e r , b u t w ith th e coming o f good ro a d s , b e t t e r t r a n s p o r t a t i o n , i n te r - s c h o o l c o m p e titio n and c o o p e ra tio n , s t a t e a i d t o s c h o o ls , and many o th e r such th in g s i t becomes a p p a re n t t h a t sc h o o ls m ight b e t t e r o p e ra te w ith u n ifo rm p r a c tic e s ..

U n ifo rm ity o f p ra c ­

t i c e i n a d m ittin g c h ild r e n seems to be d e s i r a b l e , and. a t p r e s e n t we do n o t have t h i s . For exam ple, i t i s p o s s ib le t h a t a c h ild whose s ix th b ir t h d a y came on th e f i f t h day o f Septem ber would have been a c c e p te d I n f i r s t g rad e in one sc h o o l w hich opened on t h a t day b e ca u se h is b ir th d a y was "on o r b e ­ f o r e th e opening day of s c h o o l," w hereas i f he had l i v e d in a n o th e r d i s ­ t r i c t he would have been r e j e c t e d b e ca u se h is b ir th d a y was n o t "on o r b e fo re Septem ber f i r s t . "

I n a n o th e r d i s t r i c t he m ight have been a c c e p te d

o r r e je c te d by s c o re s he made on an i n t e l l i g e n c e o r re a d in e s s t e s t .

He

w ould have been e l i g i b l e to ta k e th e s e t e s t s b ecau se h is b ir th d a y was in Septem ber.

In s t i l l o th e r d i s t r i c t s h is a c c e p tan c e o r r e j e c t i o n m ight

have depended upon w h eth er o r n o t he had com pleted a y e a r i n k in d e r g a r ­ te n .

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O bviously th e p a r e n ts o f a c h ild ?shose b ir t h d a y f a l l s t h a t c lo s e t o th e re q u ire d d a te a re go in g t o b e somewhat co n cern ed .

I f th e c h ild i s

immature and n o t a s advanced e m o tio n a lly , s o c i a l l y , and m e n ta lly as he should be he i s p ro b a b ly much b e t t e r o f f b ecau se he cannot a tt e n d s c h o o l. He has one more y e a r to g a in d e s ir e d e x p e rie n c e s and m a tu r ity so t h a t he may meet s u c c e s s f u lly th e problem s o f f i r s t g ra d e .

I f a c h i l d i s re a d y

f o r sch o o l and r a t e s h ig h m e n ta lly he i s p ro b a b ly b e in g u n j u s t l y p e n a liz e d becau se he w a s n 't b o rn f o u r days e a r l i e r .

Even more extrem e i n many

p la c e s i s th e f a c t t h a t c h ild r e n b o rn on Septem ber f i r s t a r e a c c e p te d f o r sc h o o l, w h ile t h e i r p lay m ates b o m o n ly a few ho u rs l a t e r on Septem ber second a re d e n ie d a d m is sio n .

School a d m in is tr a to r s say t h a t a l i n e must

b e drawn som eplace, and w herever i t i s d r a m some p e o p le w i l l be unhappy ab o u t i t .

T h is i s p ro b a b ly t r u e , b u t p e rh a p s th e l i n e sh o u ld n o t be b a se d

on any one f a c t o r b u t r a t h e r on a co m b in atio n o f f a c t o r s . P a re n ts u s u a ll y d e s ir e t o have t h e i r c h ild r e n i n sch o o l a s soon as p o s s ib le , te a c h e r s o f f i r s t grade g e n e r a lly d i s l i k e having c h ild r e n t h a t a re to o immature i n t h e i r c l a s s e s , co.nd sc h o o l a d m in is tr a to r s n o rm ally hope t o a v o id f r i c t i o n .

A ll in v o lv e d would p ro b a b ly a p p r e c ia te a s o lu ­

t i o n i f one i s p o s s ib le . L eaders i n e d u c a tio n have c o n sid e re d th e problem s o f sc h o o l e n tra n c e and re a d in e s s f o r sch o o l i n t h e i r w r i t i n g s .

E s p e c ia lly i n th e f i e l d of

re a d in g much has been w r i t t e n on th e s u b je c t o f re a d in e s s w hich i s r e l a t e d to th e problem o f sc h o o l e n tr a n c e . Method o f Procedure The p ro c e d u re f o r t h i s s tu d y in c lu d e d rev iew o f a v a ila b le r e c e n t l i t e r a t u r e on th e s u b je c t o f a d m ittin g c h ild r e n to f i r s t g ra d e .

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Some o f

6

t h i s necessarily d e a l t -with th e problem o f re a d in g readiness w hich i s so c lo s e ly r e l a t e d a s t o be a lm o st in s e p a r a b le . The s c h o o l law s and th e recom m endations o f th e S ta te Board o f Educa­ t i o n have been review ed s in c e th e y a re b a s ic i n d eterm in in g p o lic y i n th e s ta te . The stu d y a ls o in v o lv e d a no rm ativ e survey o f th e sch o o ls i n th e s t a t e to d is c o v e r w hat p r a c t i c e s were b e in g u sed and w hat th e s e sc h o o l p e o p le th o u g h t ab o u t o th e r su g g e ste d p r a c t i c e s .

A q u e s tio n n a ir e was s e n t

to each County S u p e rin te n d e n t i n th e s t a t e , to a t l e a s t one e lem en ta ry p r i n c i p a l i n each c i t y o f th e s t a t e , and to th e s u p e rin te n d e n ts of sm all sch o o ls when no e le m e n ta ry p r i n c i p a l was l i s t e d f o r them .

The r e s u l t s

o f t h i s su rv ey a r e found i n C h ap ter I I I .

T h is i s fo llo w e d b y a g e n e ra l

d is c u s s io n and summary o f th e m a te r i a l .

The c o n c lu sio n s and recommenda­

tio n s a re g iv e n i n th e f i n a l c h a p te r .

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CHAPTER I I REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE M a te ria l on School A ttendance R equirem ents The to p ic o f sch o o l e n tra n c e re q u ire m e n ts has lo n g been c o n sid e re d , b u t th e em phasis p la c e d on i t h as become g r e a t e r i n re c e n t y e a r s .

When

com piilsory sc h o o l law s were f i r s t p a ss e d th e p u rp o se was t o g e t p a r e n ts t o p u t t h e i r c h ild r e n i n s c h o o l.

Today p a r e n ts a re d e s ir o u s o f g e ttin g

t h e i r c h ild r e n i n sch o o l a s soon as th e y can be a d m itte d .

While th e

sc h o o ls i n most s t a t e s a c c e p t c h ild r e n w h ile th e y a re from f iv e t o s i x y e a r s o f age o n ly th r e e s a te s have a com pulsory sch o o l law a s low a s s ix y e a rs .•*" T h i r t y - s i x s t a t e s have th e minimum com pulsory sc h o o l age s e t a t seven y e a r s , and th e rem aining n in e s t a t e s do n o t r e q u ir e sc h o o l a tte n d a n c e u n t i l th e c h ild i s e ig h t y e a r s o ld .

2

R einoehl and Ayer p o in t o u t t h a t th e r e i s no c h ro n o lo g ic a l age a t Tfhich a l l c h ild r e n a re e q u a lly cap ab le o f le a r n in g to read..

•2

In sp eak in g

o f th e com pulsory sch o o l e n tra n c e age th e y say : I n s t a t e s where th e r e q u ir e d e n tra n c e age i s sev en o r e i g h t more tim e i s allo w ed f o r th o s e slow to d ev elo p m e n ta lly t o re a c h th e p o in t o f f u l l re a d in g r e a d in e s s b e fo re e n te rin g th e f i r s t g ra d e . When sc h o o ls do n o t make ad eq u ate p ro v is io n f o r th e s e p s y c h o lo g ic a l d if f e r e n c e s among c h ild r e n , i t i s more d e s ir a b le to use m en tal m a tu rity r a t h e r th a n c h ro n o lo g ic a l age a s a b a s is

^ F e d e ra l S e c u rity Agency, S t a t i s t i c a l Summaiy o f E d u catio n 19U7-U8, W ashington: Government P r in t in g O ffic e , 1950, p . llj.. 2Ib id .

3C h arles Myron R ein o eh l and Fred C a rle to n A yer, C lassroom A d m in istra ­ t i o n and P u p il A d ju stm en t, New York: D. A p p leto n -G en tu ry C o ., l9iiO, p . 272.

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8 f o r d e te rm in in g th e p ro p e r tim e to e n t e r s c h o o l. There a r e , i n a d d itio n , o th e r f a c t o r s , such a s g eo g rap h ic and c lim a tic co n d i­ t i o n s , t h a t p re v e n t young c h ild r e n from a tte n d in g r e g u l a r l y , e s p e c ia ll y i f th e y l i v e i n r u r a l a re a s -where t r a n s p o r t a t i o n i s n o t p ro v id e d . To determ in e th e b e s t e n te r in g tim e f o r a c h ild , a l l such f a c t o r s must be c a r e f u l l y c o n s id e re d .^ M a te ria l on C h ro n o lo g ic a l Age A rth u r E. Traveler speaks a s fo llo w s ab o u t th e c h ro n o lo g ic a l age b a s is o f c l a s s i f i c a t i o n f o r b e g in n in g p u p i l s . The t r a d i t i o n a l way o f c l a s s i f y i n g p u p ils a t th e tim e o f sch o o l e n tra n c e i s by c h ro n o lo g ic a l a g e . P a re n ts a r e r e q u ire d b y law to send t h e i r c h ild r e n t o sch o o l a f t e r th e y re a c h a c e r t a i n chrono­ l o g i c a l a g e , w hich i s c u sto m a rily s i x y e a r s . Schools may adm it p u p ils l e s s th a n s i x y e a r s o f a g e, b u t a s a r u le th e y a llo w en ­ tr a n c e to th e f i r s t grade o n ly to c h ild r e n who a re a t l e a s t w ith in two o r th r e e months o f th e s i x t h b ir t h d a y . Too in f r e q u e n tly i s c o n s id e ra tio n g iv e n to any b a s i s o th e r th a n c h ro n o lo g ic a l a g e , such a s th e m ental o r s o c i a l m a tu rity o f th e c h i l d . I f th e r e w ere no d if f e r e n c e s betw een in d iv id u a ls who had liv e d e q u a lly lo n g , o r i f such d if f e r e n c e s w ere c o n fin e d to a s m a ll ra n g e , C h ro n o lo g ic a l age would be a v e ry s a t i s f a c t o r y b a s i s o f c l a s s i f i c a ­ t i o n , f o r i t i s sim ple and d e m o c ra tic i n a p p l ic a tio n . O ther w r i t e r s p o in t o u t th e f a l l a c y o f depending to o much on chrono­ lo g ic a l age.

F red Moss makes th e fo llo w in g o b s e rv a tio n :

The i n d i v i d u a l ’s l i f e from, b e g in n in g to end i s more o r l e s s re g u la te d a c c o rd in g to h is a g e . A c e rta in , age i s th e f i r s t s te p tow ard h is e d u c a tio n , h is o c c u p a tio n a l s t a t u s , h i s re c o g n itio n by law , and many o f h is l i b e r t i e s and p le a s u r e s . In f a c t , age l i m i t s have been s e t up f o r most a c t i v i t i e s i n l i f e , b u t i n p r a c t i c a l l y no case i s th e r e a s c i e n t i f i c b a s i s f o r t h e i r e s ta b lis h m e n t. The d i f f e r e n t age q u a l i f i c a t i o n s demanded by th e d i f f e r e n t S ta te s f o r th e same th in g p o in t o u t th e la c k o f a r e l i a b l e f o u n d a tio n . Age s p e c if ic a tio n s seem t o b e b ased upon th e assum ption t h a t th e number o f y e a r s , m onths, w eeks, d a y s, h o u rs , and m inutes an i n d i ­ v id u a l has l i v e d g iv e s an a c c u r a te m easure o f -what th e in d iv id u a l

l]T b id ., p . 2 7 2 . £ ^A rthur E. T r a x le r , "School C l a s s i f i c a t i o n " , Handbook o f A p p lied Psychology, V ol. I I , New York: R in e h a rt and C o., 1 9 , p . 3W .

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9 i s p h y s ic a lly o r m e n ta lly . But c h ro n o lo g ic a l age i s f a r from b e ­ in g i d e n t i c a l e i t h e r w ith p h y s io lo g ic a l m a tu rity o r m en tal m atu­ r i t y . People a re n o t b o m e q u a l, n o r do th e y p ro g re s s th ro u g h l i f e a t th e same r a t e . T h e re fo re c h ro n o lo g ic a l a g e , o r th e number o f y e a r s l i v e d , can n o t g iv e a r e l i a b l e in d ic a tio n o f f i t n e s s . The i n t e l l i g e n t c h ild o f s ix y e a rs has o fte n p ro g re s s e d much f a r t h e r th a n th e fee b le-m in d ed y o u th o f s ix te e n y e a r s .° Moss f u r t h e r explains t h a t an i n d i v i d u a l ’s c a p a c ity can be m easured in terms of developm ent a s well as i n terns o f tim e .

He p o in ts o u t that

modem sc ie n c e re c o g n iz e s f i v e ag es i n term s o f w hich th e c a p a c ity o f th e in d iv id u a l may be d e f in e d .

He l i s t s th e s e a s c h ro n o lo g ic a l ag e, p h y s ic a l

a g e , m ental age, educational age, and emotional age.

7

H a rris o n , who w ro te an e n t i r e book on th e to p ic o f r e a d in e s s , a ls o had som ething t o say a b o u t c h ro n o lo g ic a l a g e .

T h is was:

C h ro n o lo g ic a l age has v e ry l i t t l e to do ?dth reading re a d in e s s e x c e p t a s i t i s c o n sid e re d i n d e te rm in in g m ental age o f th e f i r s t grade e n t r a n t . I t i s to a slight degree in d ic a tiv e of the amount o f e x p e rie n c e a. c h ^ ld has h ad , b u t i n term s o f tim e o n ly , n o t i n q u a lity o r e x t e n t . 0 . . .we sh o u ld no lo n g e r c o n s id e r th e s i x t h b ir th d a y a s th e open door to re a d in g i n s t r u c t i o n . We may, I t i s t r u e , s e l e c t some c h ild r e n f o r f i r s t g rade e n tra n c e a t t h a t age o r even a l i t t l e y o u n g er i f t h e i r m en tal ages a re w e ll I n advance o f th e normal s i x - y e a r - o ld and provided th e y a re w e ll developed physically, s o c i a l l y , and emotion­ ally. For o th e r s we should, p o stp o n e f i r s t - g r a d e e n tra n c e u n t i l a tim e a t which th e y have s u f f i c i e n t m en tal m a tu rity to a tta c k th e complex skill of re a d in g ; f o r some t h i s will be as late as sev en y e a rs o f a g e . 9

6

F red A. Moss, A p p lic a tio n s o f P sychology, C hicago: Houghton M if f lin ^ C o., 1929, p . 1S7-1S8T------------------------- ^ ^ Ib id ., p .

1 .3 8 .

B 'M. L u c ile H a rris o n , Reading R ea d in e ss, C hicago: Houghton M if f lin C o ., 1939, p . 32. 9

I b i d . , p . 20.

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10 In th e N in e te e n th Yearbook o f th e D epartm ent o f E lem entary P r i n c i ­ p a l s , Frank Freeman p o in ts o u t t h a t l i f e age i t s e l f i s a n a l t o g e t h e r in a p p r o p r ia te c r i t e r i o n f o r ju d g in g th e s t a t u s o f any in d iv id u a l c h il d . He d e c la re s t h a t th e f a c t i s w e ll known t h a t c h ild r e n o f th e same age 10 v a ry g r e a tly i n r e s p e c t to e v ery t r a i t . T h is i s i n e s s e n t i a l agreem ent ■with th e view s e x p re ss e d by Moss and H a rris o n . Ruth Andrus g iv e s a n o th e r p o in t o f view i n a r e c e n t is s u e o f C h ild ­ hood E d u c a tio n . - ^

She conten d s t h a t

i t i s n o t so much th e age a t which

a c h ild b e g in s sc h o o l as i t i s th e ty p e o f program t h a t he r e c e iv e s when he g e ts t h e r e .

She p o in ts o u t t h a t sc h o o ls can o f f e r program s t h a t f i t

th e needs o f c h ild r e n o f a l l a g e s , b u t t h a t i t i s e x p e c te d by most p eo p le t h a t when c h ild r e n b e g in sch o o l th e y sh o u ld le a r n t o re a d , G ertru d e 'H ild re th d is c u s s e s th e problem o f age s ta n d a rd s f o r f i r s t g rade e n tra n c e i n an a r t i c l e i n C hildhood E d u c a tio n . 12

She b r in g s out

many of th e v a rio u s p o in ts o f view t h a t have b een e x p re ss e d by sch o o l a u t h o r i t i e s , p a r e n ts , le a d e r s i n e d u c a tio n and p sy ch o lo g y .

Most o f th e s e

argum ents have been h e a rd f r e q u e n tly and need n o t be re p e a te d h e r e , b u t she co n clu d es th e a r t i c l e w ith a s ta te m e n t t h a t t h i s i s a f i e l d i n which much re s e a rc h i s n eeded.

The re s e a rc h sh o u ld be accompanied b y e x p e r i­

m e n ta tio n w ith c h ild r e n o f v a rio u s ages and ty p e s o f pro g ram s. In summarizing th e above m a te r ia l i t can be s a id t h a t w r i t e r s a re g e n e r a lly a g re e d t h a t c h ro n o lo g ic a l age by i t s e l f does no t mean much a s

-^F rank S. Freeman, "The C hallenge o f th e In d iv id u a l C h ild ” , M eeting S p e c ia l Heeds o f th e I n d iv id u a l C h ild , N in e te e n th Yearbook o f th e D e p art­ ment o f E lem entary School P r i n c i p a l s , J u ly , 19lt0, p . 2$h» ^'"Ruth A ndrus, "When Should C h ild re n Go to S chool?” , C hildhood Edu­ c a ti o n , 2 6 :3 , Septem ber, 19U9. 19

G ertrude H ild r e th , “Age S ta n d a rd s f o r F i r s t Grade E n tra n c e ” , C hildhood E d u c a tio n , 2 3 :2 2 -2 7 , Septem ber, 191(6.

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11 a c r i t e r i o n f o r a d m ittin g c h ild r e n to s c h o o l, and t h a t th e r e i s need f o r s tu d y

and e x p e rim e n ta tio n i n t h i s area.. M a te ria l on D iffe re n c e s Due to Sex A nother f a c t o r t h a t i s r e l a t e d t o th e problem o f sch o o l e n tra n c e

and r e a d in e s s fo r. re a d in g i s th e d if f e r e n c e betw een th e s e x e s .

S tu d ie s

have shorn and e x p e rie n c e has p roven t h a t g i r l s g e n e r a lly m ature more r a p id ly th a n b o y s.

T his a ls o c a u se s one t o wonder i f th e age f o r adm is­

s io n to sc h o o l m ight be d i f f e r e n t f o r th e two s e x e s . In d is c u s s in g t h i s problem O lson s t a t e s : Some have ad v o cated t h a t boys be k e p t i n k in d e rg a rte n lo n g e r o r t h a t th e y s t a r t t o sc h o o l l a t e r to o f f s e t th e ad v an tag e h e ld by g i r l s . On th e o th e r hand, s in c e in d iv id u a l d if f e r e n c e s w ith in each sex a re so g r e a t, many sc h o o ls have d e cid e d th e y m ust adopt methods t h a t w i l l a d ju s t t o them r a t h e r th a n t o th e s m a lle r d if f e r e n c e i n th e a v e ra g e . W ithout a c t u a l l y b e in g aware o f I t , s c h o o ls w ith a p o lic y o f grade f a i l u r e r e t a i n boys i n g rades o f te n e r th a n g i r l s , so t h a t th e a v erag e b o y r e q u ir e s from th r e e t o s ix months lo n g e r to com plete th e g ra d e s o f an elem en ta ry s c h o o l . 3 B e tts a ls o d is c u s s e s th e problem o f sex d i f f e r e n c e s .

He rev iew s

b r i e f l y some o f th e f a c t o r s In v o lv e d a s f o llo w s : I t i s w e ll known t h a t boys com prise from, s ix ty t o e ig h ty p e r c e n t o f th e r e ta r d e d r e a d e r p o p u la tio n . In f a c t , v e ry few g i r l s a re t o be found i n re a d in g c l i n i c s . Sex d if f e r e n c e s i n re a d in e s s f o r re a d in g would a p p ea r t o m e rit c o n s id e r a tio n . I n g e n e r a l, sex d if f e r e n c e s a re found i n th e language d e v e l­ opment o f p re -s c h o o l c h ild r e n and f i r s t - g r a d e s tu d e n ts . G ir ls e x c e l boys i n v o c a b u la ry and p ro n u n c ia tio n a b i l i t y and d u rin g th e p rim a ry -sc h o o l y e a r s a p p e a r t o e x h ib it more i n t e r e s t in s e c r e t la n g u a g e . I n th e e le m e n ta ry s c h o o l, g i r l s e x c e l bo7/ s i n w r i ti n g , c o m p o sitio n , s p e l l i n g , and speed and q u a l ity o f h a n d w ritin g . On th e a v e ra g e , ab o u t tw ic e a s many boys s u f f e r from sp eech d e f e c ts

^ W i l l a r d C. O lson, C h ild D evelopm ent, B oston: D. C. H eath and C o ., 191-9, p . 13lu

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12 a s do g i r l s . S tu t te r in g o ccu rs more f r e q u e n tly among boys th a n among g i r l s . G i r l s , how ever, a re more l i k e l y t o l i s p th a n boys a r e . The ty p e s o f q u e s tio n s p re s c h o o l g i r l s ask d i f f e r somewhat from th e q u e s tio n s o f b o y s . G ir ls seem to be more i n t e r e s t e d i n names o f p la c e s and th in g s w h ile boys -want to know "what" and "why". F o r s e v e r a l re a so n s boys a re more prone to gang b e h a v io r th a n g i r l s a r e . O th er o b s e rv a tio n s re g a rd in g sex d if f e r e n c e s and re a d in g may be summarized a s fo llo w s : F i r s t , th e r e i s some ev id en ce to th e e f f e c t t h a t g i r l s a re prom oted on lo w er s ta n d a rd s o f achievem ent th a n boys a r e . Second, g i r l s u se re a d in g a c t i v i t i e s f o r r e c r e a ­ t i o n more o fte n th a n boys do. T h ird , th e r e i s need f o r more re a d ­ in g m a te r ia ls to c h a lle n g e th e i n t e r e s t s o f b o y s. Sex d if f e r e n c e s i n re a d in e s s f o r re a d in g may be overem phasized. A f te r a l l th e r e i s c o n s id e ra b le o v e rla p between s e x e s . G ir ls a s w e ll as boys may be c h a r a c te r iz e d by speech d e f e c ts and d elay ed lan g u ag e d e v elo p ­ m ent, l b From th e s e we can see t h a t th e r e i s need f o r r e s e a r c h i n t h i s a r e a . The d if f e r e n c e s may n o t be so g r e a t as some b e lie v e betw een th e s e x e s , how ever, th e r e c e r t a i n l y a p p ea rs to be enough d if f e r e n c e t o j u s t i f y con­ s i d e r a t i o n t o th e problem .

H urlock p o in ts o u t many d if f e r e n c e s betw een

th e sex es i n v a rio u s s ta g e s o f c h ild g ro w th . show t h a t g i r l s s le e p lo n g e r th a n boys

qcj

She q u o te s s tu d ie s t h a t

, t h a t boys have tw ic e a s many

speech d e f e c ts a s g i r l s ^ , t h a t g i r l s and boys develop d i f f e r e n t l y so­ c i a l l y b ecau se o f th e ways o f o u r s o c ie ty ! ? , and t h a t th e p la y a c t i v i t i e s o f th e two sexes a re d eterm in ed by t r a d i t i o n

.

Thorpe say s t h a t i t i s a

w e ll known f a c t t h a t g i r l s e x c e l boys i n th e r a t e o f p h y s io lo g ic a l

l^Emmett Albert Betts, Foundations of Reading Instruction, Chicago: American Book Co., p . 137. ^Elizabeth B. Hurlock, Child Development, New York: McGraw Hill Book Co., 1950, p. 153. l6Ibid., p. 235"^Ibid., p. 309. l®lbid., p. 3 8 6 .

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13 developm ent. 1 97

He a ls o q u o te s s tu d ie s t h a t in d ic a te d if f e r e n c e s betw een

th e sex es i n r a t e s o f m a tu ra tio n e s p e c i a l l y i n th e a re a s o f sp eech and la n g u a g e . M ental Age a s a B asis f o r School A dm ission Much d is c u s s io n has been g iv en to th e id e a t h a t mental age sh o u ld be

s u b s t i t u t e d , e i t h e r i n whole o r i n p a r t , f o r c h ro n o lo g ic a l age a s a b a s is f o r a d m ittin g c h ild r e n t o s c h o o l.

S tu d ie s show that th e r e i s a c lo s e r e ­

l a t i o n s h i p betw een m ental age and sch o o l s u c c e s s . a com bination o f b o th m en tal and c h ro n o lo g ic a l a g e .

Some sc h o o ls have u sed A stu d y i n d ic a tiv e

o f t h i s com bination i s d e s c rib e d below . S ince Septem ber, 1932, th e p u b lic sch o o ls o f B ro o k lin e , Massachu­ s e t t s have been a d m ittin g c h ild r e n who have attained th e minimum chrono­ l o g i c a l age o f f o u r years and n in e months o r c h ild r e n o f f i v e years'and n in e months by O ctober 1 to k in d e rg a rte n and first g ra d e , r e s p e c tiv e l y . C h ild re n below th e s e ages have been a d m itte d on t r i a l fo llo w in g an i n d i ­ v id u a l p s y c h o lo g ic a l e x a m in a tio n .

O r ig in a lly , only c h ild r e n w ith in th r e e

months o f th e r e q u ir e d age were examined, b u t t h i s r e g u la tio n was l a t e r changed to give th e s u p e rin te n d e n t o f s c h o o ls d is c r e ti o n a r y pow er, and f o r a p e r io d o f te n y e a rs c h ild r e n as much as n in e months o r more below th e s e t c h ro n o lo g ic a l age were g iv e n th e o p p o rtu n ity to q u a lif y f o r ad­ m issio n by'examination.

The m ental age r e q u ir e d was o r i g i n a l l y four

years and t e n months f o r k in d e rg a rte n and f iv e 7/e a r s and te n months f o r

f i r s t grade5 however, i n 1936 th e requirements w ere r a i s e d to f iv e and s ix y e a r s , respectively.

C a re fu l re c o rd s were k e p t on a l l c h ild r e n o v er

19

L ouis P . Thorpe, C h ild Psychology and D evelopm ent, Kerr York: The Ronald P re ss C o., 19U6, p." hBP—}ir9 .

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1)4

a p e rio d o f years.

The s tu d y shows t h a t th e u n d e r-a g e c h ild r e n were con­

s i s t e n t l y th e ones who re c e iv e d th e h ig h e s t marks and who made th e b e s t s c o re s on achievem ent t e s t s th ro u g h o u t th e f i r s t e ig h t g r a d e s .

I t is

a ls o o f i n t e r e s t t h a t th e d if f e r e n c e on achievem ent t e s t s was g e n e r a lly g r e a t e r a s th e c h ild r e n p ro g re s s e d th ro u g h sc h o o l and that a t no time were th e younger c h ild r e n who had been a d m itte d by t e s t below th o s e who

had been admitted by c h ro n o lo g ic a l age s ta n d a r d s .

In re g a rd to r e l a t e d

f a c t o r s i n sch o o l achievem ent Hobson sa y s: E xperience h as shown n o t o n ly t h a t th e s e s e le c te d u n d e r-a g e c h ild r e n a re s u p e r io r a c a d e m ic a lly b u t t h a t th e y cannot b e d i s ­ tin g u is h e d p h y s ic a lly a f t e r th e k in d e rg a rte n year, if th e n . Not only do th e y have fe w er academic d i f f i c u l t i e s , a s i s t o b e ex­ p e c te d , b u t th e y a re l e s s o f te n r e f e r r e d t o sc h o o l o f f i c i a l s f o r e m o tio n a l, s o c i a l , and o th e r personality m a la d ju stm e n ts . ' 1'-0 Hobson d e c la r e s t h a t d u rin g th e f i f t e e n y e a rs o f o p e ra tio n o f t h i s system o f adm ission i t has come to be u n d e rs to o d , a c c e p te d , and approved by the p a r e n ts .

I t i s p o in te d ou t t h a t o r i g i n a l l y th e r e were o b je c tio n s

from p a re n ts whose c h ild r e n were unable to qualify, b u t th e s e o b je c tio n s have become fewer with th e c o n tin u e d s u c c e s s fu l o p e ra tio n o f th e sy stem . His c lo s in g paragraph d e a ls b r i e f l y with th e administration o f th e system . — ^ CD.

The c o n tin u e d and- s u c c e s s f u l o p e ra tio n o f th e p r e s e n t e l a s t i c system of admissions with but minor changes ov er a fifteen-year p e rio d su g g e sts that fa n c ie d d i f f i c u l t y o f a d m in is tr a tio n need n o t be a b a r to th e a d o p tio n o f such p r a c t i c e s . On th e o th e r hand, to make administratively p o s s ib le any d e s ir a b le e d u c a tio n a l p ro ­ cedure i s a t e s t o f th e re s o u rc e fu ln e s s o f a sc h o o l a d m in is tr a to r .

James R. Hobson, "M ental Age a s a W orkable C r ite r io n f o r School A dm ission” , E lem entary School J o u r n a l, Ij.8 : 320-321, F e b ru a ry , I 9 J4 8 .

21

I b i d . , p . 321.

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15 T his stu d y seems to show r a t h e r c o n c lu s iv e ly t h a t m ental age can be u se d s u c c e s s f u lly a t l e a s t i n some com m unities.

O th er com m unities m ight

n o t a c c e p t such a program so r e a d i l y , b u t Hobson i s o p tim is tic about i t s working i n o th e r p la c e s i f th e a d m in is tr a to r has th e r e s o u r c e f u ln e s s to b e g in and c a r r y o u t such a p la n . A nother selection t h a t p r e s e n ts a d i f f e r e n t p o in t of view can be found i n a.book w r i t t e n by Henry J . O tto .

.Otto g iv e s th e fin d in g s of

s e v e r a l s tu d ie s shoving relationship betw een m en tal age and progress in re a d in g .

He p o in ts o u t that th e correlation betw een th e two i s h ig h ,

and he s u g g e s ts that the re a d in g program be p o stp o n ed f o r many c h ild r e n . He speaks of admission to f i r s t grade i n th e fo llo w in g way: F in d in g s such as th e s e le d a few s c h o o l system s t o p ro p o se t h a t th e b a s is f o r ad m issio n to th e f i r s t g rad e b e changed from chrono­ l o g i c a l age to m en tal a g e . I f c a p a c ity to do sch o o l work as m ani­ fe ste d . by m ental age should become th e c r i t e r i o n f o r a d m issio n to the first grade, a much larger p ro p o r tio n of pupil.success than now p r e v a i l s would bs a s s u re d . I f th e p r e s e n t most common g rad e p la c e ­ ment o f c u rric u lu m f o r th e f i r s t grade i s to be c o n sid e re d so t h o r ­ oughly and s c i e n t i f i c a l l y e s ta b li s h e d t h a t i t can n o t b e a l t e r e d to a llo w su c c e ss to c h ild r e n o f a l l d e g re e s o f in t e l l i g e n c e a t a g iv e n c h ro n o lo g ic a l ag e, th e n e n tra n c e on th e b a s i s o f m en tal age i s no doubt to be p r e f e r r e d . Under th o se c o n d itio n s , how ever, sc h o o l systems w hich p ro v id e no kindergartens'will f in d a la r g e p ro p o r tio n of c h ild r e n (th o s e o f l e s s th a n normal i n t e l l i g e n c e ) who m d ll.b e seven, e i g h t, and n in e y e a r s o f age b e fo re they can e n t e r th e pub­ l i c s c h o o ls . C i t i e s which now o p e ra te k in d e rg a rte n s f o r a l l p u p ils o f r e q u i s i t e c h ro n o lo g ic a l age f in d difficulty in r e t a in in g th e p u p ils o f l e s s th a n norm al i n t e l l i g e n c e i n t h i s in tr o d u c to r y u n i t until they have a t t a i n e d a mental age ad eq u ate to cope with the sch o o l p r e s c r i p t i o n s f o r th e f i r s t g rad e; hence, i f m en tal age i s made th e ad m issio n re q u ire m e n t f o r k in d e rg a rte n a s w e l l a s f i r s t g ra d e , even th e n many c h ild re n w ill, be co m p arativ ely o ld b e fo re th e y can e n t e r th e p u b lic s c h o o ls . The advisability o f such a p o lic y may w e ll be q u e s tio n e d . L a te r on O tto su g g e s ts t h a t i t does n o t seem p r a c t i c a l o r w ise to admit c h ild r e n to th e f i r s t grade on th e b a s is o f mental a g e , and he

99Henry J . O tto , E lem entary School O rg a n iz a tio n and A d m in is tra tio n , Hew York: A p p le to n -C e n iu ry -S ro fts , l n c . , lyldi, p. 220-221.

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16 d e c la re s t h a t c h ro n o lo g ic a l age s t i l l seems to be th e b e s t s in g le c r i te r io n .^ These two s e le c tio n s seem t o p o in t ou t q u ite c l e a r l y th e p o s s i b i l i ­ t i e s and th e p i t f a l l s o f plans to u se m ental age as a m ajo r factor i n ad­ m ittin g c h ild r e n to s c h o o l. R eading R eadiness T e s ts and T e a c h e rs 1 F o re c a s ts An a r t i c l e by Max S. Henig g iv e s th e r e s u l t s o f a stu d y t h a t was made t o show th e com parative f o r e c a s ti n g v a lu e o f te a c h e r s ' e s tim a te s o f th e p r o b a b i l i t y o f su c c e ss o f t h e i r p u p ils i n le a r n in g to re a d and th e compara­ t i v e r e s u l t s o f th e Lee Clark Reading R eadiness T e st which were u s e d w ith pj,

th e sane c h i l d r e n . w A f te r w orking w ith th e c h ild r e n f o r th r e e weeks each te a c h e r r a t e d th e c h ild r e n i n h e r room a c c o rd in g to h e r id e a s a s to what su cc e ss each would have i n le a r n in g t o re a d . Reading

A f te r t h i s th e Lee C lark

Readiness T e s ts -were g iv en to th e n i n e ty - e ig h t c h ild r e n in v o lv e d

i n th e e x p erim en t.

The marks re c e iv e d i n re a d in g were th e b a s e s f o r de­

te rm in in g th e re a d in g su c c e ss t h a t th e c h ild r e n a t t a i n e d by th e c lo s e o f th e year.

The conclusions to th e s tu d y p o in t o u t that so f a r a s th e s e

c h ild r e n were co n cern ed , t h e i r f i r s t grade te a c h e rs w ere j u s t a s s u c c e s s fu l i n p r e d ic tin g th e degree o f s u c c e ss o f th e c h ild r e n in le a r n in g -bo re a d a s was th e s ta n d a rd iz e d re a d in g re a d in e s s t e s t .

The t e s t and th e t e a c h e r s '

e s tim a te s b o th proved t o be s u c c e s s fu l i n p r e d ic tin g th e re a d in g su cc e ss o f th e c h ild r e n a s was r e f l e c t e d i n th e marks re c e iv e d by them i n re a d in g .

2^ Ib id .,

p.

221.

? b . " Tfax S. H enig, " P r e d ic tiv e Value o f a Reading R ead in ess T e s t and o f T e a c h e rs' F o r e c a s ts " , E lem entary School J o u rn a l, $0: LI-I 4 6 , Septem ber, 19h9.

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17 T his stu d y covered o n ly a sm all group, and one -wonders i f th e accom­ p lis h m e n t a t th e end o f th e year m ight b e t t e r have b een d eterm in ed by a s ta n d a rd t e s t ; n e v e r th e le s s , one m ust r e a l i z e t h a t th e o p in io n o f a f i r s t grade te a c h e r does have an im p o rta n t p la c e in p r e d ic tin g su c c e ss o f c h i l ­ d re n i n a reading program .

T h is s tu d y a ls o shows t h a t th e re a d in g r e a d i­

n e ss t e s t s do serv e t h e i r p u rp o s e . What E x p e rts i n R eading Say About R ead in ess Since m ost sc h o o ls b e g in t h e i r re a d in g programs i n the f i r s t grade i t i s a p p ro p ria te t h a t we re v ie w th e w r iti n g s o f experts i n th e f i e l d of re a d in g w ith re g a rd to re a d in e s s f o r re a d in g by b e g in n in g c h i ld r e n .

Much

has been w r i t t e n on t h i s t o p i c , b u t th e m a te r ia l h ere rev iew ed i s r e s t r i c t ­ ed to more r e c e n t s ta te m e n ts . H a rris o n , m entioned th r e e m ajor f a c t o r s w ith in th e c h i l d 's e n v iro n or* ment which f o s te r e d r e a d in e s s . > The f a c t o r s t h a t she in c lu d e s a re i n ­ t e l l e c t u a l developm ent, p h y s ic a l developm ent, and p e rs o n a l developm ent. She p o in ts o u t t h a t s in c e re a d in g i s an i n t e l l e c t u a l p r o c e s s , f a c t o r s o f i n t e l l e c t u a l development fostering re a d in g re a d in e s s a re of greater im­ p o rta n c e th a n any o th e r group o f f a c t o r s .

Some o f th e s e a r e due t o in n e r

maturation and a r e d eterm in ed o n ly s l i g h t l y , i f a t a l l , by t r a i n i n g and

developm ent.

These come from o r g a n is a tio n s w ith in th e nervous system and

in c lu d e th e ability to c o r r e l a t e a b s t r a c tio n s with d e f i n i t e modes o f r e ­ sp o n se, th e ability to do a b s t r a c t th in k in g , th e a b i l i t y to remenfoer a span o f id e a s , th e a b i l i t y to remember word fo rm s, th e a b i l i t y to see

lik e n e s s e s and d if f e r e n c e s , and a m e n tal age o f s ix and one-half y e a r s . A nother group o f t r a i t s l i s t e d a re d ep en d en t upon th e t r a i n i n g and

' H a rris o n , o p . c i t . , p . 5 -3 0 .

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18 environm ent t h a t th e c h ild has had in th e home and th e s c h o o l.

B read th

of experience, i n t e r e s t s , b re a d th o f meaningful c o n c e p ts , b re a d th of spoken vocabulary, a c c u ra te e n u n c ia tio n and p ro n u n c ia tio n , a d e s ir e to re a d , c o r r e c t u se o f sim ple E n g lis h s e n te n c e s , and a b i l i t y to do problem ­ a t i c th in k in g a re some o f th e s e . Under physical, developm ent th e m ajor ite m s mentioned by H a rriso n i n ­ c lu d e norm alcy of speech organs, general heatlh, v is io n , h e a r in g , hand dom inance, and a c h ro n o lo g ic a l age o f from f iv e and one-half to seven years. She points out that vision and hearing are th e most important o f these as they a f f e c t the re a d in g process most directly,although she em­ phasizes that general health is also im p o rta n t. The qualities em phasised under p e rs o n a l developm ent a re e m o tio n al

s t a b i l i t y and a d ju stm e n t t o th e sch o o l s i t u a t i o n .

R esp o n siv en e ss, good

work h a b i t s , and d e s ir a b le a t t i t u d e s th e t r a i t s l i s t e d u n d e r a d ju stm e n t to th e sc h o o l s i t u a t i o n . In writing of th e p r e r e q u i s i t e s to re a d in g , Dawson and Dingee sa y : As has been d e m o n strated , any c e r t a i n c h ro n o lo g ic a l age i s n o t p r e r e q u i s i t e to r e a d in g . Even a s p e c i f i c sta g e o f m en tal m a tu rity such as a m ental age o f s ix , i s n o t a b s o lu te ly n e c e s s a ry , though v e iy c e r t a i n l y d e s i r a b l e . However, th e r e a re a few c h a r­ a c t e r i s t i c s which have b een fo u n d to b e e s s e n tia l., and any c h ild d e f i c i e n t i n one o r more o f them sh o u ld be g iv en e x p e rie n c e s and t r a i n i n g t h a t w i l l remove th e d e f i c i e n c i e s . They th e n give s i x p r e r e q u i s i t e s from th e Tw enty-Fourth Yearbook o f th e N a tio n a l S o c ie ty f o r th e S t u d y o f E d u c a tio n .

These s i x a re wide ex ­

p e r ie n c e , re a so n a b le f a c i l i t y i n th e u se o f id e a s , s u f f i c i e n t command o f sim ple E n g lish s e n te n c e s to e n ab le p u p ils to speak w ith ease and freedom ,

^ M ild r e d A. Dawson and F rie d a Hayes D ingee, D ire c tin g L earn in g i n th e Language A r ts , M in n ea p o lis: B urgess P u b lis h in g C o ., 191 4 8 , p . 80.

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19

a r e l a t i v e l y wide sp eak in g vocabulary, a c c u ra cy i n e n u n c ia tio n and pronun­ c i a t i o n , and a genuine d e s ir e to re a d .

A sev e n th p r e r e q u i s i t e i s named i n

th e T h i r ty - S ix th Yearbook o f th e S o c ie ty .

I t i s a re a so n a b le d eg ree o f

a ccu racy i n a u d ito r y and v i s u a l d is c r im in a tio n . In th e book, The C h ild A t Home and At S ch o o l, th e a u th o rs p o in t o u t many id e a s which a re h e l p f u l .

They p o in t o u t th e f a c t t h a t th e la r g e

number of children who f a i l e d f i r s t grade served as stimulus f o r stu d y

and in v e s t ig a ti o n o f th e c a u s e s .

The f a c t t h a t th e m ajor em phasis in

f i r s t grade has been on te a c h in g re a d in g was and s t i l l I s th e c au se o f th e h ig h p e rc e n ta g e o f f a i l u r e s i n th e p rim ary g ra d e s .

We now r e a l i z e

that too much stress on reading i n the f i r s t grade is p s y c h o lo g ic a lly

wrong a s I s th e o ld b e l i e f t h a t when a c h ild re a ch e d a c e r t a i n c h ro n o - , l o g i c a l p e rio d i n h is l i f e he I s re a d y f o r f i r s t grade and re a d y t o r e a d . We must rec o g n ize t h a t c h ild r e n m ature a t d i f f e r e n t r a t e s and t h a t some may be slow i n d ev elo p in g p h y s i c a ll y , m e n ta lly , e m o tio n a lly ,

s o c ia lly ,

o r l i n g u i s t i c a l l y even though they a re a s o ld i n years a s t h e i r fellow c la s s m a te s .

Today e d u c a to rs r e a l i z e t h i s d if f e r e n c e and re c o g n iz e t h a t

i t i s n o t so much th e number o f y e a r s t h a t a c h ild has l i v e d a s th e manner i n which th e s e y e a r s have b een s p e n t.

The p h y s ic a l h e a l t h , th e s o c i a l

grow th, th e home en v iro n m en t, th e v a r ie ty o f e x p e r ie n c e s , and th e n a tiv e a b i l i t i e s w ith which a c h ild has been endowed a re th e d eterro in g f a c t o r s i n re a d in g r e a d in e s s . 2 71 Bond and Wagner t e l l u s t h a t th e r e a re many f a c t o r s which make f o r re a d in g r e a d in e s s , and th e y have them grouped u n d er th e headings o f mental r e a d in e s s , p h y s ic a l r e a d in e s s , personal and e m o tio n a l r e a d in e s s , and

27

'E d i t h M. Leonard e t a l . , The C h ild a t Home and a t S ch o o l, Chicago American Book C o ., 19UU, p . 5 l l .

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e d u c a tio n a l r e a d i n e s s .2® They p o in t o u t t h a t a m en tal age of s i x y e a r s and s i x months has o f te n been s a id to b e th e m ental age t h a t c h ild r e n should a t t a i n b e fo re th e y sh o u ld be ta u g h t to re a d , b u t th e s e a u th o rs c a u tio n t h a t c h ild r e n develop a t d i f f e r e n t r a t e s and c o n se q u e n tly th e y re a ch t h i s m ental age a t d i f f e r e n t times c h r o n o lo g ic a lly .

They su g g e st

t h a t delaying reading u n t i l th e child re a c h e s a mental age o f s ix years and s ix months i s n o t th e s o lu tio n a s Monroe 29 found many c h ild r e n among r e ta r d e d re a d e r s who had t h i s m en tal age b e fo re th e y f i r s t s t a r t e d to le a r n to re a d .

They also p o in te d o u t that th e r e i s e v id en c e to show that

many c h ild r e n o f mental ag es o f much l e s s th a n s ix y e a r s and six months can be ta u g h t to r e a d .

They say t h a t th e view that there i s a c r i t i c a l

l e v e l below which c h ild r e n a re handicapped i n le a r n in g to read and above w hich c h ild r e n will be s u c c e s s fu l does n o t give th e f u l l story.

The p ro b ­

lem o f m ental age r e s o lv e s i t s e l f in to th e q u e s tio n o f "How can th e te a c h ­ e r a d a p t m a te r ia ls and methods t o s u i t th e d if f e r e n c e s i n mental a b i l i t y found In any f i r s t g rad e c l a s s ? ” Under th e o th e r f a c t o r s in v o lv e d i n re a d in g re a d in e s s they d e s c rib e many o f th e same elem en ts found i n works o f o th e r a u th o r s .

Under p h y s i­

c a l f a c t o r s they m ention speech d e f e c t s , h e a lth f a c t o r s , v i s u a l d i f f i ­ c u l t i e s , v i s u a l d is c r im in a tio n , auditory d e f e c t s , and familiarity with sounds.

They em phasize th e im p o rtan ce o f th e m a tu rity o f th e c h ild in

h is personal and em o tio n a l make up and su g g e st that th e s e a s p e c ts n o t be u n d e rra te d . r e a d in e s s .

E leven f a c t o r s a r e giv en tin d er th e h ead in g o f e d u c a tio n a l These a r e :

9P

c Guy L. Bond, and Eva Bond Wagner, Teaching th e C h ild to Read, New York: MacMillan, 1950, p . H it. 29 ^M arion Monroe, C h ild re n Who Cannot Read, Chicago: U n iv e rs ity o f Chicago P r e s s , 1932.

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21 1. 2. 3. Ii. 5. 6. 7. 8. 3. 10. 11.

P ic tu r e interpretation. O r ie n ta tio n to th e p r i n t e d p a g e . Backgrounds o f u n d e rs ta n d in g . E x te n t o f v o c a b u la ry . A ccuracy o f speech p a t t e r n s . Quality of o r a l E n g lis h . A b i l i t y to a tte n d . Ability to sense a sequence o f id e a s . A b i l i t y to fo llo w d i r e c t i o n s . A b ility to handle equipm ent. D e sire to r e a d .30

Lane a ls o l i s t s a number o f f a c t o r s essential to su c c e ss b e fo re a c h ild b e g in s h is re a d in g program .

T his l i s t in c lu d e s :

1. 2. 3. It. 3.

A w e a lth o f e x p e rie n c e . Good h e a l t h . Good s ig h t and h e a r in g . A good o r a l v o c a b u la ry . The a b i l i t y to o rg a n iz e id e a s and e x p re s s them in se n te n c e form . 6 . S o c ia l a d ju s tm e n t. 7 . Em otional s t a b i l i t y . 8 . I n t e l l e c t u a l m a tu r ity . Under i n t e l l e c t u a l m a tu rity he g iv e s th e following d is c u s s io n : The judgm ent o f a com petent te a c h e r a s to th e c h i l d 's l e v e l o f m a tu rity i s n o t t o be n e g le c te d b u t s in c e te a c h e r s d i f f e r w id ely i n t h e i r a b i l i t y t o d iag n o se c h i l d r e n 's growth i t seems wise to rely on good intelligence t e s t s in a r r iv i n g a t a decision. A good w orking r u le i s : The c h ild sh ould have an i n t e l l i g e n c e g ra d e-p lacem en t from t e s t r e s u l t s o f a t l e a s t 1 .7 b e fo re he i s p la c e d on a re a d in g p ro ­ gram . What does this mean? A g la n ce a t th e "co n v e rsio n t a b l e s " which accompany p rim ary intelligence t e s t s w i l l supply th e answer. An i n t e l l i g e n c e g ra d e -p la ce m e n t o f 1 .7 means that th e child h as a c h ro n o lo g ic a l age o f seven y e a r s , no months (8Ii months) and an

JGOBond and Wagner, op. c i t . , p . 121. 31

R obert H i l l Lane, The P ro g re s s iv e Elementary/ S ch o o l, Ghieago: Houghton M if f lin C o ., 1938," p . 7 2 -7 3 .

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22 i n t e l l i g e n c e q u o tie n t o f 100. A lower c h ro n o lo g ic a l age and an i n t e l l i g e n c e q u o tie n t c o rre sp o n d in g ly g r e a t e r th a n 100 m i l g iv e approximately th e same r e s u l t , i . e . , a c h il d 6 y e a r s , no months o id (c h ro n o lo g ic a l o r b ir th d a y age o f 72 months) may, o th e r th in g s b e in g e q u a l, be allowed to b e g in a reading, program if he h as an i n t e l l i g e n c e q u o tie n t o f 117. Correspondingly, a c h ild with a c h ro n o lo g ic a l age o f 8 ’/e a r s may be re a d y to l e a r n to re a d even though h is i n t e l l i g e n c e q u o tie n t i s around 83-90. Note t h a t we say " o th e r th in g s Toeing e q u a l” . I t i s a f a t a l e r r o r to d eterm in e re a d in g re a d in e s s s o le l y on th e b a s is o f m ental m a tu rity as th e c h ild may be d e f i c i e n t i n any o r all o f th e o th e r seven c h a r a c te r ­ i s t i c s '■which to have p la c e d a t th e head o f o u r l i s t . ‘W ith many b r i g h t c h ild r e n th e r e i s o f te n an unsatisfactory re c o rd i n h e a lt h , v i s u a l and a u r a l a c u ity and e m o tio n a l s t a b i l i t y . In c h ild r e n w ith v e iy h ig h i n t e l l i g e n c e Quotients th e r e i s apt to be a high degree o f s o c ia l m aladjustm ent ,832 W itty and Kopel d is c u s s th e problem o f r e a d in e s s f o r re a d in g a s a to p ic u n d e r th e p re v e n tio n o f re a d in g d i f f i c u l t i e s . 33

They summarize th e

im p o rta n t developmental m easures and e s tim a te s which sh o u ld be c o n sid e re d in a p p ra is in g r e a d in e s s .

They su g g e s t t h a t t h i s can be done e i t h e r a t

th e c lo s e o f k in d e rg a rte n o r d u rin g t h e f i r s t month o f th e f i r s t g ra d e . I f i t i s done i n f i r s t g rad e th e f i r s t month o f sch o o l sh o u ld be l a r g e l y dev o ted t o c a r e f u l o b s e r v a tio n , t e s t i n g , and s tu d y o f each c h i l d .

The

to p ic s to be c o n sid e re d i n d e te rm in in g re a d in e s s a re : 1. 2. 3. !.i. 9. 6. 7.

I n te llig e n c e - T e s t S c o re s. R e a d in e ss-T e st D a ta. D ata on In fo rm a l R eading P erfo rm an ce. P h y s ic a l S ta tu s . D ata on E m otional and S o c ia l Growth. Use o f Language. E x p e r ie n tia l B ackground.

Under each o f th e se th e y p o in t o u t s p e c i f ic f a c t o r s to b e c o n s id e re d , and u n d er th e l a s t one th e y su g g e s t a r a t h e r com prehensive i n t e r e s t in v e n ­ to r y to d is c o v e r th e i n t e r e s t s o f each c h i l d .

32

R obert H i l l Lane, The P ro g re s s iv e E lem entary S c h o o l, C hicago: Houghton M if f lin Co. , 1238’,' "p7 tit-7 3 . 33paul Witty and D avid K opel, Reading and th e E d u cativ e P ro c e s s , Chicago: Ginn and C o ., 1939, p.lo0~-T88.

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23

B e tts g iv e s a l i s t o f f a c to r s in re a d in g r e a d in e s s , and s t a t e s t h a t te a c h in g re a d in g t o b e g in n e rs w ould be a l e s s complex ta s k i f e v e ry c h i l d c o u ld meet th e s e re q u ire m e n ts: 1 . Im m ediate needs t h a t r e q u ir e s a t i s f a c t i o n th ro u g h re a d in g 2 . S u f f i c i e n t p r e - r e a d in g e x p e rie n c e s t o w het th e re a d in g ap­ p e t i t e and to be aware o f th e s ig n if ic a n c e o f v i s u a l symbols 3 . A s o c ia l a d ju stm e n t s u f f i c i e n t l y ad eq u ate to cope w ith g iv e a n d -ta k e s i t u a t i o n s i n th e av erag e classro o m It. A c h ro n o lo g ic a l age which would have made p o s s ib le a g e n e r a l developm ent of th e organism s u f f i c i e n t to cope w ith re a d in g a c tiv itie s 3. An i n t e r e s t i n

and good a t t i t u d e s tow ard re a d in g

6 . A l e v e l o f m ental m a tu rity t h a t would in s u r e a re a so n a b ly r a p id r a t e o f le a r n in g 7 . A background o f in fo rm a tio n p e r t i n e n t t o t h a t w hich he i s to re a d 8 . Language f a c i l i t y ad eq u ate to d e a l w ith d i r e c t and v i c a r i ­ o u s, o r second-hand , e x p e rie n c e 9 . A b i l i t y to r e l a t e id e a s a c c u r a te ly and r a p id ly 10. A memory span t h a t would in s u r e competency i n fo llo w in g d ir e c tio n s and r e l a t i n g e x p e rie n c e p e r t i n e n t t o t h a t w hich i s b e in g re a d 11. A b i l i t y t o h e a r sounds s u f f i c i e n t l y w e ll f o r norm al communi­ c a tio n 12. A b i l i t y to make a u d ito ry d is c r im in a tio n s s u f f i c i e n t l y w e ll to a c q u ire phonic te c h n iq u e s f o r word re c o g n ito n 13. A l e v e l o f v i s u a l e f f i c i e n c y to p e rm it th e r a p id d ev elo p ­ ment o f s p e c if ic v is u a l s k i l l s re q u ire d in ' re a d in g H i. A b ility to make visual d is c r im in a tio n s s u f f i c i e n t l y well to a c q u ire re a so n a b ly ra p id c o n tr o l o v er s i g h t word and v is u a l a n a ly s is techniques 1>. A b i l i t y to p e rc e iv e d if f e r e n c e s i n c o lo r so t h a t such words a s “re d " and " b lu e " r e p r e s e n t phenomena, w ith in h is e x p e r i­ ence and so t h a t e x p e rie n c e s g a in ed from re a d in g may be a p p lie d i n workbook and a r t a c t i v i t i e s

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2h 16. Motor control s u f f i c i e n t l y developed to p e rm it e f f i c i e n t eye movements, to facilitate the handling of books, and to make p o s s ib le p a r t i c i p a t i o n in c o n s tr u c tio n and p h y s ic a l a c t i v i ­ tie s 17. An in te g r a te d nervo u s system f r e e from d e f e c ts t h a t -would i n t e r f e r e with le a r n in g , such a s speech d is o r d e r s , co n fu sed dom inance, and word b lin d n e s s 1 8 . A g e n e ra l h e a lth s t a t u s t h a t promotes a f e e l i n g o f w e ll-b e in g and an a t t i t u d e o f approach to, rather than withdrawal from , worthwhile learning a c t i v i t i e s . - 5 B e tts d is c u s s e s each o f th e above f a c t o r s a t some le n g th p o in tin g o u t why th e y a re im p o rta n t and how any one m ight be a d e t e r r e n t t o su cc e ss i n re a d in g i f i t i s la c k in g i n th e c h i l d ’ s a s s e t s .

B e tts a s ­

s u re s us t h a t i n s p i t e o f th e f a c t t h a t sch o o l p o l i c i e s a re b a se d on c h ro n o lo g ic a l a g e , t h i s one f a c t o r i s n o t a d e c i s i v e one i n le a r n in g to re a d .-55

He t e l l s u s t h a t m en tal maturity i s raore im p o rta n t i n re a d in g

re a d in e s s a c t i v i t i e s and t h a t i t i s b a s ic to th e a c q u i s i t i o n o f f a c i l i t y in th e u se o f th e re a d in g p r o c e s s .30

I n d is c u s s in g m en tal m a tu rity we

f i n d th e following w hich i s a d i f f e r e n t view from t h a t commonly ex ­ p re s s e d : Numbered among th e fairy t a l e s a b o u t re a d in g i n s t r u c t i o n i s th e o fte n m isquoted s ta te m e n t that a c h ild "m ust”have a m e n tal age o f s i x and one h a l f y e a r s in o rd e r t o be read y f o r systematic i n s t r u c t i o n i n re a d in g . When t h i s figure i s u se d by e d u c a to rs grounded i n s t a t i s t i c s , th e v u s u a ll y mean s i x and one h a l f p lu s o r minus a y e a r o r more.-3'

3)lB e t t s , op . c i t . , p .

115- 1 1 6 .

33I b i d . , P- 120. 36I b i d . , P* 120. 37

I b i d . , p . 121.

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R u s s e l^ g iv e s a summary o f th e ite m s which determ ine re a d in g r e a d i ­ n ess.

He g a th e re d material from o th e r w r i t e r s i n th e f i e l d and summarized

i t u n d er h ead in g s s im ila r to th o s e a lre a d y shown.

He suggests t h a t th e s e

be u sed a s an in d iv id u a l check l i s t o r problem c h a r t. L i s t s s im ila r to th o s e g iv en by R u sse l and B e tts seem t o b e th e ty p e of evaluation most f r e q u e n tly suggested by a u t h o r i t i e s on reading in

d e term in in g a r e a d in e s s f o r th e re a d in g program . McKee, G a tes, and o th e r w r i t e r s g iv e s i m i l a r l i s t s o f f a c t o r s e s s e n ­ t i a l o r d e s ir a b le for success in r e a d in g .

To repeat them a l l h ere is

unnecessary s in c e th e t r e n d of th e th in k in g o f le a d e r s in th e f i e l d has

been e s ta b lis h e d by th e p re v io u s d is c u s s io n .

A ll teachers o f primary

c h ild r e n a re aware o f th e im p o rtan ce o f th e various ite m s l i s t e d , b u t i n o u r sc h o o l e n tra n c e p o l i c i e s we s t i l l c lin g t o th e c h ro n o lo g ic a l age s ta n d a rd b ecau se i t i s th e most e a s i l y a d m in is te re d and i s b e s t u n d e r­ sto o d by p a r e n ts .

With th e accu m u latio n o f ev id en ce on p r a c t i c e s t h a t

seem b e t t e r a d ju s te d to c h ild growth and developm ent, e d u c a to rs and p a r ­ e n ts m ight lo o k forw ard to a more r e a l i s t i c approach to th e problem .

38

David H. R u ss e l, C h ild re n L eam to Read, C hicago: Ginn and C o ., 19h9, p . 1 2 6 - 1 2 8 . ------------------------------------

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CHAPTER I I I

THE SURYET OF SCHOOL ENTRANCE POLICIES IN HOMING The Que s1 1o n n a ire and th e R etu rn s A survey o f th e p r a c t i c e s i n Wyoming sc h o o ls i n a d m ittin g c h ild r e n to th e first grade was se c u re d by means o f q u e s tio n n a ir e s .

These were

s e n t to a l l county s u p e rin te n d e n ts i n th e s t a t e , to one elementary ad­ m i n is tr a to r i n each town having an elementary principal, s u p e rv iso r, or s u p e rin te n d e n t l i s t e d i n th e E d u c a tio n a l D ire c to ry f o r th e S ta te o f Wyo­ ming f o r I 9 g p - g l, and to s u p e rin te n d e n ts o f a l l sch o o l system s n o t having an e lem en ta ry administrator l i s t e d in th e Directory.

Two weeks a f t e r th e

original- q u e s tio n n a ir e was s e n t, a double postal c a rd was m ailed to th o se who had n o t y e t r e tu r n e d th e d e s ir e d information.

f u l in h a s te n in g r e t u r n s .

T h is p roved q u ite h e lp ­

I n a l l , 125 questionnaires w ere s e n t and 107

were r e tu r n e d making a t o t a l r e t u r n o f 85.6 p e r c e n t.

The e x c e lle n t re sp o n se was p ro b a b ly due to two m ajor f a c t o r s .

F irs t,

it d e a l t w ith a problem which has caused much concern to a l l p e o p le a f ­

f e c te d by it; and, second, th e Q u e stio n n a ire was v e ry b r i e f and c o u ld be rapidly completed.

A nother f a c t o r which may have expedited th e r e t u r n

was th e d i r e c t i o n giv en t h a t i f th e r e c i p i e n t were to o busy to supply th e in fo rm a tio n desired he was g iv en th e o p tio n o f handing th e q u e s tio n n a ir e to a teacher in the system who would be in a position to make reliable

s ta te m e n ts . F i f t y - f o u r questionaires were m ailed to c i t y s u p e r in te n d e n ts i n th e s t a t e .

T h i r ty - f i v e o f th e s e s u p e rin te n d e n ts p e r s o n a lly supplied th e

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27

d e s ir e d in fo rm a tio n , e le v e n p rim ary te a c h e r s r e tu r n e d th e q u e s tio n n a ir e s which were m ailed o r i g i n a l l y t o t h e i r s u p e r in te n d e n ts , one sc h o o l b o ard member f i l l e d o u t th e q u e s tio n n a ir e , and th e seven rem aining w ere n o t r e ­

tu rn e d .

T his meant t h a t U7 o f th e q u e s tio n n a ir e s s e n t to c i t y s u p e rin ­

te n d e n ts were re c e iv e d f o r a r e t u r n o f

87

p e r c e n t.

There a re 23 c o u n t y s u p e rin te n d e n ts i n th e s t a t e .

Twenty o f th e s e

returned, th e q u e s tio n n a ir e making a t o t a l o f 87 p e r c e n t o f t h i s group which were r e tu r n e d , a l s o . F o r ty - e ig h t questionnaires were sen t to elemefttaiy sch o o l s u p e rin ­ te n d e n ts , p r i n c i p a l s , o r supervisors.

The fo u r supe rintendents o v er e l e ­

m entary sch o o ls each r e tu r n e d t h e i r own q u e s tio n n a ir e s a s did. th e th r e e prim ary o r elementary s u p e r v is o r s . com pleted by primary te a c h e r s , and th e q u e s tio n n a ir e s th e m se lv e s. or

83

Seven o f t h e p r i n c i p a l s had th e form s 26

principals com pleted and re tu rn e d

T h is made a t o t a l r e tu r n o f I4O o u t o f J4.8

1 /3 p e r c e n t f o r t h i s g ro u p .

These s t a t i s t i c s can b e re a d from

T able I . Grouping th e R etu rn s For g r e a t e r e a se i n fo rm u la tin g ta b le s and f o r th e p u rp o se o f hav­ in g s t a t i s t i c s grouped a c c o rd in g t o th e p o s itio n h e ld by th e p e rso n who s u p p lie d i t , th e r e tu r n e d in fo rm a tio n was p la c e d i n f o u r g ro u p s .

The

f i r s t o f th e s e i s made up o f th e 35> c i t y s u p e rin te n d e n ts and th e one sch o o l b o a rd member.

T his group represents those not i n t e r e s t e d i n th e

e lem en tary sc h o o l a lo n e b u t i n th e h ig h sch o o l as w e l l .

The co u n ty su ­

p e r in te n d e n ts make up th e second group and th e t h i r d group i s composed o f th e a d m in is tr a to r s and s u p e rv is o rs o v er elementary s c h o o ls .

T h is i n ­

c lu d e s f o u r s u p e rin te n d e n ts who a re re s p o n s ib le only f o r an e le m e n ta ry s c h o o l, th r e e e lem en ta ry o r p rim ary s u p e r v is o r s , and

26

elem en ta ry

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QUESTIONNAIRES SENT AND RETURNED

Groups R etu rn in g Q u e stio n n a ire

Que s tio n n a i re s S ent t o : C ity County E lem entary S u p erin ­ S u p erin ­ A dm inis­ te n d e n ts te n d e n ts t r a t o r s (ii8) (23) (5U)

T o ta l (125)

Q u e stio n n a ire s R eturned by: C ity S u p e rin te n d e n ts

35

35

School Board Members

l

1 20

County S u p e rin te n d e n ts E lem entary P r in c i p a ls

20 26

26

E lem entary S u p e rin te n d e n ts

It

it

E lem entary S u p e rv iso rs

3

3

7

18 107

Prim ary T eachers

11

T o ta l R eturned

U7

20

1'0

P e r c e n t Returned.

87.0

87.0

83.3

R ep ro d u ced with p erm ission o f th e copyright ow ner. Further reproduction prohibited w ithout perm ission.

85.6

29 p rin c ip a ls .

The 11 prim ary te a c h e r s who com pleted q u e s tio n n a ir e s f o r

t h e i r s u p e rin te n d e n ts and th e seven p rim ary te a c h e r s who com pleted q u es­ tio n n a ir e s f o r t h e i r p r i n c i p a l s make up th e l a s t group o f 18 which i s d e s ig n a te d p rim ary te a c h e r s o r te a c h e r s o f p rim ary g ra d e s .

A ll o f th e

ta b le s and f u r t h e r r e f e r e n c e s to th e groups a re composed o f th e s e d i v i ­ s io n s a s e x p la in e d i n t h i s p a ra g ra p h . P r a c tic e s i n Yfyoming Schools f o r A d m ittin g C h ild re n to th e F i r s t Grade The f i r s t q u e s tio n ask ed on th e q u e s tio n n a ir e w as, ”l h a t i s th e p r a c ­ t i c e i n y o u r sch o o l o r county w ith r e s p e c t to a d m ittin g p u p il s t o th e f i r s t g ra d e ? ”

The p r a c t i c e s th o u g h t to be common were l i s t e d f o r check­

in g , and space was l e f t f o r th o s e who had d i f f e r e n t p r a c t i c e s .

Twenty-

fo u r d i f f e r e n t p r a c t i c e s were r e p o r te d bar th e 107 e d u c a to rs su p p ly in g th e in fo rm a tio n .

F o rty o f th e s e in d ic a te d t h a t t h e i r p r a c tic e was to adm it

a l l c h ild r e n who to re s ix y e a rs o ld on o r b e fo re Septem ber 1 .

P robably

a l l o f th e s e would say t h a t th e y were fo llo w in g th e recom m endation o f th e S ta te Board o f E d u c a tio n a s would th e t h r e e sc h o o ls t h a t adm it c h ild r e n who a re s i x y e a r s o ld on o r b e fo re th e opening day o f sc h o o l.

T h is d i f ­

fe re n c e i s u n d e rs ta n d a b le when one re a d s th e recom m endation o f th e S ta te Board a s b o th s ta te m e n ts a re made i n i t .

T h is s ta te m e n t i s g iv en i n i t s

e n t i r e t y on Page 2 o f t h i s s tu d y . Seventeen sch o o ls s t i l l u se th e fo rm er p r a c ti c e recommended by th e S ta te Board of E d u catio n and ad m it c h ild r e n who a re s i x y e a rs old on o r b e fo re th e f i r s t day o f November.

Ten o th e r sch o o ls have v a ry in g d a te s

betw een Septem ber 1 and November 1 , and th r e e use v a ry in g d a te s a s th e age b a s is b u t th e y a ls o adm it younger c h ild r e n who have com pleted one y e a r of k in d e r g a r te n .

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30 Ten o th e r sc h o o ls have a s e t d a te by which th e c h ild must have a t ­ ta in e d th e age o f s i x y e a r s , b u t th e y p ro v id e f o r irounger c h ild r e n by t e s t i n g them and a d m ittin g th o s e who show t h a t th e y have th e n e c e s sa ry a b i l i t y to do th e w ork.

Most o f th o s e i n d ic a t in g t h a t younger c h ild r e n

were a d m itte d b y . t e s t s t a t e d t h a t th e s e c h ild r e n had to have a "good” sc o re on a re a d in g r e a d in e s s t e s t o r have a m en tal age o f s ix and o n eh a lf y e a rs.

The p e rio d fo llo w in g th e s e t d a t e f o r w hich c h ild r e n were

t e s t e d v a r ie d from two weeks to an i n d e f i n i t e p e r io d .

One s u p e r in te n d e n t

d e c la re d t h a t any c h ild u n d e r s i x co u ld ta k e th e t e s t s i f h i s p a r e n ts de­ s ire d . In summary, 78 o f th e 107 sc h o o ls i n th e s t a t e re p ly in g t o th e ques­ tio n n a ir e have a r e q u ir e d c h ro n o lo g ic a l age o f s i x y e a rs by a c e r t a i n d a te .

I n most c a se s t h i s d a te i s betw een S ett ember 1 and November 1;

however, two sc h o o ls u sed November 30 a s th e d a te and two sc h o o ls use Jan u ary 1 .

T w enty-three sc h o o ls u se a s e t d a te b u t ad m it younger p u p ils

by t e s t , two s c h o o ls r e q u ir e co m p letio n o f k in d e r g a r te n , and fo u r co u n ty s u p e rin te n d e n ts in d ic a te d t h a t t h e i r ad m issio n p o lic y was b ased on a t e s t ­ in g program .

T able I I g iv e s t h e ta b u la te d in fo rm a tio n w hich p ro v id e d th e

b a s is f o r th e p re v io u s d is c u s s io n . P o li c ie s o f A ccepting Under-Age F i r s t Grade C h ild re n From O ther Schools A fte r a sc h o o l has an e s ta b lis h e d p o lic y f o r a d m ittin g c h ild r e n a t th e f i r s t o f th e y e a r th e y s t i l l have th e problem o f w hat to do when new c h ild re n move in to th e d i s t r i c t a f t e r sc h o o l has begun.

I f th e c h ild

co u ld have met th e e n tra n c e re q u ire m e n ts a t th e b eg in n in g o f th e y e a r th e r e i s no problem ; how ever, i f th e c h ild moves t o th e d i s t r i c t a f t e r th e school term i s u n d e r way and h is b ir th d a y was l a t e r . t h a n th e d a te s e t f o r c h ild r e n who were r e s i d e n t s o f th e d i s t r i c t what i s to be th e p o lic y

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31

TABLE I I

PRACTICES I I HOMING SCHOOLS FOR ADMITTING CHILDHEM TO THH FIRST GRADE

R ep o rted by

P o lic y o f A dm ission C ity Sup­ e r in te n d ­ e n t s (a)

County S u p e rin te n d e n ts

12

6

E lem entary A dm inistra to rs or S u p e rv i-

T each ers of* P rim ary Grades

T o ta l

Admit o n ly th o s e who a re s ix y e a r s o ld on o r b e fo re S e p t. 1 . on o r b e fo re f i r s t day o f sc h o o l. b e fo re th e c lo s e o f th e f i r s t sch o o l week.

lit

8

]_

2

3

1

on o r b e fo re O ct. 1 . w ith in one month a f t e r sch o o l o p e n s.

3

on o r b e fo re O ct. 31.

2

on o r b e fo re Nov. 1 .

6

1 6

1 1

by Nov. 30. by J a n . 1 . by S e p t. 1 o r com pletion o f k in d e rg a rte n . by Nov. 1 o r co m pletion o f k in d e r g a r te n . by J a n . 1 o r co m pletion o f k in d e rg a rte n . 1 by S e p t. 1 o r "good s c o re 1 on a r e a d in e s s t e s t b y S e p t. 1 and t e s t th o se b orn on o r b e fo re S e p t. 13

UO

1 2

3

h

1

h

17

1

2 1

2

2

1

1 1

2

2 1

1

(a) In c lu d e s one q u e s tio n n a ir e f i l l e d o u t by a sch o o l b o ard member. (b) In c lu d e s th r e e p rim ary s u p e r v is o r s , f o u r s u p e rin te n d e n ts o v er in d e ­ pen d en t e le m e n ta ry s c h o o ls , and 2 6 elem entaiy-' p r i n c i p a l s .

R ep ro d u ced with p erm ission o f th e copyright ow ner. Further reproduction prohibited w ithout perm ission.

32

TABLE I I (C ontinued) PRACTICES IN WOMIHG SCHOOLS FOR ADMITTING CHILDREN TO 1?HE FIRST GRADE

R ep o rted by

P o lic y o f Adm ission C ity Sup­ e r in te n d ­ e n ts

County S u p e rin te n d e n ts

E lem entary A dm inistra to rs or S u p e rv iso rs

T each ers of Prim ary G rades

T o ta l

Admit only th o s e -who a re s ix y e a r s o ld by S e p t. 1 and t e s t th o s e b orn on o r b e fo re S e p t. 3 0. 2 by S e p t. 1 and t e s t th o se b o rn on o r b e fo re O ct. 1 . by S e p t. 1 and t e s t th o se b o rn on o r b e fo re Nov. 1 . by S e p t. 1 and t e s t th o se b orn on o r b e fo re Ja n . 1 . 3 by S e p t. 30 and t e s t th o s e b o rn i n O cto b er. by O ct, 1 and t e s t th o se b o m i n O cto b er. on o r b e fo re sch o o l opens and a c c e p t by t e s t s i n o r ­ d e r o f b i r t h d a te s u n t i l 25> in each f i r s t grade room. by opening dsy o f school and M.A. o f 6-6 f o r a l l o th e r s . A ccept th o s e who have com­ p le te d k in d e r g a r te n . A ccept on b a s is o f a good t e s t s c o re on ly 1 T o ta l

36

3

1

3 1

1

2

1

3

2

1

7

1

1

1

1

1

1 1

2

2

).i20

1

3 33

18

R ep ro d u ced with p erm ission o f th e copyright ow ner. Further reproduction prohibited w ithout perm ission.

107

o f th e sch o o l?

I f younger c h ild r e n a re t o b e a d m itte d , m ost ta x p a y e rs o f

a district would a s s e r t t h a t i t sh o u ld be t h e i r c h ild re n and n o t th e c h i l ­ d ren of t r a n s i e n t r e s i d e n t s .

I n r e p ly to th e q u e s tio n as t o p o lic y on

t h i s in th e sc h o o ls o f looming, 19 o f th e 97 sch o o l p eo p le answ ering th e q u e s tio n in d ic a te d t h a t t h e i r sc h o o ls would a c c e p t th e s e c h ild r e n even though th e y vier e u n d e r th e age re q u ire d a t th e b e g in n in g o f th e te rm . Some o f th e s e sch o o l p eo p le made some s p e c ia l comments a b o u t t h i s .

One

s u p e rin te n d e n t stipulated that th e c h ild m ust n o t be a r e s i d e n t o f h i s ora. d i s t r i c t s e n t to a n o th e r sch o o l to a v o id h is o ra s c h o o l's e n tra n c e r e ­ q u irem en t, a n o th e r in d ic a te d t h a t h is sch o o l b o ard a c te d on each case i n ­ d i v id u a lly , w h ile a t h i r d declared th e c h ild would be a c c e p te d i f one of th e f i r s t grade rooms had few er th a n 25 p u p ils a t th e tim e .

Three e l e ­

m entary p r in c ip a ls and one primary te a c h e r s a id t h a t th e p h ild m ust have been i n a tte n d a n c e i n th e o th e r sch o o l f o r a t l e a s t o n e - h a lf o f th e y e a r , and one city superintendent re q u ire d t h a t th e c h ild must have a tte n d e d th e o th e r sc h o o l f o r a t l e a s t th r e e m onths.

Two e lem en tary p r i n c i p a l s

and two primary te a c h e r s in d ic a te d t h a t th e p u p il would be giv en a t r i a l i n th e f i r s t g ra d e , and he would be t r a n s f e r r e d to th e k in d e r g a r te n i f he were unable to do th e work. E ig h tee n o f th e 97 answering th e q u e s tio n w rote t h a t t h e i r sc h o o ls would n o t a c c e p t th e s e u n d e r-a g e c h ild r e n i f th e y moved in to th e d i s t r i c t

d u rin g th e y e a r .

Here we can see t h a t th e s e c h ild re n who have begun

sch o o l may be a t a lo s s to u n d e rs ta n d why th e y a re u n ab le t o c o n tin u e i n s c h o o l.

This problem may m a n ife st i t s e l f r a t h e r seldom , b u t when i t does

sch o o l administrators must re a c h a d e c is io n a s to what will be t h e i r p o lic y .

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3h

TABLE I I I ACCEPTING THE UNDER-AGE CHILD PR(DM OTHER SCHOOLS

A ccept th e Under-Age C h ild

Do Not A ccept th e Under-Age C h ild

C ity S u p e rin te n d e n ts

2 7 (a )(b )

8

3 5 (c)

County S u p e rin te n d e n ts

111

2

16

E lem entary A d m in is tra to rs

2 5 (d) ( e ) ( f )

6

31

Prim ary T eachers

1 3 (d ) (e )

2

15

T o ta l

79

18

97

Per cent

81 .U

1 8 .6

R eported by

100

(a)

One r e p ly 1 in d ic a te d t h a t th e c h ild m ust have a tte n d e d th e o th e r sch o o l f o r a t l e a s t th r e e m onths.

(b)

One r e p ly in d ic a te d t h a t h i s d i s t r i c t would a c c e p t th e c h ild p ro v id e d th e c h il d was n o t one from h is own d i s t r i c t who had been s e n t to a n o th e r d i s t r i c t to a v o id th e e n tra n c e age re q u ire m e n t.

(c)

The s u p e rin te n d e n t n o t in c lu d e d s t a t e d t h a t th e sc h o o l b o a rd a c te d on each case in d i v i d u a l l y .

(d)

Three e le m e n ta ry p r i n c i p a l s and one p rim ary te a c h e r s t i p u l a t e d t h a t th e c h i l d m ust have b een i n a tte n d a n c e a t th e o th e r sch o o l f o r a t l e a s t o n e -h a lf y e a r .

(e)

Two e lem en ta ry p r i n c i p a l s and two p rim ary te a c h e r s in d ic a te d t h a t th e c h i l d would be g iv en a t r i a l i n f i r s t g ra d e . If he co u ld do th e work he would be l e f t t h e r e j i f "not, he would be t r a n s f e r r e d t o k in d e r g a r te n .

(f )

One p r i n c i p a l in d ic a te d t h a t th e c h ild would be a c c e p te d p ro ­ v id e d th e r e was room. He f u r t h e r d e c la re d t h a t t h i s meant a f i r s t g rad e room w ith few er th a n 25 c h ild r e n .

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35 P re v e n tin g th e Immature C h ild from E n te rin g A nother problem i n a d m ittin g c h ild r e n to f i r s t grade i s w hat to do w ith th e o b v io u sly immature c h ild who does m eet th e c h ro n o lo g ic a l age r e ­ quirem ent f o r a d m is sio n .

Sometimes the se c h ild r e n a re p h y s ic a lly imma­

tu r e o r have s p e c ia l p h y s ic a l d e f e c ts , sometimes th e y a re m e n ta lly u n p re p a red f o r sc h o o l, and th e r e may be any number o f o th e r re a so n s why th e y would be u n s u c c e s s fu l i n f i r s t g ra d e .

Some p a r e n ts see t h i s when

th e y compare t h e i r c h ild w ith o th e r c h ild r e n i n th e same fa m ily o r w ith o th e r c h ild r e n i n th e community, b u t o th e rs do n o t.

Some d e c id e them­

s e lv e s to keep th e c h ild a t home a n o th e r y e a r , w h ile o th e r s a r e determ in ed t h a t t h e i r c h ild , must a tte n d s c h o o l.

U su a lly th e s e c h ild r e n must be han­

d le d in d iv id u a lly by th e te a c h e r i f th e y a re a d m itte d to s c h o o l, and th e te a c h e r seldom has th e tim e to d ev elo p a program which would be t r u l y b e n e f i c i a l to th e c h ild .. Because o f th e p re se n c e o f th e problem i n most communities a q u e s tio n about i t was in c lu d e d in th e su rv e y .

School a u t h o r i t i e s were asked, i f

th e y e v e r a d v is e d p a r e n ts o f immature c h ild r e n to d e f e r e n te r in g them in sch o o l f o r an e x t r a y e a r . r e p lie d t h a t th e y d id .

Seventy-nine of th e 105 answ ering th e q u e s tio n

The r e s t s t a t e d t h a t th e y had n o t u sed t h i s p la n .

The n e x t p a r t o f th e q u e s tio n ask ed f o r an e s tim a te o f th e d eg ree o f su cc e ss w ith which th e y accom plished t h e i r p u rp o se in making th e recom­ m endation.

More th a n h a l f o f th e s e r e p l i e s v a r ie d from none to some.

About o n e -fo u rth in d ic a te d t h a t th e y had average o r good su cc e ss i n g e t­ t i n g p a r e n ts to fo llo w th e recommendation and o n ly seven and o n e -h a lf p e r c e n t s a id th e y had very good o r e x c e lle n t s u c c e s s . No doubt many o f th e s e c h ild r e n would be b e t t e r o f f at home, b u t some could p r o f i t from, sc h o o l i f th e program were a d ju s te d adequately to

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36

TABLE TV SCHOOLS ADVISING PARENTS TO DEFER ENTRANCE OF IMMATURE CHILDREN

Do Not A dvise to D e fer E n tran ce

A dvise to D e fer E n tran ce

In fo rm a tio n S u p p lied by

T o ta l

19

16

39

'1 8

2

20

E lem entary A d m in is tra to r

29

k

33

Prim ary T eacher

13

u

17

T o ta l

79

26

109

P er c en t

7 9 .2

21.1.8

100

C ity S u p e rin te n d e n t Comity S u p e rin te n d e n t

TABLE V SUCCESS IN SECURING PARENT COOPERATION REGARDING ENTERING IMMATUR: CHILDREN Degree o f S uccess In d ic a te d Not Much R easonable Very E x c e lNone o r Very Borne F a il’ M oderate Good Good l e n t T o ta l Average L ittle C ity S u p e rin ­ te n d e n t County Super­ in te n d e n t E lem entary Admini s t r a t o r Prim ary T eacher

3

2

h

2

3

li

3 h

8 1

U k

T o ta l

12

ll.

Per cent

17.9

20.9

2

h

1 1|.

2

U

2 2

16

h

8

8

23.9

6 .0

1 1 .9

11. 9

2

2

19 2

29 11

3

67

3.C 1 U. 5

R ep ro d u ced with p erm ission o f th e copyright ow ner. Further reproduction prohibited w ithout perm ission.

16

100.0

37

t h e i r needs.

Many o f th e s e c h ild r e n can be p ro v id e d f o r w ith an e x tr a

y e a r i n k in d e r g a r te n , and some o f th e Wyoming schools e v id e n tly u se t h i s p la n a cco rd in g to th e r e p l i e s .

T h is problem i s t r e a t e d b r i e f l y i n th e

19U9 Yearbook o f th e D epartm ent o f E lem entary School P r in c i p a ls : ...so m e p eo p le may f e e l t h e i r c h ild to be discriminated a g a in s t i f he i s one whose e n tra n c e i s d e la y e d . This i s a v a l i d c r i t i ­ cism i f p a r e n ts have n o t had an o p p o rtu n ity to p a r t i c i p a t e i n th e p la n n in g and to th o ro u g h ly u n d e rs ta n d th e reaso n s f o r th e d e la y e d e n tra n c e . Once th e y u n d e rs ta n d t h a t th e p la n i s f o r th e b e s t i n ­ t e r e s t o f t h e i r c h ild , such c r i t i c i s m te n d s to be re p la c e d with, c o n fid en ce and e n t h u s i a s t i c support.-*T his may be th e f a c t o r w hich a cc o u n ts f o r th e trem endous d if f e r e n c e s re p o rte d i n th e success that was had i n g e t tin g Wyoming parents to defer e n tra n c e o f immature c h ild r e n a s shown i n Table V.

C e r ta in ly some sch o o ls

a re f a r ahead o f o th e r s in th e degree to w hich th e p a re n ts a re taken in to th e p la n n in g and g e n e ra l p o lic y formulation o f t h e i r sc h o o l. Prom otion P o l i c i e s f o r F i r s t Grade C h ild re n In r e p ly to th e q u e s tio n as to w h eth er o r n o t c h ild r e n a re re ta in e d , i n f i r s t g ra d e , nearly 89 p e r c e n t o f th e 106 r e t u r n e d ' q u e s tio n n a ir e s d e c la re d t h a t some c h ild r e n are k e p t i n f i r s t grade f o r a second, year. The remaining 11 p e r c e n t s a i d t h a t c h ild r e n were n o t r e ta in e d i n f i r s t g ra d e .

The breakdown of f i g u r e s can be r e a d ily seen i n Table ¥1.

Table ¥11 gives the ap p ro x im ate per c e n ts of c h ild r e n reported as repeating first grade.

In most cases these a re probably estimates; how­

ever, i t i s i n t e r e s t i n g to n o te t h a t in 70 p e r c e n t o f th e sc h o o ls r e ­

p o r tin g , $ p e r c e n t o r l e s s o f th e c h ild r e n re p e a t f i r s t g ra d e . Twenty-one

1 D epartm ent o f E lem entary School P r i n c i p a l s , The P u b lic and th e E le ­ m entary S c h o o l, 29: 211t-2l3, 19U9, W ashington: N.E.A.

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38 TABLE V I

SCHOOLS THAT RETAIN CHILDREN IN FIRST GRADE

C h ild re n Are R e ta in e d

C h ild re n Are Not R etain e d

C ity S u p e rin te n d e n t

30

6

36

County S u p e rin te n d e n t

19

1

20

E lem entary A d m in is tra to r

30

3

33

P rim ary T eacher

19

2

17

T o ta l

9k

12

106

P er c e n t

88.7

11.3

100

T o ta l

TABLE V II APPROXIMATE PER CENTS ()F CHILDREN REPC5RTED AS REPEATING FIRST GRADE

A pproxim ate P er c e n t R eported R epeating 6-10 16-20 1 -3 11-15' 21-25

T o ta l

C ity S u p e rin te n d e n t

21

3

1

0

0

27

County S u p e rin te n d e n t

m

2

0

1

0

17

E lem entary A d m in is tra to r

17

7

1

1

1

27

7

u

1

0

1

13

T o ta l

39

18

3

2

2

8U

Per cent

70 .2

21.2

3 .6

2.U

2 .14-

P rim ary T eacher

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100

39 p e r c e n t of th e sc h o o ls r e p o r t that from 6 to 10 p e r c e n t o f a l l f i r s t grade children fail, and only 2 of the schools re p o r tin g indicated that as many as 2f? per cent o f the children in f i r s t grade f a i l e d . No doubt t h i s -would r e f l e c t c o n s id e ra b le change o v e r th e y e a r s i f

p re v io u s re c o rd s were examined.

In re g a rd to prom otion p o l i c i e s H ild r e th

says:

In th e more advanced schools today the practice of failing beginners and holding them back for a n o th e r year has largely been giv en u p . The b e t t e r sch o o ls to d ay a v o id th e h u m ilia tio n of non­ prom otion for slow beginners at the end of the first grade by do­ ing away w ith grade l i n e s and f ix e d achievem ent prom otion s ta n d a rd s , c o n s id e rin g th e e n t i r e primary p e rio d a s a u n i t of p r o g r e s s . P ro­ m otion in term s o f developm ent r a t h e r than formal standards of achievement in academ ic work. No matter what his rate of progress has b een , every c h ild sh o u ld f i n i s h h is f i r s t year with a f e e l i n g of su cc e ss and accomplishment so t h a t he i s e a g e r to go ahead w ith th e n e x t sch o o l y e a r . 2 Only one sch o o l i n Wyoming indicated t h a t grade p a t t e r n s had g iv e n

way to c o n tin u o u s growth.

T h is had been done r a t h e r r e c e n tly ; s o , o th e rs

may fo llo w . R ead in ess i n Wyoming;' s F i r s t Grade C la sse s Table VIII shows th e r e s u l t s of th e q u e s tio n d e a lin g with th e e s t i ­ m ated p e r c e n ts o f c h ild r e n whose f i r s t grade program s were l a r g e l y ones o f r e a d in e s s .

Sixty-two of th e 79 sch o o l a u t h o r i t i e s answering t h i s

question indicated that the children whose programs were la r g e l y ones of

re a d in e s s ranged from none to 20 p e r c e n t.

Thixdy-eight o f th e s e d e c la re d

t h a t from one to te n p e r c e n t o f th e c h ild r e n i n t h e i r f i r s t g rad es r e ­ c e iv e d readiness programs throughout most of t h e i r first y e a r .

The r e s t

o f th e answ ers were s c a t t e r e d with th r e e a d m in is tr a to r s saying t h a t 100

^G ertrude H ild r e th , R ead in ess f o r School B eg in n ers, New York : WorldBook C o., 19q0, p . 222. ' ‘

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LiO

TABLE ¥111

PER CENT OF CHILDREN 1H0SE FIR.ST GRADE PEOGRJIK IS REPORTED AS BEING LARGELY 'ONE OF READINE!33

C ity S u p e rin ­ te n d e n t

County S u p e rin ­ te n d e n t

E lem entary Adminis­ tra to r

Prim ary T eacher

T o ta l

2 5

1 1 -1 5 1 6 -2 0

0 9 6 r\ £ 2

1 0

0 5? 7 k 5

5 5 i i 2

7 2k l kn

21.-25 26-30 31-35 36-LiO h l-h S

2 0 0 0 0

0 1 0 0 0

0 i 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0

2 2 0 0 0

U6-5Q 51-55 56-60 61-65 66-70

1 0,

2 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0

1

0 0 0 0 0

y-% 'J

1

0

0 1

0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 1

1 1

0 0

2 3

25

lk

79

Per cent In d ic a te d

0 1-5 6-10

71-75 76-80 81-85 86-90 91.-95 96-100 T o ta l

1

0

n,

1

0 0 1 1

29

11

1 1

0

9

.

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3 0 1

0 1 ■

1

0

p e r c e n t o f th e c h ij.d re n i n t h e i r f i r s t g ra d e s re c e iv e d a program -which was l a r g e ly one o f r e a d in e s s . It is the opinion of the -w riter t h s t these people have d i f f e r e n t conceptions of what is meant by re a d in e s s and that th e q u e s tio n m ight

have been b e t t e r p h ra se d to g e t more r e l i a b l e information.

Ho doubt most

o f th o se re p ly in g u n d e rs to o d , and i t i s p o s s ib le t h a t a l l d id .

I f so,

th e information given is probably a c c u r a te ; however, it is d o u b tfu l t h a t 80 t o 1 0 0 p e r c e n t o f all f i r s t

grade c h ild r e n would r e c e iv e a program of

t h i s type f o r th e e n t i r e y e a r . The q u e s tio n w hich fo llo w ed was concerned with th e p rom otion p o l i ­ c ie s f o r th e s e c h ild r e n .

Table IX shows t h a t s l i g h t l y o v er h a l f o f the

sch o o l a u t h o r i t i e s in d ic a te d t h a t th e s e c h ild r e n were prom oted, and s l i g h t l y l e s s th a n half s a i d t h a t th e s e c h ild r e n re p e a te d t h e i r g r a d e s . I t is i n t e r e s t i n g to n o te t h a t th e primary te a c h e r s were th e o n ly group d e c la rin g t h a t most o f th e c h ild r e n i n t h i s group were r e t a i n e d . E stim a te s o f Achievem ent and A djustm ent o f Under-Age C h ild re n Some of the schools have a policy of admitting children by test when they do not meet the r e g u la r age re q u ire m e n t.

Two q u e s tio n s a sk e d d e a lt

with th e achievem ent and ad ju stm en t o f th e s e c h ild r e n . XII show th e results o f th e s e r e p l i e s .

T ables X, XI, and

Those re p ly in g were a sk ed t o com­

p a re achievement o f th o se c h ild r e n who Were admitted by t e s t with th e othe f i r s t grade c h ild r e n .

Half o f th e s e c h ild r e n were e s tim a te d as doing

ab o u t th e same type o f work as d id most o f t h e i r c la s s m a te s , li.O p e r c e n t a p p a r e n tly d id b e t t e r , and o n ly 10 p e r c e n t compared u n fa v o ra b ly academ­ ic a lly .

From t h i s I t ?rould a p p e a r t h a t a. t e s t i n g p o lic y might be a b e t ­

t e r p la n f o r a d m ittin g c h ild r e n th a n a s e t c h ro n o lo g ic a l a g e ; how ever, th e s e r e s u l t s a re e s tim a te s b ased upon a v e ry sm all sam pling.

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U2

TABLE IX PROMOTION POLICIES FOR CHILDREN WHOSE PROGRAMS ARE LARGELY RISALINESS

C h ild re n Are Promoted C ity S u p e rin te n d e n ts

C h ild re n Are R e ta in e d

T o ta l

16

lh

30

7

5

12

1?

12

27

U

8

12

T o ta l

1x2

39

81

Per cent

51.9

1.8.1

County S u p e rin te n d e n ts E lem entary A d m in is tra to rs P rim ary T eachers

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100

TABLE I ESTIMATES OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF UNDER-AGE CHILDREN AS COMPARED WITH REGULAR-AGE CHILDREN

Poor

Average

Above Ave.

S u p e rio r

T o ta l

C ity S u p e rin te n d e n t

2

12

1

1

16

County Supe r in te n d e n t

1

9

5

2

17

Elementary A d m in is tra to r

1

8

8

1

18

Primary Teacher

2

3

6

1

12

Total

6

32

20

5

63

P er c e n t

9. 5

5 0 .8

31.7

8 .0

100

TABLE XI ESTIMATES OF SOCIAL At 3NAL ADJUSAMENT OF UNDER-AGE CHILDREN AS COMRiRED CTS EEGULAR-AGE CHILDREN

Poor

Average

Above Ave.

C ity S u p e rin te n d e n t

li

9

3

County S u p e rin te n d e n t

2

11

2

Elementary A d m in is tra to r

5

7

6

3

3

1

12 63

Prim ary T eacher

S u p e rio r

T o ta l 16

2

17 18

T o ta l

16

30

1L,

3

P er cent

2 ?. h

U7.6

22.2

it. 14-

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100

kb

TABLE I I I

CORRELATION OF THE ESTIMATES OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL ADJUSTMENTS OF UNDER-AGE CHILDREN AS COMPARED WITH THEIR

Academic Achievement S o c ia l and E m otional Growth

Poor

Average

Above Average

S u p e rio r Above Average

3

9

S u p e rio r

T o ta l

P e r Cent

3

3

It.8

2

Hi

22.2

Average

2

22

6

30

1x7.6

Poor

k

7

3

16

2 3. It

T o ta l

6

32

20 '

Per cent

9 .5

30.8

, 31.7

3

63

8 .0

—

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100

U5 The s o c ia l em o tio n a l a d ju stm en t o f th e s e u n d e r-a g e c h ild r e n was e s tim a te d a s b e in g much more o f a problem th a n th e academ ic ach iev em en t. Here 25 per cent of a l l the u n d e r-a g e children r a te d unfavorably with

th e c la s s m a te s , approximately L.8 p e r c e n t r a t e d a v e ra g e , and th e rem ain­ in g 27 p e r c e n t were above av erag e and s u p e r io r .

Even h ere i t co u ld

p ro b a b ly be observed- t h a t th e r e was l i t t l e d if f e r e n c e betw een th e s e c h ild r e n and th e c h ild r e n a d m itte d by c h ro n o lo g ic a l age s ta n d a rd s a c ­ c o rd in g to th e total opinions of those replying to th e q u e s tio n .

S ta ­

t i s t i c a l l y th e Product-Moment r o f correlation betw een th e estimates o f academ ic and s o c ia l-e m o tio n a l a tta in m e n t i s .57 w ith a s ta n d a rd e r r o r o f + .085.

T h is would in d ic a te t h a t th e r e i s a ten d en cy f o r p u p ils who a re

a ca d e m ic a lly s tro n g to be w e ll a d ju s te d s o c i a l l y and e m o tio n a lly , a l s o . I t must be u n d e rsto o d t h a t t h i s i s b a se d on e s tim a te s made by th e sch o o l people resp o n d in g to the questionnaire to e s tim a te that those p u p ils a re

a c a d e m ic a lly s tro n g a re well, a d ju s te d s o c i a l l y and emotionally. The ite m o f main concern h e re p o in te d o u t i s t h a t t h e r e a re f a c t o r s

t h a t must be c o n sid e re d i n a d m ittin g children to f i r s t grade o th e r th a n chronological age and mental age.

Certainly the total ad ju stm en t o f the

c h ild must re c e iv e i t s j u s t sh a re o f a t t e n t i o n . B est P r a c tic e s f o r A dm itting C h ild re n as Recommended by lyom ing E d u cato rs A ll th o s e re p ly in g to th e q u e s tio n n a ir e were a sk ed to s t a t e what th e y felt would be the best policy for admitting children to the first grade.

The com plete results as shown i n Table XIII are interesting.

One-third of all those replying indicated that a set chronological age was th e most d e s i r a b l e , while 28 p e r c e n t d e c la re d t h a t a s tu d y o f p h y s i­

c a l , m e n ta l, e m o tio n a l, s o c i a l and o th e r f a c t o r s about each c h ild was th e

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U6

TABLE

XIII

BEST PRACTICES FOR ADMITTING CHILDREN TO FIRST GRADE AS REC' IDED BY WYOMING EDUCATORS

P o li c ie s Recommended

C ity S u p e rin te n d e n ts

A s e t c h ro n o lo g ic a l age by a c e r t a i n d a te ." A stu d y o f p h y s ic a l, m e n ta l, e m o tio n a l, s o c i a l , and o th e r fa c to rs . A s e t age b u t t e s t th o s e whose b i r t h ­ days a re in th e n e x t 3 o r U m onths. A good sc o re on a re a d in g re a d in e s s te s t. A s e t c h ro n o lo g ic a l age p lu s a good score on a re a d in g r e a d i ­ n e ss t e s t p lu s a men­ t a l age o f 6-| y e a r s . A s e t c h ro n o lo g ic a l age p lu s a stu d y o f f a c t o r s ab o u t each c h ild . The judgment o f a qua3-if i e d , e x p e rie n c e d , f i r s t grade te a c h e r . T o ta l

Groups Itecommending County E lem entary S u p e rin - A dm iniste n d e n ts t r a t o r s

P rim ary T each ers

To- P er t a l Cent

19

5'

7

h

3? 33.0

3

7

11

7

30 28.3

, . 1 1 '•a '

U. 2

, . lO'*3' h

3

28

26.h

2

8

7 .3

2

2

1 .9

2

1 .9

1

.9

2 1 33

20

33

18

106 100.0

(a)

One s u p e rin te n d e n t recommended t h a t th e t e s t sh o u ld be g iv en to th o se whose b ir th d a y s came w ith in th e n e x t month o n ly .

(b)

One e lem en ta ry p r i n c i p a l in d ic a te d t h a t th e s e t age was d e s i r ­ a b le and t h a t th e number o f c h ild re n ta k e n 'by th e t e s t would be d eterm in ed by th e space a v a i l a b l e . He d e c la r e d t h a t no c lassro o m o f f i r s t grade c h ild r e n should have more th a n 2 3 .

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U7

b e s t.

Following close b e h in d was the group of nearly 27 per cent who felt

t h a t a s e t c h ro n o lo g ic a l age was best, but ’that children whose b irth d a y s came i n th e n e s t th r e e o r f o u r months sh o u ld be g iv en o p p o rtu n ity to q u a l i ­

fy f o r admission by a t e s t . s u g g e s tio n s .

The rem ain in g 12 p e r c e n t o f f e r e d four o th e r

One p e rs o n felt t h a t th e judgment o f a q u a lif i e d e x p e rie n c e d

f i r s t grade te a c h e r would be th e b e s t .

Two p rim ary te a c h e r s d e c la r e d that

th e r e sh o u ld be a s e t c h ro n o lo g ic a l age p lu s a good sco re on a re a d in g re a d in e s s test and a mental age of six and o n e -h a lf years. Two county s u p e rin te n d e n ts made a similar recom m endation.

Seven and o n e -h a lf p e r

cent of a l l th o s e replying felt that a good score on a re a d in g readiness

t e s t would be s u f f i c i e n t . These su g g e ste d p o l i c i e s compare r a t h e r fa v o ra b ly with w hat Wyoming sc h o o ls do i n a c tu a l p r a c t i c e , w ith th e e x c e p tio n that none o f them seem to know how to p ro c e ed on a s tu d y o f m e n ta l, p h y s ic a l, s o c ia l and e m o tio n al f a c t o r s about each c h i l d .

I t i s p o s s ib le t h a t some o f them a re now doing

som ething i n t h i s a re a which i s th e recommendation o f many o f th e a u th o r i­ t i e s i n th e f i e l d o f re a d in g .

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CHAPTER 17 SUMMARYO pinions o f E d u c a tio n a l L ead ers R egarding School A dm ission In th e rev iew o f l i t e r a t u r e a s g iv en i n C hapter I I o f t h i s s tu d y we f in d t h a t le a d e r s i n th e f i e l d o f c h ild developm ent and re a d in g r e a d in e s s a re n o t a l l a g re ed on any one p o lic y f o r a d m ittin g c h ild r e n to f i r s t g ra d e , b u t th e y do a g re e f a i r l y w e ll t h a t sch o o l e n tra n c e sh o u ld be d e te r ­ mined by a number o f d i f f e r e n t f a c t o r s .

L egal com pulsory sch o o l r e q u ir e ­

m ents a re a l l s t a t e d i n term s o f c h ro n o lo g ic a l a g e, and th e m a jo rity o f s t a t e s name seven y e a r s a s th e b e g in n in g compulsory sch o o l a g e .

Most o f

th e le a d e r s i n th e f i e l d o f c h i l d developm ent and re a d in g r e a d in e s s a re a g re ed t h a t c h ro n o lo g ic a l age by i t s e l f i s a p o o r b a s i s f o r sch o o l a d m it­ ta n c e ; however, many le a d e r s i n sch o o l a d m in is tr a tio n p o in t o u t t h a t t h i s i s th e e a s i e s t p o lic y to a d m in is te r .

I f c h ro n o lo g ic a l age i s to be th e

o n ly b a s is f o r a d m issio n , th e n th e u n d e rly in g p h ilo so p h y o f th e sc h o o l would determ ine what th e age f o r a d m issio n would, b e .

O tto

co n clu d es t h a t

c h ro n o lo g ic a l age s t i l l seems to be th e b e s t s in g le c r i t e r i o n f o r sch o o l ad m issio n ; however, th e f a c t t h a t he say s i t i s th e b e s t s in g le c r i t e r i o n seems to in d ic a te t h a t he b e lie v e s o t t e r f a c t o r s sh o u ld be g iv en c o n sid ­ e ra tio n . A lo o k a t th e id e a o f a d m ittin g c h ild r e n a cco rd in g t o m en tal age r e ­ v e a ls t h a t t h i s , to o , has le a d e r s on b o th s id e s o f th e q u e s tio n ,

where

-'■Henry J . O tto , E lem entary School O rg a n is a tio n ai d A d m in is tra tio n , Hew York: A p p le to n -C e n tu ry -C ro fts , I n c . , 'l^Ui-, p . 221"...

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h9 a c tu a l s tu d ie s and com parisons have been made ev id en ce i n d i c a te s t h a t th e c h ild r e n who were admitted- by s ta n d a rd s o f m en tal age s u rp a ss e d th e c h i l ­ d ren who were a d m itte d by chronological age standards.

T h is s u p e r io r

perform ance seemed to be i n a l l a re a s r a t h e r than j u s t i n m eeting academ ic O re q u ire m e n ts. In th e stu d y r e p o r te d by Hobson"1 he s t a t e d t h a t c h ild r e n a d m itte d on a. basis o f m ental age were l e s s o f te n r e f e r r e d to th e sc h o o l o f f i c i a l s because o f p e r s o n a lity and s o c ia l o r emotional d i f f i c u l t i e s . A uthors o f th e m a te r ia l d is c u s s e d a g ree t h a t c h ild r e n a re d i f f e r e n t and t h a t t h e i r m a tu rity developm ent i s n o t com parable.

G e n e ra lly th e y

p o in t o u t t h a t c h ild r e n may m ature a t a. d i f f e r e n t r a te i n d i f f e r e n t a r e a s , bub t h a t u s u a lly th e c h ild t h a t m atu res most r a p id l y i n one a r e a i s th e one who w i l l a ls o m ature rapidly i n o th e r a r e a s .

Of t h i s E n g lish say s:

Most c h ild r e n o f h ig h I . Q. a re o f b e tte r - th a n - a v e r a g e h e a lth and g e n e ra l p h y s ic a l e x c e lle n c e , y e t some a re n o t. M oreover, w h ile th e feeble-m inded, are, as a group, r a t h e r an unhealthy l o t , we do occasionally find c a se s o f th e "strong back and weak m in d ". . . . 3 Mien E n g lish com pletes h is d is c u s s io n he concludes t h a t th e most im­ p o r ta n t s in g le c r i t e r i o n o f th e c h i l d 's a b i l i t y to p r o f i t from th e e x p e r­ ie n c e s o f f e r e d by th e group i n th e sch o o l i s h i s le v e l o f i n t e l l e c t u a l developm ent.^

O th er a u t h o r i t i e s c a u tio n u s t h a t t h i s , to o , has i t s d i s ­

ad v an tag es as a d e te rm in e r o f sc h o o l a d ju s tm e n t, and nearly a l l o f them warn t h a t some t e s t s should be a d m in is te re d and i n t e r p r e t e d by an e x p e r t

2

James R. Hobson, "Mental, Age a s a Workable C r ite r io n f o r School Ad­ m is s io n " , Elementary School J o u rn a l, 1+8: 321, F e b ru a ry , 19 U8. g Horace B. E n g lis h , C h ild Psychology, New York: Henry H o lt and C o ., 1951, p . 308. ^ I b i d . , p . 331.

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5b

in testing.

There are, however, group tests of intelligence and readi­

ness that can be given by the regular classroom teacher.

The typical

school child is in a school where he is a member of a large group, and for this reason the fact that group tests can be given by the regular teacher is a real help in getting essential information about individual children.

Individual intelligence tests do have their place, and they

are generally regarded as more accurate than group tests.

Children who

do poorly on group tests should be tested individually, and it is desir­ able that all children be given an individual test, but in most cases it is not essential.

The mental age and intelligence quotients are impor­

tant factors to be considered in admitting children to the first grade. Cole and Bruce speak of the developmental quotient as an over-all measure of growth.

This is computed by dividing a child's developmental

score which is the figure summarizing his actual performance on the tests by the norm for his chronological age.

This is the

same way as the I. Q.

is usually figured, but the developmental quotient is more all-inclusive. It is made up of a number of different qualities determined by means of "ages".

Cole and Bruce point out that growth patterns are usually con­

sistent and in this regard they state: The history of a single human beings growth is a fairly consis­ tent affair. Height Age, Weight Age, Mental Age, leading Age, and others, all tend to develop along a line of direction fairly charac­ teristic of the individual. Although there are exceptions to the rule, slow developing first graders will advance into adolescence and youth at a somewhat slower than average pace. Their Developmental Quotients even as early as U years will be moderately well confirmed by their D. Q.'s in high school. Correspondingly, the precocious child will, barring the intervention of exceptional environmental conditions, continue to learn quickly in the elementary school, will be near the head of his group in the years of youth, and will on the average be­ come an aduli of superior abilities.5

^Lawrence E. Cole and William F. Bruce, Educational Psychology, Hew York: World Book Co., 1950, p. lllr-115.

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I t seems t h a t t h i s p o in t o f view i s v e iy l o g i c a l i f we a re t o con­ s i d e r th e whole c h i l d .

E d u c a tio n was formerly c o n sid e re d to be s e p a ra te

from l i f e and to be concerned p r im a r ily w ith m ental growth in c e rta in p r e s c r ib e d a re a s o r s u b j e c t s .

Today e d u c a tio n makes u se o f th e s u b je c t

m a tte r in problems of e v sry -d a y l i v i n g , and the school is concerned with th e t o t a l developm ent o f th e c h i l d .

The o ld id e a seemed t o be t h a t

c h ild r e n grew chronologically u n t i l they were a certain age at w hich time they would b e g in school where attention would be given to mental d ev elo p ­

m ent.

Today’ s s c h o o l i s co ncerned with a l l a r e a s o f th e c h i l d ’ s grow th;

so, it is logical to c o n sid e r all a r e a s i n admitting children to school.

C h ro n o lo g ic a l age has been u se d b ecau se i t was e a s i l y raea.sure d and e a s i l y a d m in istered ..

School o f f i c i a l s d e c la re d t h a t i t was a " f a i r ” m ethod, b u t

p o in t o f fairness c a n be q u e stio n e d .

An ex am in atio n o f t h i s would p ro b a ­

b ly p o in t out many tim es when i t was most u n f a i r . ' M ental age and i n t e l l i ­ gence have been t r i e d i n some p la c e s and t h e i r su c c e ss has been f a i r l y well e s ta b lis h e d , b u t many e d u c a to rs and parents a re r e l u c t a n t to u se

th e s e .

Cole and Bruce say t h a t growth o ccu rs i n th r e e m ajo r dim ensions

a t th e same tim e , and they name th e s e a s p h y s ic a l, i n t e l l e c t u a l , and s o c ia l- e m o tio n a l.

We have already d is c u s s e d th e f i r s t tw o,

but l e t us

have a lo o k a t th e l a s t o f th e s e . S o c ia l maturity and em o tio n al growth a re generally c o n sid e re d q u ite d i f f i c u l t to m easure, b u t much advancement has been made in m easuring them.

The two are closely related and need not be treated separately.

A teacher who has worked with c h ild r e n and who can be o b je c tiv e i n h e r o b s e rv a tio n can judge q u ite w e ll th e s o c ia l-e m o tio n a l maturity o f c h i l ­ d re n , b u t te a c h e r s u s u a lly l i k e to check t h e i r o b s e rv a tio n s th ro u g h

6I b i d . , p . 115.

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o b je c tiv e means.

This i s a ls o more c o n v in cin g t o many p a r e n ts th a n t o

say i t i s j u s t th e t e a c h e r 's judgm ent.

Parents sometimes l i k e t o see

th in g s i n b la c k and w h ite when i t p e r t a i n s t o t h e i r own c h i l d .

The V ine­

la n d S o c ia l M a tu rity S cale d eveloped by Edgar A. Doll i s an in s tru m e n t t h a t can be u sed by te a c h e r s i n d e te rm in in g s o c ia l maturity.

C e rta in

s ta n d a rd s a re given f o r r e p o r tin g th e d i r e c te d o b s e rv a tio n o f th e s o c ia l conduct o f th e c h ild and from t h i s a S o c ia l Quotient can be d ev elo p ed . T h is s c a le i s e a s i l y administered and. interpreted.

O th er s c a le s o f t h i s

type have a ls o been d e v ise d b u t many o f these are f o r o ld e r c h ild r e n , and

some o f them sh ould be u sed o n ly by s p e c ia l ly t r a i n e d p e rs o n s . Sex d if f e r e n c e s a re a ls o important i n d e term in in g sch o o l a d m itta n c e , b u t evidence in d ic a te s t h a t th e y may be o v er-em p h asized .

Boys and g i r l s

a re s u b je c t to d i f f e r e n t a t t i t u d e s i n o u r s o c ie ty which make them d i f f e r ­ e n t in th e ways i n which th e y resp o n d to t h e i r e n v iro n m e n ts. , Both Olson? and Betts^ point out that boys a re r e ta in e d more frequently than a re girls b u t g i r l s a re g e n e r a lly prom oted on lower s ta n d a rd s th a n a re b o y s.

The

d if f e r e n c e s betw een the sexes a re im p o rta n t, and we should re c o g n iz e th e s e i n o u r e d u c a tio n a l program .

O b je c tiv e e x p e rim e n ta tio n i s needed

i n d e term in in g th e d if f e r e n c e s betw een th e se x e s a s th e y m ight a f f e c t en­ tra n c e . O ther f a c t o r s o f im portance i n a d m ittin g a c h ild to sc h o o l a re th e e x p e rie n c e background o f th e c h ild , th e language spoken b y th e c h ild i f th e c h ild i s from s. n o n -E n g lish sp eak in g fa m ily , a c c e s s i b i l i t y o f th e

7

W illa rd G. O lson, C h ild D evelopm ent, B oston: I). C. H eath and C o., 191'9, p . 13b.-------------------------------------------^Emmett A lb e rt B e t t s , F o u n d atio n s o f Reading I n s t r u c t i o n , C hicago, American Book C o., p . 137.

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53

s c h o o l, tr a n s p o r t a t i o n f a c i l i t i e s , p a re n t c o o p e ra tio n , and i n t e r e s t and d e s ir e to come to s c h o o l.

I t can r e a d ily be seen t h a t v e ry l i t t l e

be done about some o f th e s e .

can

The non-English sp eak in g c h ild m ight b e t t e r

be i n sc h o o l where he would a t l e a s t h e a r E n g lish th a n to s ta y a t home where he would n o t.

The c h ild o f l im it e d experience i s s u r e ly b e t t e r o f f

i n sch o o l where experiences a re g iv e n th a n t o remain in an environment where th e r e a re no new e x p e r ie n c e s .

In some p la c e s th e a c c e s s i b i l i t y o f

th e sch o o l and transportation c r e a te r e a l p ro b lem s.

In th e s e c a se s th e

th in g t h a t i s b e s t f o r th e t o t a l w e lfa re of th e c h ild m a il need t o be th e s o le guide i f t h i s can be d e term in e d .

R e so u rc e fu l sch o o l p eo p le can

o f te n s e c u re p a r e n t c o o p e ra tio n and m o tiv a te th e i n t e r e s t o f th e c h i ld , b u t t h i s i s sometimes a problem n o t e a s i l y m astered.. The Thoughts o f 'Wyoming E d u c a to rs w ith R espect t o A d m ittin g C h ild re n th e n th e sc h o o l p e o p le o f lyom ing indicated t h e i r f e e l i n g s as t o th e b e s t p o lic y f o r a d m ittin g c h ild r e n t o f i r s t grade th e y favored ch ro n o lo g ­ i c a l age a s one o f th e main b a se s f o r a d m issio n . T h is was l i s t e d a s th e b e s t p o lic y by o n e - th ir d o f th e p eo p le r e tu r n in g q u e s ti o n n a ir e s .

Follow ­

in g c lo se b eh in d was a group t h a t p r e f e r r e d a s tu d y o f p h y s ic a l, m e n ta l, e m o tio n a l, s o c ia l and o th e r f a c t o r s about each child.

T h is was fo llo w e d

c lo s e ly by a com bination o f c h ro n o lo g ic a l age and m ental age a n d /o r r e a d i­ n e ss as determined by t e s t s .

K in d e rg a rte n s a re n o t w e ll e s ta b lis h e d in

Woming so v e iy l i t t l e was s a i d ab o u t th e p la c e o f th e k in d e rg a rte n in a d m ittin g c h ild r e n to s c h o o l.

R ead in ess t e s t s were m entioned by some as

a good s in g le c r i t e r i o n ,a n d one m entioned th e judgment o f qualified, ex­

p e rie n c e d te a c h e r s . The e x p re s s io n s o f loom ing e d u c a to rs a re i n conformance w ith g e n e r a l p r a c t i c e , b u t most seemed i n t e r e s t e d i n any w orkable p la n f o r a d m ittin g

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c h ild r e n t h a t i s b e t t e r th a n th e one now p r a c t i c e d .

One e le m e n ta iy p r i n ­

c i p a l checked t h a t he felt that th e b e s t admission policy sh o u ld be a s e t chronological age, but he explained that a s tu d y of a l l the f a c t o r s -would be ideal if a sc h o o l c o u ld a f f o r d th e s t a f f to c a n y it out. Others re­ plying expressed s im ila r feelings, but many felt that much attention should be given to the problem as they were not alw ays w e ll pleased with

p re se n t p o lic ie s .

Some sc h o o ls have e v id e n tly had much d is c u s s io n ab o u t

the problem o f th e e n te r in g f i r s t g rad e c h ild , and some sc h o o ls f e l t they had the problem solved while many felt th e need for a policy that was

b e tte r.

A good s iz e d minority expressed th e d e s ir e f o r a d e f i n i t e law o r

a d ir e c tiv e from th e S ta te D epartm ent o f E d u catio n on which they could bas t h e i r p o lic y . As long as the State Board of Education m erely recommends a policy it has l i t t l e

influence in actual practice especially when -the school law

clearly states that this is to be a function of the district board of ed­ ucation . Wyoming schools have had some children who for various reasons were admitted by good test scores o f one kind or another.

The person replying

to the q u e s tio n n a ir e was asked to estimate the progress of these children in com parison with other children in their same classes.

The estimates

given indicated that th e s e children were generally able to hold their own academically where they ranked above the average. On 'the estimates of social and emotional adjustment these children were as good as their classmates, but the estimates were generally lower than for academic achievement. This is n o t in agreement with the study made by Hobson as far as the social and e m o tio n al a d ju stm en t is concerned, but it does agree with his conclusions on academic progress.

We must also remember that

the estimates made by Wyoming school people were not based on any actual

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55 o b je c tiv e d a ta a s were the c o n c lu sio n s o f Hobson.

Both seem t o p o in t

o u t that chronological age i s n o t the b e s t f a c t o r to be used in a d m ittin g c h ild r e n . A stu d y made by C h a rle s E. G arner^ produced some i n t e r e s t i n g r e s u l t s . He found that th e r e a re apparently o n ly f o u r p e r c e n t more o f th e pupils betw een f iv e years and s i x months and. six y e a rs who a re immature socially than i s th e case w ith pupils between six y e a rs and sev en years f iv e

m onths.

A lso on th e b a s is o f th e s o c ia l m a tu rity r a tin g u sed

o re th a n

half th e total number of s o c i a l l y immature children were above six years of a g e .

In this study he points out that 110 p u p ils would have been kept

out of school if September f i r s t had been the'entrance age and, of these, 91 were socially re a d y .

This stu d y a ls o showed that the older pupils

who were re p e a tin g th e grade were the children who rated lowest on stand­ ardized reading t e s t s .

The conclusions o f t h i s s tu d y a re f a i r l y well i n

agreem ent w ith H obson's stu d y and the estimates of academ ic achievement and s o c ia l a d ju stm en t re p o rte d th ro u g h th e quesionnaire f o r th e p r e s e n t s tu d y . T e s tin g i s not as generally accepted in the s t a t e as it is I n most p la c e s , and b o th p a r e n ts and sch o o l p eo p le do n o t a c c e p t "this method as readily as they do chronological age.

Perhaps more work with it as a

c r i t e r i o n f o r sch o o l adm issio n would cause i t to be more g e n e r a lly a c ­ c e p te d .

School peo p le will p ro b a b ly u se i t more th a n in th e p a s t , b u t

th e y do n o t p la c e much c o n fid en ce i n th e r e s u l t s .

Wien i t i s re g a rd e d

as one of many factors it will probably be more generally used.

9

Charles E . G a m e r, A Study to D eterm ine th e Effect o f Age E n tran ce i n t o School Upon Perform ance I n 'S c h o o l, Schdbl~T)Tstri c t ' o f W ebster G roves, Webster" 'Groves, M iss o u ri, "June, 195?". (U npublished Study) .

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56

F a c to rs i n R ead in ess Heeding C o n sid e ra tio n The tr e n d f o r e n te r in g f i r s t grade children is away from c h ro n o lo g ­

i c a l age as a s o le b a s i s for a d m is sio n .

E d u cato rs a re r e a l i z i n g that i t

i s n o t an a l l im p o rta n t factor, b u t i t i s s t i l l r e ta in e d as one o f th e main b a se s f o r admission in nearly a l l s c h o o ls .

T his i s true i n Wyoming,

b u t Tfyoming sch o o l p eople a re anxious f o r a s o lu tio n to th e t o t a l problem o f admission.

They f e e l that m en tal age and o th e r f a c t o r s sh o u ld be con­

s id e r e d , b u t th e y a re a t a lo s s to knovr how to p ro c e e d .

The problem o f

i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f th e sc h o o l p o lic y t o th e community is a, major is s u e i n making any change. The th o u g h t o f le a d e r s i n th e field o f c h i ld developm ent and r e a d i­ n e ss a re i n agreem ent t h a t th e whole c h il d m ust be c o n s id e re d .

The type

of policy t h a t i s generally recommended co v ers a s tu d y o f a number o f ite m s about th e c h ild w hich may be seen a s summarized i n R u s s e l's book: P h y s ic a l R eadiness V is io n : Does th e child rub h is eyes frequently, squint, •hold material in an u n u su a l position, or com plain of frequent headaches? Are th e r e s u l t s o f such t e s t s as th e .Snellen C h a rt, K eystone T e le b in o c u la r, o r an o c u l i s t 's ex am in atio n fa v o ra b le ? H e arin g : Does th e ch o ld fo llo w directions w ith o u t r e p e t i t i o n o f them , respond easily to h e a rin g games, and use a c c u ra te speech sounds, e s p e c i a l l y when c o rre c te d ? H e a lth : Does the c h ild show undue f a t i g u e , s u s c e p t i b i l i t y to i l l n e s s , " i r r i t a b i l i t y , and i n a b i l i t y to c o n c e n tra te ? Does the physical examination by the school or the family p h y s ic ia n r e v e a l good h e a lth ? M otor c o - o r d in a tio n : Does th e c h ild h andle h is vrraps e a s ily ? In th e u se o f t o o ls i n c o n s tr u c tio n , i n bouncing a b a l l , and i n o th e r games, do h is ey es and hands work w e ll to g e th e r?

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$1

M ental R eadiness M ental m a tu r ity ; Does th e c h i l d 's m e n ta l- te s t r e s u l t s shew him to be s u f f i c i e n t l y mat a re to b e in c lu d e d i n th e group t h a t have succeeded w ith a p a r t i c u l a r te a c h e r b e fo re ? Can th e c h ild give re a so n s f o r h i s o p in io n s about h i s arm work and th e work of o th e rs ?

I s h is memory span s u f f i c i e n t to a llo w m em orization o f a s h o rt poem o r song? Can he t e l l a s to r y w ith o u t c o n fu sin g th e o rd e r of e v e n ts? Gan he e x p re ss a g ra sp o f a s to ry th ro u g h d ra m a tic p la y and rhythm s ? M ental h a b i t s ; Has th e c h ild established th e habit of lo o k ­ in g a t a s u c c e s s io n o f item s from l e f t to r ig h t? Can he i n t e r p r e t p ic tu r e s ? Does he g rasp th e f a c t t h a t symbols may be a s s o c ia te d with p ic tu r e s or ob .iects? Does he recognize lik e n e s s e s and d if f e r e n c e s in words?

Can he a n t i c i p a t e w hat may happen in a story or poem? Can he remember th e c e n t r a l th o u g h t as well as important d e ta ils ? Social-Emotional Readiness

Does th e c h ild work well with the group, ta k in g h is sh are o f r e s p o n s ib il ity ? C o -o p e ra tio n ; Does he c o -o p e ra te i n p la y in g games in v o lv ­ in g s e v e ra l c h ild re n ? Independence;

Can th e c h ild ta k e c a re o f h is own c lo th e s ?

Gan he work by h im s e lf w ith o u t a sk in g f o r h elp ? Can he find something e ls e to do when he lias finished some

ta sk ? S h a rin g : Does th e c h ild sh are m a te r ia ls w ith o u t m onopolizi n t t h e i r u se? Does he wait for his tu r n in play and games or when the te a c h e r i s ch eck in g th e c l a s s 's work? L is te n in g :

Is th e c h ild a t t e n t i v e ?

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Does he l i s t e n to a l l o f a s to r y w ith e v id e n t en jo y m en t, so t h a t he can r e t e l l i t o r p a r t o f i t ? Does he listen to others without in te r r u p t in g ? Can he follow two or th r e e simple d ir e c tio n s ?

A d ju stm e n ts: Can the child see a ta s h (such as draw in g , or preparing f o r an a c t i v i t y , or c le a n in g up) com pleted without be­ ing discouraged,? Does he a c c e p t changes i n th e s c h o o l ro u tin e q u ie tly ? Gan he a c c e p t a c e r t a i n amount o f o p p o s itio n or d e f e a t without c ry in g o r su lk in g ? Does he appear to be happy and w e ll adjusted in h is school work?

Can he meet s tr a n g e r s w ith o u t u n u su a l shyness? P s y c h o lo g ic a l R eadiness M ental S e t : re a d in g ?

Does th e c h i l d a p p ea r i n t e r e s t e d i n books and

Does he in q u ir e a b o u t words o r s ig n s? I s he c u rio u s about th e shapes of u n u su a l words? Language:

Does he speak clearly?

Does he speak correctly after b e in g helped with difficulty by th e te a c h e r?

Does he speak i n s e n te n c e s? Does he know th e meanings o f words t h a t o ccu r i n pre-primers and p rim e rs? Does he know c e r t a i n relational words such a s up and down, to p and b o tto m , b ig and l i t t l e ?-^ C onclu sio n s and Recomrnendations 1.

There i s need f o r more s tu d y and experimentation i n admitting c h i l ­

d re n to sc h o o l by v a rio u s p o l i c i e s .

p.

There i s to o much em phasis upon

-^D avid H. R u s s e l, C h ild re n Learn to Read, C hicago: Ginn, 19lt9, . ~ '

1 2 6 - 1 2 .8

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chronological age a s a sole basis for admission.

C h ro n o lo g ic a l age may

be considered a s a part o f th e t o t a l physical readiness of children along w ith g e n e ra l health, physical maturity, v is i o n ,h e a r i n g , m otor c o o rd in a ­ t i o n , and o th e r r e l a t e d f a c t o r s . 2.

The p h ilo so p h y of th e sc h o o l w i l l n e c e s s a r il y u n d e rly any p o lic y of

a d m issio n .

If children are going to be taught reading in the first grade

the standards for admission m ast necessarily be higher than if the school is going to teach reading later in the school program .

If th e school has

a kindergarten program t h i s too, w i l l make some difference. Also, if the organization is by levels rather than grades there w i l l be a difference in the p h ilo so p h y basic to the ad m issio n policy.

3.

The education of teachers is an im p o rta n t aspect of this problem.

When all te a c h e r s have met requirements consisting o f a minimum training of a Bachelor's degree with courses in education, psychology, and child

developm ent there will b e a better possibility of inaugurating new poli­ cies and administering them effectively.

li.

C h ild re n are different in rates of maturity and growth and. this dif­

ference should be reflected in the school admission policy. A few chil­ dren can profitably enter school when they are five years of age while others should w a it until they are seven with the majority entering during the sixth y e a r .

Mental development, general health, physical growth,

s o c ia l maturity and other factors' must be a p a r t of any sound g e n e ra l policy. p.

If a policy of school entrance is to be effective it must meet the

approval of parents. Perhaps parent study groups could help to inaugu­ rate a sound policy if given the opportunity to do so.

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6.

A sound p o lic y of a d m ittin g children to sc h o o l sh o u ld include these

minimum parts:

a p h y s ic a l examination; a m en tal t e s t ; a re a d in e s s t e s t ;

a t e s t o r s c a le o f social m a tu r ity ; and a c o n s id e r a tio n o f o th e r p e r t i ­ n e n t factors such as tr a n s p o r t a t i o n , language handicaps, experience back­ ground, home conditions and individual considerations.

The philosophy

and program of th e school m ust dictate th e standards to be a ch ie v e d on th e above named t e s t s . As a result of this stu d y i t is recommended t h a t a child whose sixth birthday falls i n th e c a le n d a r y e a r in which th e terra b e g in s be c o n s id ­

e re d f o r e n tra n c e i f h is p a r e n ts so d e s i r e .

I f he m eets th e s ta n d a rd s

s e t , in c lu d in g mental and s o c ia l-e m o tio n a l re a d in e s s f o r sc h o o l, he should be a d m itte d .

I f he does n o t, he sh o u ld be k e p t a t home u n t i l th e

following year when he would be admitted 'without question.

This m i l

g iv e the advanced child an opportunity to begin, and it will g iv e the slow d e v elo p in g child an extra year to acquire needed maturity before he

i s placed, i n s c h o o l. Because of the lo n g tradition in u s in g chronological age as a sole basis f o r admission, any change w i l l necessarily ta k e much time in im­ plementation.

P a re n t e d u c a tio n must be g iv e n much c o n s id e r a tio n , and

sch o o ls must be a d e q u a te ly s t a f f e d .

Schools i n which teachers a re era-

p lo y e d on a year around b a s is w ith a month f o r v a c a tio n m ight h e lp . Schools p r e s e n tly employing te a c h e rs on th e tw elv e month b a s i s in c lu d e G lencoe, I l l i n o i s ; C e n te r lin e , M ichigan; Beaumont, T exas, and R o c h e s te r, M innesota.

In such sc h o o ls as th e s e th e y c o u ld in c lu d e summer k in d e r ­

g a rte n s f o r prospective f i r s t g rad e p u p i l s .

T his would g iv e the te a c h ­

e r s tim e to become acquainted with each c h i l d 's developm ent.

N ecessary

t e s t i n g and o b s e rv a tio n could ta k e p la c e , and a t th e c lo s e o f th e summer

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61

s e s s io n a c o n fe ren c e w ith th e p a r e n ts co u ld summarize th e f in d in g s o f the te a c h e r .

P a re n ts would need to be w e ll informed as t o th e p u rp o se s o f

such a program , and c o n s ta n t a t t e n t i o n to t h i s would be n e c e s s a ry .

Hob­

s o n 's stu d y w hich h as been p r e v io u s ly c i t e d shows t h a t p a r e n t c o o p e ra tio n in new e n tra n c e p o l i c i e s can be o b ta in e d .

C e r ta in ly th e r e is enough e v i­

dence to show t h a t sch o o l e n tra n c e p o l i c i e s should be b a se d on a stu d y of many f a c t o r s .

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SELECTED REFERENCES

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SELECTED

REFERENCES

Books B e t ts , Emmett A lb e r t, F oundations o f Reading I n s t r u c t i o n , C hicago: Ameri­ can Book Company,’ TOO":------------------------- -------------------Bond, Guy L ., and Eva Bond Wagner, T eaching th e C h ild to R ead, New York: The MacMillan Compaq?-, 1990. B re ck e n rid g e , M arian E., and E. Lee V in c e n t, C h ild D evelopm ent, P h ila ­ d e lp h ia : W. B. Saunders Company, 19 U9. C ole, Lawrence E ., and 'W illiam F . B ruce, E d u c a tio n a l P sychology, New York: The World Book Company, 1990. Dawson, Mildred A., and Frieda Hayes Dinger, Directing Learning in the Language Arts, Minneapolis: The Burgess Publishing"Conpany,~I9'H8.

D o ll, Edgar A ., V in elan d S o c ia l M a tu rity S c a le , M in n eap o lis: E d u c a tio n a l P u b lis h e r s , I n c . , 19117. E n g lis h , Horace B ., C h ild P sychology, New York: Henry H o lt and Comnany, 1991. ' ■“ G a rris o n , K arl C ., The Psychology o f E x c e p tio n a l C h ild re n , New York: . The R onald P re s s Company, 195£TT G a te s, A rth u r I . , The Improvement o f Reading I n s t r u c t i o n , New York: The M acM illan Company, iyliY . G e s e ll, A rnold, and F ran ces L. I l g , The C h ild From Five t o Ten, New York: H arper and B ro th e rs , 19l|.6. G e s e ll, A rn o ld , and F ran ces L. I l g , I n f a n t and C h ild i n th e C u ltu re o f Today, New York: H arper and B ro th e rs , 1993• H a rris o n , M. L u c ile , Reading R ea d in e ss, C hicago: Houghton M if f lin Company, 1939. H efferm an, H elen, e d i t o r , G uiding th e Young C h ild , C a lif o r n ia School Sup­ e r v is o r s A s s o c ia tio n , Bos'tbri:~IT7 C. H eath and Company, 1931. H ild r e th , G e rtru d e , R ead in ess f o r School B e g in n ers, New York: W orld Book Company, 1930. H urlock, E liz a b e th B ., C h ild D evelopm ent, New York: McGraw H i l l Book Gompany, 1930. Lane, R obert H i l l , The P ro g re s s iv e E lem entary S ch o o l, C hicago: Houghton M if f lin Company, 193B.

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66

L eonard, E d ith M ., e t a l . , The C h ild a t Home and S ch o o l, C hicago: Ameri­ can Book Company, 1966. McKee, P a u l, The T eaching o f R eading i n th e E lem en taiy S ch o o l, C hicago: Houghton" M if f li n Company, 1968. Monroe, M arion, C h ild re n ¥iho Cannot Read, C hicago: U n iv e rs ity o f Chicago P r e s s , 1932. Moss, F red A ., A p p lic a tio n s o f P sycholog:/, C hicago: Houghton M if f lin Company, 1929. ~ 03-son, W illa rd C ., C h ild D evelaom ent, B oston: D. C. H eath and Company, ly)-! 9 . 4 O tto , Henry J . , E lem entary School O rg a n iz a tio n and A d m in is tra tio n , Hew York: A ppletori-O entuiy-C roT ts', I n c . , 1966. R ein o e h l, Cha.rles Myron, and F red C arle to n A yer, C lassroom A d m in is tra tio n and P u p il A dju stm en t, New York: D. A p p leto n -C en tu ry Company, I96D. R u ss e l, D avid H ., C h ild re n L earn to Read, C hicago: Ginn and Company, S k in n e r, C. E ., e d i t o r , E l e m e n ta l E d u c a tio n a l Psychology,New York: P r e n tic e H a ll, I n c . , T 9 65. S k in n e r, C, E ., e d i t o r , R eadings i n E d u c a tio n a l P sychology, New York: F a r r a r and R in e h a rt, In c .',' "1957. T horpe, L ouis P . , C h ild Psychology and D evelopm ent, New York: The Ronald P re s s Company,'" 1 9 )4.6 . W itty , P au l and D avid K opel, Reading and th e E d u cativ e P ro c e s s , C hicago: Ginn and Company, 1939. P e r io d ic a l L i t e r a tu r e A ndrus, R uth, "When Should C h ild re n Go to School.?", C hildhood E d u c a tio n , 2 6 :3 , Septem ber, 1969. "~ B aruch,_ D orothy Iff., "The Whole C h ild Goes to S ch o o l", C hildhood E d u c a tio n , 25:361-366, A p r il, 1969. “ H enig, Max S ., " P r e d ic tiv e Value o f a Reading R eadiness T e s t and o f T e a c h e rs ’ F o r e c a s ts " , E lem en taiy School J o u rn a l, 5 0 :6 1 -6 6 , Septem ber, 191)6. Hobson, James R ., "M ental Age a s a Workable C r ite r io n f o r School Admiss io n " , E lem entary School J o u r n a l, 6.8:312-321, F e b ru a ry , 1968. O a k s,_Ruth E ., "T hat I May Know My P u p ils " , C hildhood E d u c a tio n , 2 3 179— 81, O cto b er, 1966. ‘‘

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6$

Yearbooks Freeman, Frank S ., "The C h allen g e o f th e I n d iv id u a l C h ild " , Meeting, S p e c ia l heeds o f th e I n d iv id u a l C h ild , N in e te e n th Yearbook o f th e D epartm ent o f E lem en taiy School P r i n c i p a l s , W ashington, 1). TJ7:

'e m x :; - m y ; t o t : —

‘---------------------- 6

S a t t e r l e e , 0 . Ward, e d i t o r , " A d m in is tra tiv e P ro c e d u re " , The P u b lic and The E lem entary S chool, T w enty-E ighth Yearbook o f th e D epartm ent o f E lem entary School P r i n c i p a l s , W ashington, DY C .: ¥.15.A . , "September, Iot: E ssays T r a x le r , A rth u r E ., "School C l a s s i f i c a t i o n " , Handbook o f A p p lied P sy c h o l­ ogy, V ol. I I , New York: R in e h a rt and Company, 195CT Pam phlets F e d e ra l S e c u rity Agency, S t a t i s t i c a l Summary o f E d u catio n 1957-58, Wash­ in g to n , D. C .: Government l5r i n t i n g "O ffice, 19501 Wyoming S ta te D epartm ent o f E d u c a tio n , Handbook f o r th e E lem entary Schools o f Wyoming, Cheyenne, 1959. loom ing S ta te D epartm ent o f E d u c a tio n , School Laws o f th e S ta te o f Wyo­ m ing, Cheyenne, 1958. U npublished M a te ria l G arn er, C h arles E ., A Study t o Show th e E f f e c t of Age E n tran ce in to School Upon Perform ance i n S ch o o l, School D i s t r i c t ” o T w e b ster" G roves, Webs t e r G rove's,' M iss o u ri, Ju n e, 1957.

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APPENDIX

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67

May Uj 195>1

D ear S u p e rin te n d e n t o r P r in c i p a l : I am making a stu d y o f th e p o l i c i e s o f th e sch o o ls o f th e s t a t e w ith r e s p e c t to a d m ittin g p u p ils to th e f i r s t g ra d e .

The q u e s tio n n a ir e w hich fo llo w s i s q u ite b r i e f , and

m ost o f th e q u e s tio n s can be answ ered by checking one o f s e v e r a l ite m s .

I f you p r e f e r , you may hand t h i s to a te a c h ­

e r who would be in a p o s i tio n to make r e l i a b l e s ta te m e n ts . Your c o o p e ra tio n i n co m p letin g and r e tu r n in g t h i s to me i n th e n e a r f u tu r e w i l l be g r e a t l y a p p r e c ia te d . V eiy t r u l y y o u rs ,

Laurence A. W alker C o lleg e o f E d u catio n

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68 A STUDY OF FIRST GRADE ENTRANCE POLICIES 1 . What i s th e p r a c t i c e i n y o u r sch o o l o r county -with r e s p e c t t o a d m it­ t i n g p u p ils to th e f i r s t g rad e? Admit o n ly th o s e who a re s i x y e a r s o ld on o r b e fo re Septem ber 1 . Admit th o se who a re y e a r s o ld on o r b e fo re ( F i l l m age and d a te ) Admit p u p ils who have com pleted one y e a r i n k in d e r g a r te n even ‘though th e y ?re>uld be u n a b le to meet' y o u r re g u la r age re q u ire m e n t. Admit p u p ils on th e b a s i s o f re a d in e s s a n d /o r m ental t e s t s . "Please in d ic a te th e t e s t o r t e s t s u s e d .

O ther P r a c t i c e .

E x p la in .

2. I f a c h ild i n f i r s t grade has been a tte n d in g a n o th e r sc h o o l i n a n o th e r d i s t r i c t o r county and moves to y o u r sc h o o l o r co u n ty i s lie a.dm itted to f i r s t grade even though he i s younger th e n o th e r f i r s t g rad e c h ild r e n i n y o u r school? Yes ______

No ______

E x p la in on back o f t h i s page i f n e c e s s a ry .

3 . Do you e v e r advi.se p a r e n ts o f c h ild r e n who meet th e age re q u ire m e n t f o r e n tra n c e to f i r s t g rad e to w a it an e x t r a y e a r b e fo re p la c in g th e c h i l d i n f i r s t grad e? Y e s ______ No ________

I f so , w ith w hat su c c e ss? ___________ ___________

U. Do some o f th e p u p ils r e p e a t f i r s t g rad e?

Yes

______

No_____ _____

I f so , a p p ro x im a te ly what p e r c e n t? _________________________________ 5>. I n jrour sch o o l w hat i s th e approxim ate p e r c e n t o f c h ild r e n i n f i r s t grade whose program i s l a r g e l y one o f re a d in e s s ? __________ Are th e s e c h ild r e n prom oted t o - th e second grade?

Yes

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No

69

6 . Which o f th e fo llo w in g do you b e lie v e to be th e b e s t p r a c t i c e f o r a d ­ m ittin g c h ild r e n to th e f i r s t grade? A s e t c h ro n o lo g ic a l age by a c e r t a i n d a te such a s s ix y e a r s o ld on o r b e fo re Septem ber 1 . A s e t c h ro n o lo g ic a l age by a c e r t a i n d a te b u t w ith s p e c ia l con­ s id e r a ti o n giv en t o c h ild r e n whose b irth d a y s a re w ith in th e n e x t th r e e o r f o u r m onths. T his c o n s id e ra tio n may be by t e s t o r o th e r p ro o f o f a b i l i t y to do th e w ork. A good s c o re on a re a d in g re a d in e s s t e s t . A good sc o re on an i n t e l l i g e n c e t e s t . A s tu d y o f p h y s ic a l, m e n ta l, e m o tio n a l, s o c i a l , and o th e r f a c t o r s ‘a b o u t each c h i l d . O ther p r a c t i c e .

E x p la in

___________'__________________________ .

7 . How do p u p ils who a re allo w ed to e n te r on good t e s t r e s u l t s compare i n academ ic achievem ent w ith o th e r f i r s t grade c h ild re n ? p o o r _____

av erag e _____

above av erag e _____

s u p e r io r _____

8 . How do p u p ils who a re allow ed to e n te r on good t e s t r e s u l t s g e t alo n g s o c ia lly and e m o tio n a lly i n com parison to o th e r f i r s t grade c h ild re n ? poor

average _____

above average _____

s u p e r io r _____

Name of p e rs o n co m p letin g q u e s tio n n a ir e School o r p o s i t i o n __________________ _________________ A ddress

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