Kindergarten marks a big transition in the lives of children. By the time they start school, many children already display a wide range of skills, knowledge, and school-readiness behaviors. The National Center for Education Statistics conducted the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study to determine if the following behaviors are related to academic performance.
- Pay attention well
- Learn independently
- Persist in completing tasks
- Organize belongings
- Adapt easily to change
- Show eagerness to learn new things
- Follow classroom rules
Eighteen thousand incoming kindergartners were rated by their teachers on these school readiness behaviors. The seven scores were averaged into one total score called the “Approaches to Learning” score. Kindergartners were given math and reading tests at the end of the school year and at the end of first grade. The "Approaches to Learning" score showed a strong correlation with academic scores for both grade levels. In other words, kids with the lowest “Approaches to Learning” scores also scored the most poorly in math and reading tests. Conversely, kids with the highest scores did the best on their math and reading tests even through first grade. The research found that school-readiness behaviors at the beginning of kindergarten go hand-in-hand with academic performance and that trend continues through multiple school years.
Most early education programs and preschools will guide kids to follow classroom rules, be flexible to new routines, and be enthusiastic about learning. Kumon does even more to enable preschoolers to be prepared for kindergarten. Kumon gives children an academic advantage due to the focus on enhancing attentiveness, strengthening perseverance when completing tasks, fostering independent learning, and promoting organizational skills.
School success depends not only on knowledge and skills, but also on the habits and attitudes with which students approach learning. Evidence shows that characteristics including attentiveness, persistence, and independence go hand-and-hand with higher scores in math and reading — beginning as early as kindergarten and at least through the end of first grade. These results are leading some states to make early education available to greater numbers of children.
Information provided by Kumon Math & Reading Center of Issaquah Highlands. For more information, please visit their website or call 425-369-1072.
Past articles from Kumon:
Information provided by Kumon Math & Reading Center of Issaquah Highlands. For more information, please visit their website or call 425-369-1072.
Past articles from Kumon:
- Encouraging Self-Learning for Academic Success
- Kumon and the Common Core
- Reading Proficiency in Third Grade
- To Have and to Hold...A Pencil
- Motivation and Enjoyment
- Activities to Make Math Fun for Children
- Summer Learning Slide
- The Kumon Reading Program & the Common Core
- How Does the Kumon Method Affect A Student’s Future?
- Fostering Perseverance and Motivation in Your Child
- Summer Activities for Math
- Start Now; Make Back to School Transition Easier
- Why Is A Strong Foundation in the Basics Essential for Students?
- 3 Tops for Back-to-School Success
- New School Year, New Routine
- Importance of STEM
- Encouraging Self-Learning for Academic Success
- The Power of Practice
- What is the Best Way to Help Children Learn to Read?
- Reflecting on the Past Year
