Original scientific paper
SCHOOL READINESS: THE MULTIPLE MEANINGS OF THE TERM AND ITS CONTEMPORARY USE
Mira Čudina-Obradović
; Učiteljski fakultet u Zagrebu
Abstract
The article offers an analysis of the concept of school readiness
and describes the major transformations it has undergone in accordancewith a better understanding of children’s general and cognitive development. School readiness is analysed separately as a consequence of the maturationprocess, of learning specific declarative knowledge and as a consequence ofinteraction between maturation and environmental stimulation. A stance is taken
against the school readiness concept as a product of maturation, but also ofspecific intentional teaching. The school readiness equation is discussed andaccepted as the soundest approximation of school readiness. The elements ofthe contemporary concept of school readiness include family readiness, community readiness, social services readiness and readiness of the school to accept children of widely differing degrees of school readiness. The possibilities of each of these elements to contribute to the child’s adaptation to school are discussed. The importance of rigorous research on the contribution of various competences at the beginning of schooling to school achievement is especially stressed.
Keywords
school readiness; school maturity; school readiness equation; primary education
Hrčak ID:
29570
URI
Publication date:
28.11.2008.
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