Hostname: page-component-6d856f89d9-sp8b6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-16T05:12:56.871Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Repetition of the preprimary year: Why is it done, and what is its effect?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 October 2015

Frances Davies  and
Janet Fletcher
Frances Davies
Affiliation:
University of Western Australia
Janet Fletcher*
Affiliation:
University of Western Australia
*
Psychology Department, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, CRAWLEY WA 6009, Phone: 61 8 9380 3275, Fax: 61 8 9380 3643, E-mail: jan@psy.uwa.edu.au
Get access

Abstract

A three-phase study examined preprimary grade repetition in Western Australian schools. The purpose was to identify factors that influence teacher recommendations to repeat and to investigate outcomes of repeating. Focus group discussions with 24 preprimary teachers in the first phase identified three categories of factors: child, home, and school. Child factors that teachers considered important for coping in Year I were language, motor, and social skills. In the second phase of the study, 54 children were assessed on these three skills using the Early Screening Profiles (Harrison, 1990). A control group of“competent”Year Is was compared with children repeating preprimary and with Year Is considered “at risk” of not coping.The control group performed significantly better on all three skills than the other two groups, confirming thot these skills are accurately assessed in teachers’judgements of readiness for Year 1. The third phase of the study consisted of a posttest of the at-risk Year Is and the children repeating preprimary. The posttest late in the academic year did not find any significant differences between the language, motor, and social development of the two groups.

Keywords

Grade RepetitionPreprimary EducationSchool Readiness
Type
Research Article
Information
The Educational and Developmental Psychologist , Volume 18 , Issue 1 , 2001 , pp. 42 - 60
Copyright
Copyright © Australian Psychological Society 2001

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Barnett, K.P., Clarizio, H.F., & Payette, K.A. (1996). Grade retention among students with learning disabilities. Psychology in the Schools, 33, 285–293.3.0.CO;2-M>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Carlton, M.P., & Winsler, A. (1999). School readiness: The need for a paradigm shift. School Psychology Review, 28(3), 338–352.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dauber, S.L., Alexander, K.L., & Entwisle, D.R. (1993). Characteristics of retainees and early precursors of retention in grade: Who is held back? Merrill-Palmer Quarterly 39, 326–343.Google Scholar
de Lemos, M.M. (1999). Multiage grouping in Victorian schools: Does it make a difference? ACER Set, 2(6), 1–4.Google Scholar
Dennebaum, J.M., & Kulberg, J.M. (1994). Kindergarten retention and transition classrooms: Their relationship to achievement. Psychology in the Schools, 31, 5–12.3.0.CO;2-6>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Eno, L., & Woehlke, P. (1995). Predicting preschool speech/language referral-status with the Lollipop Test and the cognitive/language profile of the Early Screening Profiles. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 80, 1025–1026.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gottfredson, D.C., Fink, C.M., & Graham, N. (1994). Grade retention and problem behavior. American Educational Research Journal, 31, 761–784.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gredler, G.R. (1997). Issues in early childhood screening and assessment. Psychology in the Schools, 34, 99–106.3.0.CO;2-N>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harrison, P.L. (1990). Early Screening Profiles. American Guidance Service:Circle Pines, Minnesota.Google Scholar
Jimerson, S., Carlson, E., Rotert, M., Egeland, B., & Sroufe, L.A. (1997). A prospective, longitudinal study of the correlates and consequences of early grade retention. Journal of School Psychology, 55, 3–25.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jones, M.M., & Mandeville, G.K. (1990). The effect of age at school entry on reading achievement scores among South Carolina students. Remedial and Special Education, 11, 56–63.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jussim, L. & Eccles, J.S. (1992). Teacher expectations II: Construction and reflection of student achievement. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 63, 293–314.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kenny, D. (1988). The effect of grade repetition the academic performance of infants and primary students. The Australian Educational and Developmental Psychologist, 5, 11–16.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kenny, D. (1989). The effect of grade repetition on the social/emotional adjustment of infants and primary students. The Australian Educational and Developmental Psychologist, 6, 1–10.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
LaQua, D.L. (1989). The validity of the Early Screening Profiles. (Doctoral dissertation, University of Minnesota, 1989). Dissertation Abstracts International, 50(12A), 3846.Google Scholar
Lincoln, Y.S., & Guba, E.G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mantzicopoulos, P.Y., & Neuharth-Pritchett, S. (1998). Transitional first-grade referrals: An analysis of school-related factors and children’s characteristics. Journal of Educational Psychology, 90, 122–133.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
May, D.C., & Kundert, D.K. (1997). School readiness practices and children at-risk: Examining the issues. Psychology in the Schools, 34, 73–84.3.0.CO;2-T>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McLeskey, J., & Grizzle, K.L. (1992). Grade retention rates among students with learning disabilities. Exceptional Children, 58, 548–554.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Meisels, S.J., & Liaw, F.R. (1993). Failure in grade: Do retained students catch up? Journal of Educational Research, 87, 69–77.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morgan, D.L. (1997). Focus groups as qualitative research. Newbury Park, CA: Sage PublicationsCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morrison, F.J., Griffith, E.M., & Alberts, D.M. (1997). Nature-nurture in the classroom: Entrance age, school readiness and learning in children. Developmental Psychology, 33, 254–262.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Patton, M.Q. (1987). How to use qualitative methods in evaluation. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.Google Scholar
Pierson, L.H., & Connell, J.P. (1992). Effect of grade retention on self-system processes, school engagement, and academic performance. Journal of Educational Psychology, 84, 300–307.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rafoth, M.A. (1997). Guidelines for developing screening programs. Psychology in the schools, 34, 129–142.3.0.CO;2-L>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reeves, L. (1997). Construct validity of the motor profile with preschool children with speech-language delays: Component of the Early Screening Profiles. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 85, 335–343.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shepard, L.A. (1997). Children not ready to learn? The invalidity of school readiness testing. Psychology in the Schools, 34, 85–97.3.0.CO;2-R>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tanner, C.K., & Galis, S.A. (1997) Student retention: Why is there a gap between the majority of research findings and school practice? Psychology in the Schools, 34, 107–114.3.0.CO;2-N>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vaughn, K. (1996). K-3 Early Identification and Intervention Project. Education Department of Western Australia.Google Scholar