The effectiveness of current preschool education programmes with special reference to children's readiness for formal schooling.
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Date
1993
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Abstract
The two principal aims of this study were:
(a) to evaluate the effectiveness of existing pre-primary
education for Indian children and
(b) to determine the relative effectiveness of three
current school readiness programmes.
Random samples of pupils, with varying preschool backgrounds,
were drawn from Class i children attending
selected Indian primary schools in the Greater Durban
area. Information relating to the four groups formed in
this way are given below:
Sample A: pupils who had attended registered private pre-primary
schools (N = 50);
Sample B: pupils who had attended departmental bridging
module classes (N = 40);
Sample C: pupils who had attended community-run preprimary
classes (N = 50) ; and
Sample D: pupils who had had no formal preschool education
(N = 30).
To make the four groups comparable, variables such as age,
sex, intelligence and socio-economic status were controlled.
In keeping with the abovementioned aims the following
sets of comparisons were made:
(a) the performances, on a test of school readiness, of
those pupils who had had some form of formal preschool
education (Groups A, B and C) were compared
with those who did not receive any such education
(Group D); and
(b) the performances, on a test of school readiness, of
pupils who came from the three different types of
preschool backgrounds (A, B and C) were compared with
one another.
Questionnaires were also completed by a sample of Class i
Junior Primary teachers in the Greater Durban area (N =
35). Teachers were asked to comment and report on issues
relating to pre-primary schools and classes, the extent of
pupil readiness for Class i, the effectiveness of school
readiness tests, and matters relating to the Class i curriculum.
The purpose of this part of the study was to
identify problems in subject areas related to preschool
education so that appropriate remedial action could be
suggested.
There was consensus among Class i teachers that preschool
education promotes school readiness. This was confirmed
by the results of this study. Groups A, Band C which had
received preschool education performed significantly better
than group D which comprised pupils who had had no
preschool education. The findings also indicated that the
preschool programme offered by the departmental bridging
module classes was more effective in promoting school
readiness than the programme offered by either the registered
private pre-primary schools or community-run preprimary
classes.
Teachers rated the programme offered by Departmental
bridging module class to be the most effective for preparing
children for formal education. The registered,
private pre-primary schools came second, and the
community-run classes, third. This rating was again confirmed
by the findings of this study.
When it came to rating the various subjects in the Class i
curriculum in order of difficulty, the following rank-orders
were obtained: English (most difficult) followed
by Mathematics, Writing, Environmental Studies, Art and
Music. They also identified specific short-comings among
Class i pupils in each subject area.
A number of recommendations are made so that the problems
identified by the investigation can be addressed. These
relate to pre-primary educational provision, resources and
support services, the environment as a resource, teaching,
testing and the curriculum. Education authorities, pre-primary
teachers, parents and Junior primary teachers are
urged to adopt a team approach in the solution of problems
relating to young children's education.
Description
Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Durban-Westville, 1993.
Keywords
Theses--Education., Readiness for school., Education, Preschool--Curricula.