Short communication, Note
Preschool psychologist in estimating psychophysical maturity for school
Joško Sindik
; Institute for Anthropological Research, Zagreb
Ksenija Ranogajec Benaković
; Kindergarten "The Little Prince", Zagreb
Abstract
The aim of the research was to define how important role (especially preschool) psychologists have in
estimating child’s readiness for going to the elementary school. Respectively, we tried to define some
characteristics of the preschool psychologist’s work towards estimating child’s maturity for school. Results
showed that estimation readiness for going to school for all children do only 50% preschool psychologists,
while 47% estimate only children with special needs. Preschool psychologists the most frequent use following
tests for estimation readiness for school: Ravenn’s colored progressive matrix (CPM), BenderGestalt test (LBR) and Goodenough test drawing human figure (GE). Scientific opinion for all children write 17 %
psychologists, while 80 % psychologists write opinions only for certain children. Even 80% psychologists give
scientific opinion about children to their parents, 53% to the centers of public health, 40% to experts in
elementary schools. Towards making scientific opinions about children’s readiness for school, psychologist the
most frequent cooperates with teachers, then with parents. In only 32% committees for estimating children’s
readiness for going to school, psychologist is a member (2% psychologists from the kindergarten, 27%
psychologists from school and 2% psychologists from centers for public health). Still 68% committees in this
sample work without any psychologist. Preschool psychologists estimate that averagely 6% children per year
were not psychophysically mature for going to school, while the committees for estimating readiness for school
give postponement for going to school for something smaller number of children (5%). So, some trend of the
enrolment to school of the children who aren’t in fact prepared for going to school, could be observed. Some
guidelines for improvement were given.
Keywords
children, committee, preschool, readiness, psychologists, school
Hrčak ID:
297683
URI
Publication date:
7.4.2011.
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