A Child's Environment is Key for School Readiness

When are children ready to attend school, and what will help them succeed? In a recent press release, researchers announced that a child's environment is the biggest predictor of school readiness and early school success. All too often, children enter school unprepared and quickly fall behind.

This research data suggests that by targeting an at-risk child's home environment, it will ultimately help that child become prepared for, and do better in school. Unlike previous studies, this study looked at both the environment as well as genetic influences that could affect whether or not a child was ready for school.

Past studies have not taken genetic factors under consideration when evaluating school readiness and school success. Researchers found that while genetics do have a contribution to school readiness and later achievement in school, the most important factor for school readiness and success in the early school grades was a child's environment.

Some of the many environmental factors that predicted school readiness and early school success included family income and resources, the importance that a parent placed on education, and the child-care experiences that a child has had.

Researchers determined that many of the environmental factors would likely change if a child's home environment changed. By stressing the importance of school readiness, and helping train parents on how to help educate their child, children would be more prepared for school and would find greater success in the school environment.

"Our results have important implications for preventive interventions. They should be seen as a further incentive for continued implementation and evaluation of preventive intervention programs aimed at improving the level of school readiness in children from at-risk families," said Michel Boivin, a professor of psychology at Laval University in Quebec City, and the Canada Research Chair in Child Social Development.

About the study
Researchers at the University of Quebec at Montreal, Laval University, and the University of Montreal participated in this research study.

This research study was conducted by examining over 400 pair of twins who were 5-years-old. Researchers evaluated the skills that these children possessed when they began school, including the ability to recognize colors, shapes, spatial positions (e.g. above, left, right, below), their ability to distinguish larger and smaller sizes, recognizing numbers and counting, and being able to put things into a predetermined order.

Two years after they had begun school, teachers evaluated the children's achievement and progress.

This report is being published in the journal, Child Development.

Source:
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-11/sfri-epk110707.php