AN INVESTIGATION OF KINDERGARTEN READINESS BASED ON EARLY LEARNING INVENTORY SCORES

The term “kindergarten readiness” lacks a formal definition. This study was done to understand the perceptions of preschool and kindergarten teachers concerning typically developing students on day 60 of kindergarten. Focus groups were used to determine particular skills that a kindergartener should exhibit by that point in school in order to be successful during that year. Both groups of teachers were knowledgeable about the developmental continuum kindergartners should follow in order to achieve needed skills. A second finding was that kindergarten teachers scored students lower than preschool teachers on the anticipated ability of their students to achieve a skill. All teachers considered some skills were introduced prematurely. Kindergarten readiness can be described as skills that students should exhibit on day 60 of kindergarten in order to be successful. These include having control of their emotions, and understanding the emotions of others and what may cause them. Students on day 60 of kindergarten should also understand how to behave in familiar environments and when routines and procedures did not change. Further, they should be able to discriminate the sound that an alliteration and rhyme make but may not be able to explain the reason for the alliteration or rhyme.