A child's early years are vital for development. The first few years of life is a period of rapid physical, mental, emotional, social and moral growth and development. This is a time when young children acquire concepts, skills and attitudes that lay the foundation for lifelong learning. During this time, parents are the primary influence on a child’s development and learning. The more parents are involved with their children, the more positive learning and general life outcomes occur. Different factors have been linked to children’s readiness to learn as they enter school. These include family characteristics such as the income level of the child’s household, parent education, and family structure. Other experiences in the home and community also linked to children’s readiness to learn include the quality of their relationships with parents, educational activities at home, and opportunities to participate in recreational or educational activities. Research has shown that poverty in early childhood can prove to be a handicap for life. Studies have revealed that many children under the age of five, living in poverty, annually fail to reach their full cognitive and social potential and do not have the necessary knowledge, skills and attitude to engage effectively in formal schooling once entering Grade 1. In the light of this, parents are in a key position to establish a suitable environment and to provide experiences during the early childhood years, whereby their young children can grow and develop to reach their fullest potential. This study is aimed to determine the way parents from disadvantaged backgrounds perceive their role, in their children’s early development and preparation for school. A selected group of parents of preschool children from disadvantaged communities in an area northeast of Tshwane participated in focus group discussions. Through the information obtained from the study, crucial limitations and needs regarding parenting and school preparation were identified. Based on these findings, the necessity for an effective and helpful parental guidance and intervention programme for these disadvantaged communities were recognized. If parents become more knowledgeable about early childhood development and school readiness, by expanding and improving their parenting skills, they might largely improve the development and learning abilities of their preschool children. It is therefore recommended that this study forms the foundation in the development of an intervention programme, which addresses the needs of these parents and provides support to equip them in their roles, in preparing their preschool children for school. / Early Childhood Education and Development / M. Ed. (Specialisation in Guidance and Counselling)

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Text in Afrikaans / With compulsory education in the New South· Africa, an increase in the number of school beginners can be expected, together with the probability of large gaps in their readiness for school. In £his study, materials have been developed together with a structure for the organisation of teaching_~!?.r trainers/subject advisers, teachers and pupils, to ensure effective education for school beginners. The "Battery for the Assessment of Bridging period Yields" (BABY) has been developed as a valid, realiable and usable school readiness battery of tests for teachers as unregistered test users. The Pre-Test for division into homogeneous ability groups is applied shortly after entrance to school. The Battery of Diagnostic Tests ensures continuous evaluation of pupils during the school readiness programme. The Post-Test is applied at the end of the first term. In this dynamic interaction between tester and pupil in an instruction-test-instruction cycle, the pupils' readiness to progress with formal instruction is continuously evaluated. / Met verpligte onderwys in die Nuwe Suid-Afrika, kan 'n toename in die getal swart skoolbeginners ve:wag word, asook dat daar in hulle skoolvoorbereiding groot leemtes kan voorkom. In die onderhawige studie is hulpmiddels en 'n struktuur vir onderwysorganisasie vir opleiers/vakadviseurs, onderwyseresse en leerlinge ontwikkel om aan skoolbeginners effektiewe onderwys te verseker. Die "Battery for the Assessment of Bridging period Yields" (BABY), 'n geldige, betroubare en bruikbare skoolgereedheidstoetsbattery vir onderwyseresse as ongeregistreerde toetsgebruikers, is ontwikkel. Die Voortoets vtr indeling in homogene bevoegdheidsgroepe word kort na skooltoetrede toegepas. Die Diagnostiese Toetsbattery verseker deurlopende evaluering van leerlinge gedurende die skoolgereedmakingsprogram. Die Natoets word aan die einde van die eerste kwartaal toegepas. In hierdie dinamiese interaksie tussen toetser en leerling in 'n onderrig-toets-onderrig siklus, word leerlinge se gereedheid om met formele onderrig voort te gaan, deurlopend geevalueer. / Psychology og Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

The purpose of this study was to establish the perception of Grade One teachers regarding the school readiness of Reception Year learners in relation to the new national Curriculum Assessment and Policy Statement (CAPS). The study also provides recommendations on how to implement CAPS in Grade R so that teachers, learners and parents experience the easiest possible transition to Grade One. The research took the form of a case study, building on current trends related to the subject of Reception Year CAPS curriculum implementation, and using the Interpretive approach as its essential, functional paradigm, which focuses on experiences of the world based on the culture and previous experiences of each individual, with an emphasis on mutual understanding. By using this strategy to explore Grade One teacher perceptions regarding the school readiness of the Reception Year learners, this project was centred on an in-depth and detailed analysis of a person, group or situation as a sample of the whole, and involved a systematic collection of data and analysis. This led to a conclusions-based report on the findings, all the while focusing on five Grade One teachers and their Head of Department at a public primary school in Pretoria, Gauteng. Preliminary findings suggested that learners coming into Grade One could in fact be adequately prepared during Grade R for successful assimilation in the CAPS curriculum material, if all stakeholders overcome the challenges they face during this important phase of academic development. This study has shown that varying amounts and levels of training amongst the teachers is a hindrance to proper CAPS curriculum implementation and therefore, the Head of Department, the school and ultimately the Department of Education has to ensure parity in the area of teacher training in terms of CAPS curriculum implementation. The study has shown that, due to the different sites where learners did their Reception Year, the school and the Grade One teachers faced learners who came into their classrooms with differing levels of exposure to the formal schooling system. Some learners may have no CAPS curriculum exposure at all. This means that, if the Department of Education is to succeed in implementing the CAPS curriculum in Grade R, then it needs to assist schools more in the form of providing funds for primary schools to build and add space for the Grade R classrooms. Finally, the study showed that a language backlog remains one of the main challenges learners have to face. Historically, Early Childhood Development Centres were never required to use English as a medium of instruction. In fact, teaching in the preschool classroom, which includes Grade R, is still mostly done in one of many mother tongue languages, depending on the location of the centre. With the move to make Grade R part of formal schooling and moving the Reception Year class to a primary school, CAPS requires careful curriculum implementation from Grade R to Grade Three, although instruction in English is only required from Grade One. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Specialisation in Curriculum Studies)

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Text in Afrikaans / With compulsory education in the New South· Africa, an increase in the number of school beginners can be expected, together with the probability of large gaps in their readiness for school. In £his study, materials have been developed together with a structure for the organisation of teaching_~!?.r trainers/subject advisers, teachers and pupils, to ensure effective education for school beginners. The "Battery for the Assessment of Bridging period Yields" (BABY) has been developed as a valid, realiable and usable school readiness battery of tests for teachers as unregistered test users. The Pre-Test for division into homogeneous ability groups is applied shortly after entrance to school. The Battery of Diagnostic Tests ensures continuous evaluation of pupils during the school readiness programme. The Post-Test is applied at the end of the first term. In this dynamic interaction between tester and pupil in an instruction-test-instruction cycle, the pupils' readiness to progress with formal instruction is continuously evaluated. / Met verpligte onderwys in die Nuwe Suid-Afrika, kan 'n toename in die getal swart skoolbeginners ve:wag word, asook dat daar in hulle skoolvoorbereiding groot leemtes kan voorkom. In die onderhawige studie is hulpmiddels en 'n struktuur vir onderwysorganisasie vir opleiers/vakadviseurs, onderwyseresse en leerlinge ontwikkel om aan skoolbeginners effektiewe onderwys te verseker. Die "Battery for the Assessment of Bridging period Yields" (BABY), 'n geldige, betroubare en bruikbare skoolgereedheidstoetsbattery vir onderwyseresse as ongeregistreerde toetsgebruikers, is ontwikkel. Die Voortoets vtr indeling in homogene bevoegdheidsgroepe word kort na skooltoetrede toegepas. Die Diagnostiese Toetsbattery verseker deurlopende evaluering van leerlinge gedurende die skoolgereedmakingsprogram. Die Natoets word aan die einde van die eerste kwartaal toegepas. In hierdie dinamiese interaksie tussen toetser en leerling in 'n onderrig-toets-onderrig siklus, word leerlinge se gereedheid om met formele onderrig voort te gaan, deurlopend geevalueer. / Psychology og Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

The purpose of this study was to establish the perception of Grade One teachers regarding the school readiness of Reception Year learners in relation to the new national Curriculum Assessment and Policy Statement (CAPS). The study also provides recommendations on how to implement CAPS in Grade R so that teachers, learners and parents experience the easiest possible transition to Grade One. The research took the form of a case study, building on current trends related to the subject of Reception Year CAPS curriculum implementation, and using the Interpretive approach as its essential, functional paradigm, which focuses on experiences of the world based on the culture and previous experiences of each individual, with an emphasis on mutual understanding. By using this strategy to explore Grade One teacher perceptions regarding the school readiness of the Reception Year learners, this project was centred on an in-depth and detailed analysis of a person, group or situation as a sample of the whole, and involved a systematic collection of data and analysis. This led to a conclusions-based report on the findings, all the while focusing on five Grade One teachers and their Head of Department at a public primary school in Pretoria, Gauteng. Preliminary findings suggested that learners coming into Grade One could in fact be adequately prepared during Grade R for successful assimilation in the CAPS curriculum material, if all stakeholders overcome the challenges they face during this important phase of academic development. This study has shown that varying amounts and levels of training amongst the teachers is a hindrance to proper CAPS curriculum implementation and therefore, the Head of Department, the school and ultimately the Department of Education has to ensure parity in the area of teacher training in terms of CAPS curriculum implementation. The study has shown that, due to the different sites where learners did their Reception Year, the school and the Grade One teachers faced learners who came into their classrooms with differing levels of exposure to the formal schooling system. Some learners may have no CAPS curriculum exposure at all. This means that, if the Department of Education is to succeed in implementing the CAPS curriculum in Grade R, then it needs to assist schools more in the form of providing funds for primary schools to build and add space for the Grade R classrooms. Finally, the study showed that a language backlog remains one of the main challenges learners have to face. Historically, Early Childhood Development Centres were never required to use English as a medium of instruction. In fact, teaching in the preschool classroom, which includes Grade R, is still mostly done in one of many mother tongue languages, depending on the location of the centre. With the move to make Grade R part of formal schooling and moving the Reception Year class to a primary school, CAPS requires careful curriculum implementation from Grade R to Grade Three, although instruction in English is only required from Grade One. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Specialisation in Curriculum Studies)