The initial purpose of this study was to determine if a locally generated, highly structured, Pre-School program that included performance objectives in the areas of language, cognitive, and motor development were sufficient to provide a substantial achievement gain in the language age of four-year-old pupils. The secondary goal of the study was to determine how effective and lasting the Pre-School program was after one year of formal Kindergarten experience and education.Two null hypotheses were established to guide the study and the necessary statistical analysis. Hypothesis number one indicated there would be no significant difference in the language age growth of four-year-old Pre-School pupils when the scores of pre and post testing were examined statistically. Hypothesis number two assumed there would be no significant difference between the group mean Readiness scores of Pre-School background pupils and non Pre-School background pupils when testing results were examined statistically at the close of the Kindergarten school year.There were fifty-four-year-old children enrolled in the Pre-School program. Twenty-five pupil names were drawn at random and they made up the sample pupil population. All twenty-five pupils were individually administered the Zimmerman Pre-School Language Scale, both in September and May. All fifty pupils received 170 instructional periods of language, perceptual-motor, and cognitive skill development. Progress of pupils was monitored carefully each day and instructional groupings focused on skills students had not assimilated.Pre versus post test data was submitted to t test specifications to examine for significance of difference in Language Age of the pupil population. The mean of the difference scores for the sample population was 16.78 months of growth. The Language Age growth difference was significant at the .01 level of confidence.Phase two of the study followed the Pre-School population into a formal year of Kindergarten experience. Pre-School background students, who attended morning classes, were compared to non Pre-School background pupils who were enrolled in afternoon sessions of formal Kindergarten. There was no attempt to differ the curriculum for morning and afternoon classes.The pupil sample population that comprised the Kindergarten phase of the study was seventeen matched pairs of five-year-old students. Pairings were completed on the basis of sex, mental age, and social class. The Metropolitan Readiness Test was administered to all children involved in the study in May of the school year. Raw score data from the sample population was submitted to t test specifications to examine for significance of difference between the two paired groups. The t test results evidenced the fact that there was no significant difference in achievement between the Pre-School and non Pre-School background groups.Statistical processing of the data supported the finding that the structured, performance oriented, language development program did provide for a significant gain in the language growth of the Pre-School subjects of the study. Analysis of the data also witnessed to the fact that the Pre-School background pupils, after having experienced a full year of formal Kindergarten, were no better prepared for academic primary school education than were their matched pair counter-parts who had not been enrolled in any type of Pre-School program.Review of the literature and the research on the subject of early childhood intervention programs appears to support the position that highly structured, language development programs better serve children from disadvantaged elements of our society. Conversely, traditional middle class free play and group interaction Pre-School settings are not suited for all children who enter the formal setting of our public schools.The curriculum model and the design of programs appears to be of more value and assistance to well informed, enthusiastic teachers than to pupils. The demands made by curriculum on acceptant teachers have served to focus instructional energies and integrate activities into meaningful programs.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/176706 |
| Date | January 1975 |
| Creators | Heindselman, Gerald |
| Contributors | Ballou, Philip E. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | iv, 52 leaves ; 28 cm. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
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