Logopedics, Vol. 5 No. 2, 2015.
Original scientific paper
Socioeconomic characteristics and language abilities of children from rural areas attending a preschool programme
Ivana Srebačić
orcid.org/0000-0002-0634-2875
; Društvo naša djeca Zlatar Bistrica
Ana Matić
; Sveučilište u Zagrebu, Edukacijsko-rehabilitacijski fakultet, Odsjek za logopediju, Laboratorij za psiholingvistička istraživanja
Sana Čačko
; Sveučilište u Zagrebu, Edukacijsko-rehabilitacijski fakultet (studentica)
Josipa Jurjević
; Logopedski kabinet „Verbum sanum“
Marija Ćurić
Blanka Brdarić
; Dječji vrtić Scuola dell infanzia Paperino, Poreč Osnovna škola Tar-Vabriga
Abstract
Attending a preschool programme prepares children for later formal education and has a positive impact on their cognitive and socio-emotional development. Unfortunately, in Croatia, not all children have an opportunity to attend a preschool programme. This is especially true in rural areas. In order to solve this problem, the government has introduced an obligatory kindergarten programme that is free of charge for all children. However, because these children have not previously attended any form of early-childhood education programme, they have not received equal support in the development of the language skills expected of them by the time they reach elementary school. A number of studies have suggested that children from families with a higher socioeconomic status have better language skills than children from families with a lower socioeconomic status. Taking all this into account, the aim of this study is to determine whether preschool-aged children who attend a preschool programme achieve better results on the Screening test of language abilities (Probirni test jezičnih sposobnosti) than children who only attend kindergarten. In addition, this study aims to determine whether there is a significant difference in the socioeconomic status between the families of preschool-aged children who attended preschool and those who attended kindergarten. The sample included 93 children and their parents. Children were assessed using a Screening test of language abilities. Socioeconomic status was determined via a questionnaire made for the purposes of this study. The results on the Screening test of language abilities indicated a significant difference between children in preschool and those in obligatory kindergarten programmes, where children attending preschool demonstrated higher language ability. Moreover, this study demonstrated that the parents of children attending a preschool programme are more educated, more often employed and have a higher income per household member. Based on these results, it can be argued that there is a need to provide additional support for children from kindergarten programmes as they enter elementary schools.
Keywords
preschool education; socioeconomic status; preschool children; language abilities
Hrčak ID:
150369
URI
Publication date:
30.12.2015.
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