The purpose of this study was to evaluate effects of a transition room between kindergarten and first grade upon later academic achievement. An examination of the peer relationship between transition room students and their classmates constituted an auxiliary purpose. The longitudinal portion of the study investigated achievement test scores of transition room students and their classmates over a six year period. Peer relationships between transition room students and their classmates in grades one through six were studied in autumn, 1973.There were two basic hypotheses: (a) there would be no significant differences in academic achievement between transition room students and their classmates in grades one through six; (b) there would be no significant differences in social standing between transition room students and their classmates in grades one through six.Students had been assigned to the transition room on the bases of Metropolitan Readiness Tests scores and kindergarten teachers' evaluations. The purpose of the transition room was to give children who were predicted to have little chance for success in the first grade an opportunity to develop in an enriched environment for another year prior to advancement. It was postulated that the extra year would enable transition room students to achieve more successfully when compared with their classmates who would be a year younger.The total population of the longitudinal study consisted of 287 pupils in the Ossian school. Sixty-six pupils constituted the composite transition group over the years studied, while the remaining 211 were their non-transition room classmates. One transition room student and twenty-seven of the non-transition room group were retained subsequent to entry into the first grade. This left sixty-five in the transition group and 184 in the group of classmates for comparison of achievement test scores. The total transition room group was two months younger, averaged ten points lower in intelligence quotients and twenty-one points lower on the Metropolitan Readiness Test than did their classmates at the end of kindergarten.For purposes of sociometric rating, a total of 350 students were surveyed--eighty-three in the transition group and 267 classmates.Three instruments were used to collect data pertinent to the hypotheses. The Stanford Achievement Test and the Iowa Test of Basic Skills were used to measure academic achievement. An informal instrument administered by the classroom teacher was used to measure social rating.Statistical procedures employed were an analysis of variance to test significance of differences between mean grade equivalents on achievement tests and a chi-square analysis to assess peer group rating. Results showed a significant difference in achievement in favor of the non-transition room classmates; no significant difference in peer rating in grades one, two, four, five and six, and a significant difference in peer rating in favor of the non-transition room classmates in grade three.It was concluded that the transition room did not enable students to achieve as a group on the same academic level with their younger classmates. However, the transition room reduced the actual number of retentions at subsequent grade levels and enabled students to achieve continuous academic progress as a group at or above grade norms suggested in standardized test manuals without negative effects upon peer group acceptance.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/176971 |
| Date | January 1975 |
| Creators | Hunter, Beverly Barrick |
| Contributors | Mauth, Leslie J. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | viii, 113 leaves ; 28 cm. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
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