5. Criteria (standard) for determining school readiness – Observation
5.1 General development5.2 Emotional development5.3 Social development
6. Criteria (standard) for determining school readiness – Observation andpractical exercises
6.1 Analysis6.2 Association6.3 Balance6.4 Discrimination6.5 Dominance6.6 Figure-ground6.7 Fine motor movements6.8 Gross motor movements6.9 Short-term memory
6.10 Laterality and directionality6,11.1 Body image6.11.2 Body image6.12 Lateral midline6.13 Eye movements6.14 Position in space6.15 Synthesis6.16 Closure6.17 Sequence6.18 Form constancy
7. Criteria (standard) for determining school readiness – Numeracy
VERBAL EVALUATION
8. Criteria (standard) for determining school readiness – Languagedevelopment
The purpose of this evaluation is to ascertain by means of exploration,observation and examination if a learner is less mature or less ready for school
than others.
Before evaluation commences, one has to ascertain whether the learner suffersfrom some physical disability or other in regard to hearing, eyesight,concentration, etc. If problems occur, it must be rectified before evaluationcommences.
The evaluation must take place over a period of a few days in an atmosphere ofrestfulness and stability, prefarably in the morning.
The first part of this evaluation namely
5.1 General development5.2 Emotional development and5.3 Social development
must be completed by somebody who is familiar with the learner, preferably aparent. Test results must be carried forward onto the evaluation sheet so thata true reflection of the learner's school readiness is visible.
Perceptual Development – M.C. Grové & H.M.A.M. Hauptfleisch
Place the beam on the supports so that the child can walk on the 100mmsurface. When the child becomes more adept at it, the beam can beplaced on its side so that he can walk on the 50mm surface. If the childis afraid to walk on the beam, it can be placed on the floor until he getsmore used to it.
2.2.1 Pencil grip It is important for a child to have the correct pencil grip. Young learnersuse thick wax crayons or thick pencils. Short pencils must not be used.It forces the learner to hold the pencil too firmly which results in smalland shaky writing. This causes unnecessary pressure on the paperwhich causes fatigue. The pencil must be held above the sharpened partbetween the thumb and the middle finger, with the index finger lightly onthe pencil. If a learner has difficulty with the pencil grip, small pieces ofplaster can be pasted onto the finger to help with the position of thepencil. The learner must be able to lift the index finger without changingthe position of the pencil.
2.2.2 Position of the paperThe height of the table is important. The paper must be placed with anangle of 60 degrees to the left (for the righthanded learner).
2.2.3 PostureThe learner must sit up straight with both feet on the ground, shoulderseven and the same distance from the table. The left fore-arm must reston the writing surface and the left hand must hold the paper firmly sothat it cannot move. An unnatural position like e.g. the head too near the
writing surface needs further investigation e.g. an eye test.
2.3 DominanceDominance is the preference and use of one side of the body above theother.
When a learner has mixed or cross dominance, he often also has a learningproblem. Mixed or cross dominance is when a learner:
• is right-handed and (left-eyed)
• left-footed and (right-eyed)• (left-eyed) and right-footed, etc
It sometimes happens that a learner can write equally well with both hands, aswell as execute other tasks. We say then the learner is ambidextrous. Thiscan apply to a learner’s feet too. He will be able to kick a ball quite easily witheither the left or right foot.
It is very dangerous to force a learner to write with a specific hand or to kickwith a specific foot. As the learner grows he will decide himself which is hisdominant hand or foot and then use it.
2.4 Synthesis / puzzlesThese puzzles must be prepared by the examiner before evaluation takesplace. Colour the puzzle and paste onto a carton. Now make a colouredcopy of the puzzle. Cut the pasted puzzle out and place in a container.When evaluation takes place, the coloured copy of the puzzle must beplaced in front of the learner when he is building the puzzle.
3. What is school readiness?School maturity and school readiness are two related, but differentconcepts. Sometimes they are used as if they were synonymous, whichcan cause a great deal of confusion.
3.1 School maturitySchool maturity is a term which is generally used. It denotes a biological
growing process in the child's development when certain aptitudesappear before he starts school. This implies physical as well as mentalmaturity.
This is a biological process and cannot be hastened. Maturation is thename given to the stage when the child is ready for formal instruction inreading, writing and numeracy.
Usually this kind of maturity is reached by children at about the age ofsix. But it must be added that, from a pedagogical point of view, thiskind of maturity is not a guarantee of success at school, because even ifa child is sufficiently mature one can still find that he will not be able to
adjust to the demands of formal teaching. This means that the child isnot yet ready for school even if he is intellectually mature enough toattend school. If the child does not feel secure, there is a strongpossibility that he will not be able, in spite of his having attained therequired level of maturity, to realize his potential. This is why we mustinclude the concept of school readiness.
3.2 School readinessSchool readiness is a broad term which includes intellectual, social, andemotional maturity:
• School maturity
• Social maturity
• Emotional maturity
Maturity cannot be influenced by outside factors; but school readinesscan be encouraged by extending a child's field of experience and byteaching him to use his senses as effectively as possible.
"Readiness is a stage in a child's development when he can learn easily,effectively and without emotional disturbance. It cannot be a definitepoint in development, however, because growth is a steady continuousprocess, always ongoing. Rather it is a condition, or state, indicatingthat the child is ready to learn."
In order to assess readiness, one must have an insight into the child'slife as a whole. No child becomes ready for school on his own. It is aprocess that needs encouragement. The child needs to be educated forschool readiness. Initially it is the responsibility of the parent to providethe necessary stimuli, and these should be adapted to suit the individualchild. No two children have exactly the same kind of skills, talents,intelligence, or develop in exactly the same way. And not all children areequally ready for school at the time of their first going to school. School
readiness is the deciding factor and is primarily an educational matter.Home education, for example, plays a very important part in a child'sdevelopment towards school readiness.
Perceptual Development – M.C. Grové & H.M.A.M. Hauptfleisch
Before a child is ready for school he must posses the following:
4.1 Perceptual ability which enables him to interpret in a meaningfulmanner. He must be able to distinguish between* foreground and background
* perceive constancy of form, colour, size, etc., and he must havea concept of spacial relationships and
* position in space.
The child must also be able to perceive and reproduce correctlyon a visual-motor level. In other words, the child must be able toperceptualize as well as conceptualize. These perceptual abilitiesare extremely important. Visual perception is particularlyimportant in writing, reading, copying, cutting out, pasting, etc.Auditory perception is important in listening: a child must notonly be able to hear, but also to listen.
4.2 The child should be emotionally prepared to enter the new world
and conquer it.4.3 The child should be able to adjust socially to new situations,classes, pupils, toys, teachers, etc. He must also resign himself toauthority and discipline.
4.4 The child must be able to absorb knowledge, elaborate on it, makeit his own, and reproduce it.
4.5 The child must be able to cope with, and evaluate problemsituations.
4.6 The child must be able to concentrate and persevere.4.7 The child must be able to grasp situations as a whole and see their
relation to given material, in other words what he has learnt mustmake an impression on him.
4.8 The child must be able to absorb knowledge not because ofpressure from outside, but because of an urge to learn. He musthave a purpose and there must be an inner motivation.
4.9 The child must be bodily fit enough to sustain progress. He mustbe able to see, to hear, and be physically strong enough to learn.
4.10 The child must have the ability to speak, to understand thelanguage and be able to express himself. He has to be verballyprepared. Language development must take place.
Perceptual Development – M.C. Grové & H.M.A.M. Hauptfleisch
Try to determine which hand, foot or eye is dominant by doing thefollowing tests.
Left right
Note which hand is used
6.5.1 Hand dominance
• Throwing and catching a ball.
• Combing hair.
• Brushing teeth.
• Writing with a pencil, pen etc, or colouring in.
• Cutting with scissors.
• Pick up something that has fallen.
Note which eye is used
6.5.2 Eye dominance (V-scope)
• Make a funnel out of paper and the learnermust look through it with one eye.
• Make a little hole in the middle of a piece ofcardboard (1cm diameter). The learner musthold the cardboard with both hands and peepthrough the hole at an object.
• Aim or take sight with a toy rifle.
Note which foot is used
6.5.3 Foot dominance
• Roll a ball and instruct the learner to kickit.
• Learner stands with both feet togetherand must then start hopping.
• The learner walks 3 steps, stands still andthen repeats it twice.
Carry results forward to evaluation sheet.
Perceptual Development – M.C. Grové & H.M.A.M. Hauptfleisch
Arrow chartPlace the arrow chart (6.10.2) on the wall in front of the learner. Thelearner has to stand up straight, with his hands at his sides. Hiseyes must be fixed on the arrow chart, whilst stretching his arm inthe direction indicated by the arrow. He must say out loud and clear
which direction he is executing, e.g. if the arrow points to the righthe has to stretch his right arm and say: "right".
Learner draws a picture of himself. Marks are awarded as follows:Head 1, neck 1, body 1, arms 2, hands 2, fingers 1, legs 2, feet 2, toes 1,eyes 2, ears 2, mouth 1, nose 1, hair 1.
1. Hold two pencils about 35-cm apart in front of the learner ateye level.He must look at the pencils, alternating from one to
the other, while keeping his head still. His eyes must focusdirectly on the pencils and not search for them.
2. Move a pencil from left to right in front of the learner’s eyes.The learner must follow the movement of the pencil withoutmoving his head. The movement of eyes must not be jerky.
3. Hold a pencil in front of the learner’s eyes and move intowards his nose. The learner’s eyes must follow themovement until it touches the nose and turn in as if he issquint.
4. Hold the head still and move the eyes horizontally – left to
right.
5. Hold the head still and move the eyes vertically – up anddown.
6. Hold the head still and move the eyes diagonally – up to theright.
7. Hold the head still and move the eyes diagonally – down tothe left.
8. Hold the head still and move the eyes in all directions bylooking at your thumb.
9. Hold the head still and move the eyes by following an objectthat somebody moves around.
10. Hold the head still and move the eyes by following a hangingball that swings around.
Read the short story to the learner. Now askthe learner to narrate the story in achronological manner.
My dog Rex and my sister Ann's cat Jackie,are very good friends. Jackie is a grey cat andRex is white with black spots. When Rexsleeps, Jackie sleeps on his back. WheneverRex barks, Jackie starts mewing.
10
1
1
1
1
8.1.2 Ask the learner five comprehension questionswhich are related to the story.
1. What is the dog's name?
2. What is the cat's name?
3. Where does Jackie sleep?
4. What does Jackie do when Rex barks?
5. What is Jackie's colour? 1
8.2 Auditory long-term memory
8.2.1 Learner tells his/her own story. 10
1
1
1
1
8.2 Auditory closure
8.2.1 Learner completes the sentencesI am a ...
My dog can ...
My friend is ...
Father is ...
The man walks ... 1
1
1
1
1
8.3.2 Learner fills in missing wordsHe sits ___ a chair.
8.4 Auditory sequence8.4.1 Read the words to the learner. The learner
must repeat the words in the same sequence.
tree mantable cat penbird gate rain glasses
wall tea cupboard book flowerwater doll rose bed lip bear 1
1
1
1
1
8.4.2 Read a sentence to the learner. The learnermust repeat the sentence in the samesequence.
It is cold.The gate is open.The dog runs away quickly.My mother is very cross today.There are many people in the shop. 1
2
2
2
2
8.4 Auditory association
Name two things that you can associate with adog.Name two things that you can associate with aflower.Name two things that you can associate with acomputer.Name two things that you can associate with atree.Name two things that you can associate with ahouse.
2
1
1
1
1
8.6 Auditory figure-groundRead the words to the learner. Read it asecond time and leave out the underlinedword.
cat rat matred wed ledpop cop mopsill will pillcup pup sup 1
