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This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of alternative middle school programs utilizing a longitudinal, mixed methods design and was driven by research questions which analyzed trends in attendance, discipline, and Standard of Learning test pass rates in history and science for 8th, 9th, and 10th grade. It also examined student perceptions concerning preparedness for high school, skills previously taught, transition to high school, and relationships with peers and adults. Data on attendance, discipline, and SOL scores were collected from 34 students from the 2009-2010 8th grade cohort who attended one of two alternative middle schools. Attendance data indicated a decrease in the number of absences each year from 8th – 10th grade, ranging from two days to 53 days per student. Discipline data reflected a drop in discipline referrals, each year, from 8th to 10th grade. The greatest improvement in discipline, indicated by a decrease in per student referrals, occurred between 9th and 10th grade. History SOL results indicated a pass rate that remained between 70% - 71% for grades 8-10. The test results for the science SOL showed a drop in number of students passing from 8th to 9th grade and increasing from 9th to 10th grade. An analysis of interviews with twelve students found that they perceived their alternative middle experience as having a positive effect on relationships, both with peers and adults, and a desire to graduate. They attributed an improvement in relationship skills and ability to select positive relationships with alternative middle school attendance. Students consistently noted small class size, as experienced in the alternative middle school, as an influence on both behavior and achievement. Students previously considering dropping out of school felt their alternative middle school experience had contributed to their changed mindsets and goals. Overall this study indicated that students attending the alternative middle school for 8th grade perceived their experiences as providing greater social rather than academic preparation for high school. In addition, best practices are similar for high school and middle school alternative programs.

TITLE Development potential of sub-functions in preschool and younger school age AUTHOR: Monika Pavelová DEPARTMENT: Special education SUPERVISOR: Mgr. Lenka Felcmanová ABSTRACT: Development of partial functions in preschool and early school age is an important part of school maturity and preparedness when entering the compulsory education. The goal of my dissertation was pointing out specific partial functions and their substance and importance. Pointing out the diagnostic methods which discover potential deficit of partial functions in preschool and early school age. Introducing the stimulus programmes on individual deficits in weakened partial functions. As a method of the research was used quantitative and qualitative research. Analysis and interpretation of the research results were implemented as well. The research was implemeted in Preparatory class of Elementary school in Prague 10. Children from the preparatory class were divided in two groups. One group was consisted of children using the stimulus programme for development of partial functions and the other group was without using the stimulus programme. The goal of my research part was to determine the development level of specific partial functions in case of children with the postponement of compulsory education in preparatory class at...

Anotation The Diploma thesis deals with the transition of a child from nursery school to primary school. The important factor deciding on the entrance to primary school is school maturity and school preparedness. The theoretic part deals with these themes., The theoretic part further describes the characteristics of a preschool child, its entrance to primary school and school attendance postponement. The practical part investigates the whole process of primary school enrollment. It finds out how school mature or immature children are. The basic methods of the research investigation are the orientation Test of School Maturity (Jirásek), observation, casuistical methods of preschool children and conversation with chosen children.

The thesis is devoted to the issue of school readiness and its diagnosis. The aim was to compare the two tests used for the testing of school readiness and to assess whether the comparatively evaluate some aspects of school readiness. In the first chapter of the theoretical part the area of development of preschool children in describe. The second chapter is devoted to major changes in the legislation of our education. The next two chapters (third and fourth) are on school readiness, enrollment in elementary and diagnostics of school maturity. The last, fifth chapter of the theoretical part, deals with immaturity and unpreparedness for entry into school. In the practical part I focused on in-house testing and evaluation of tests used. For testing, I chose two tests used to evaluate school maturity. The results of the two tests I tried using statistical methods to determine whether these tests evaluate comparatively. Key words: school readiness, school preparedness, diagnostics of school readiness, child of preschool age, preschool education, postponement of school attendance, school immaturity

The thesis is mapping the region of Kladno in period of 4 years and is pointing to an increase of school suspension in 2011by about six percent, compared to the average in previous three years. With help of used research methods, interviews and data analysis, we have confirmed and determined a hypothesis, that the most weakened components of children's personalities in Kladno are connected to social maturity, which pointed out self- sufficiency problems and problems with making contacts with peers. At the field of mental maturity we detected speech defects and inability to focus on classwork. Also we concluded that school suspension is more frequently granted to boys. This is pointed out in the theory of Langmeier, J., Krejčířová, D. 2006 and ÚIV. However, the month of birth, which also determines accession to the school, is important. At the end of our thesis, which contains general summary, we highlighted the uncertain areas and we suggested other possible topics, which needs to be further investigated.

School adulthood diagnostics Abstract: This thesis is devoted to the topic school adulthood and its diagnostics by the children in the pre-school age. In the theoretic part there are included basic information about the ontogeny of a child in the pre-school age and contemporary conception of pre-school aducation. There are explained the expressions school adulthood, school preparedness, postponement of obligatory shool attandance, partial functions and shortages of these functions here as well. There are also described the possibilities how to diagnose the functions that are neccessary for the sucessfull acquirement of school skills. You can find the information about the enrolment of a child to the basic school too. The aim for the empiric part is to find out if it is possible to contribute to the improvement of the choosen partial functions by the aid of their regular stimulation by the pre-school children and in this way to increase a change for the successful acquirement of school skills. I had made my exploration through four diagnostic tests focused on the choosen partial functions in two kindergartens in Prague.

There are currently increasingly debated issues of entering the schooling, especially in the terms of levels of preparedness to enter the first grade and the school's requirements on the first- graders. This is due to a large number of often complex changes which the entrance into the first grade means for the children and their families. It is the best for the first-graders do all these changes without undue frustration, it is necessary that their physical, mental and neural development and readiness were on sufficient level. Because of extensiveness of this topic, only the part of it was selected for this thesis, as its name says: The level of graphomotor skills of preschool children before entering elementary school. The area of graphomotor skills is presented in the context of writing skills throughout this thesis. The legislative definition of compulsory school attendance and the issue of writing as an essential part of literacy is covered within the theoretical part. The topic of entry into the first grade and the school preparedness of children are explained. The area of graphomotor skills in the terms of the development, in the terms of relation to the coarse and fine motor skills, laterality and external conditions which affect graphomotor skills is covered in detail. The significance...

Résumé This thesis deals with finding differences between homogeneously and heterogeneously assorted classes in nursery schools and their influence on the readiness of a child to enter the first class in elementary school. The theoretical part focuses on school maturity and readiness, general characterization of a pre-school child before entering the first class in elementary school, differences between heterogeneously and homogeneously assorted classes in nursery schools and finally on a child's preparedness for the compulsory education. The practical part shows the results of a research carried out by the means of an author's test of school maturity method and a questionnaire. The research sample consisted of children of pre-school age before entering elementary schools from heterogeneous and homogeneous nursery school classes and pedagogues from nursery and elementary schools. The main objective of this research was to find out which children are better prepared for entering elementary school, whether from homogeneous or heterogeneous classes in nursery schools. The results of the research showed that children from homogeneous classes are prepared for entering elementary schools on the same level as children from heterogeneous classes, which leads to the conclusion that age composition of classes in...

The main goal of the thesis was to detect and subsequently present a comprehensive views of educational society and parents for the current issue of school preparedness and its related issues concerning the high number of school attendance delay. To obtain these views was used a method of semi-structured interviews with parents, teachers from preparatory classes and teachers from nursery and primary schools. When analysis of testimony was finished, has been used and also elected procedure confrontation between these dates, then confrontation with professional publications, articles, web discussion forums and also primary data which was find out at conference that was organized on this topic. After the research was found that the issue of school preparedness affects to other issues like: an education and qualification of nursery teachers, the quality of cooperation between school and family, problems of capacity classrooms in nursery and solving number of children and age composition of class, accountability for school readiness child etc. The results of this thesis indicate what opinions have the family and educational public on the current status of the school preparedness disadvantages of children and also parts of school preparedness, in which today's children mainly excel. The main contribution...