Abstract
This research investigated the effectiveness of preschool education for children from low income families who were enrolled in the first grade in a low income sector of Santiago. This study compares the readiness skills acquired by these children who experienced different preschool activities the year before entering first grade. The findings of this study strongly indicate that well implemented preschool programs that teach readiness skills are essential to the academic performance in formal schooling for the children of low socioeconomic status families.
Résumé
Cette recherche a étudiée l’efficacité de l’éducation préscolaire pour les enfants provenant de familles à revenu modeste qui étaient inscrits en première année dans un secteur défavorisé de Santiago. Cette étude compare les habiletés de préparation acquises par ces enfants ayant connu différentes activités l’année qui à précedé la rentrée en première année. Les résultats de cette étude indiquent, fortement, que les programmes bien implantés, qui offrent des habiletés préparatoires sont essentiels dans las performance académique lors de las scolarité formelle pour les enfants provenant de milieux socio-économiques faibles.
Resumen
Este estudio investigó la eficacia de la educación prescolar en los niños provenientes de familias de bajos recursos inscritos en primer año en un sector desventajado de Santiago. Se comparan las habilidades de preparación obtenidas por estos niños que habían conocido diferentes actividades el año precedente a la entrada en primer año. Los resultados de este estudio indican, claramente, que para los niños provenientes de medios socio-económicos bajos, los programas bien implantados, que ofrecen habilidades preparatorias, son esenciales en el rendimiento académico durante el período de escolaridad formal.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Berrueta-Clement, L., Schweinhart, R., & Weikart, D. (1983). Lasting effects of preschool education on children from low-income families in the United States. Proceedings of a workshop on preschool research held in Bogota, Colombia, May 26–29, 1981. In,Preventing school failure: The relationship between preschool and primary education (pp. 42–51). Ottawa, Canada: International Development Research Centre.
Boehm, A. (1986).Boehm-R. Boehm Test of Basic Concepts-Revised. New York: The Psychological Corporation.
Castle, J. (1986). Vocabulary development: Reading does it.Reading Canada Lecture, 4, 11–15.
Christensen, C., Gerber, M., & Everhart, R. (1986). Toward a sociological perspective on learning disabilities.Educational Theory, 36, 317–331.
Condemarin, M., Chadwick, M., & Milicic, N. (1978).Madurez escolar (Scholarly maturity). Santiago, Chile: Andres Bello.
Dunn, L., & Dunn, J. (1981).Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service.
Dunn, L., Padilla, E., Lugo, D., & Dunn, J. (1986).Test de Vocabulario en Imagenes Peabody — Adaptacion Hispanoamericana. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service.
Farrel, J., & Schiefelbein, E. (1985). Education and status attainment in Chile: A comparative challenge to the Wisconsin model of status achievement.Comparative Education Review, 29, 490–506.
Filho, L., (1984).Test ABC (Spanish Edition), 15th Edition. Buenos Aires: Kapeluz.
Filp, J., Donoso, S., Cardemil, C., Dieguez, E., Torres, J., & Schiefelbein, E. (1983). Relationship between preprimary and grade one primary education in state schools in Chile. Proceedings of a workshop on preschool education research held in Bogota, Colombia, May 26–29, 1981. In,Preventing school failure: The relationship between preschool and primary education. Ottawa, Canada: International Development Research Centre.
Graves, M. (1986). Vocabulary learning and instruction. In E. Rothkopf (Ed.),Review of research in education, Volume 13 (pp. 49–89). Washington DC: American Educational Research Association.
Halpern, R. (1986). Effects of early childhood intervention on primary school progress in Latin America.Comparative Education Review, 30, 193–215.
Henkin, P. (1977).Concept attainment and reading achievement in normal disadvantaged and high-risk first-grade children. Ann Arbor, MI: University Microfilms International, 7800494.
Jadue, G., Marin, F., Diaz, C., & Lomboy, M. (1979). Cuantificacion de las dificultades de aprendizaje escolar en la Provincia de Valdivia. [Learning disabilities quantification in school children of Provincia de Valdivia]Revista Estudios Pedagogicaos, 1, f1–62. Chile: Universidad Austral.
Lazar, I., & Darlington, R. (1982). Lasting effects of early education: A report from the Consortium of Longitudinal Studies.Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 47, (2–3, 195).
Lee, V., Schnurr, E., & Brooks-Gunn, J. (1988). Does Head Start work? A 1-year follow-up comparison of disadvantaged children attending Head Start, no preschool and other preschool programs.Developmental Psychology, 24, 210–222.
Leitch, D., & Sodhi, S. (1986). Specialness of special education.British Columbia Journal of Special Education, 10, 349–358.
Ministry of Public Education (1974). Ministerio de Educacion Publica.Programa de Nivel de Transicion (Preschool Program). Santiago, Chile.
Nelson, F. (1983). School district response to labeling, costs and programatic incentives in special education.Journal of Education Finance, 8, 380–398.
Norusis, M. (1985).SPSS advanced statistics guide. Chicago: McGraw-Hill Book Company.
Ramey, C.T., Campbell, F., & Filkenstein, N. (1984). Course and structure of intellectual development in children at highrisk for mental retardation. In P.H. Brooks, R. Sperberg, Ch. McCauley, & L. Elbaum, (Eds.),Learning and cognition in the mentally retarded (pp. 419–431). New Jersey; P.H. Brooks, R. Sperberg, Ch. McCauley, & L. Elbaum, Associate Publishers.
Recart, H. (1985). Proyecto de habilitacion laboral en el nivel basico (Work habilitation project for children at school). In C. Atmann, & J. Moraga (Eds.),Educacion Y Desarrollo Rural (pp. 65–76). Chile: Editorial Universitaria.
Schiefelbein, E. (1983). The influences if school resources in Chile: Their effect on educational achievement and occupational attainment.World Bank Staff Working Papers 530. Washington DC: World Bank.
Schiefelbein, E., & Farrel, J. (1984). Education and occupational attainment in Chile: The effects of educational quality, attainment and achievement.American Journal of Education, 92, 25–162.
Torres, G., Marin, T., Gonzalez, L., & Quintana, M. (1985). Formacion de un curriculum para la educacion rural (Curriculum proposal for rural education). In C. Atmann, & J. Moraga (Eds.),Educacion y desarrollo rural (pp. 77–92). Chile: Editorial Universitaria.
Wildlake, P. (1986).Reducing educational disadvantage. Philadelphia: Open University Press.
Wiegand, P. (1983). Education and social class, disparity and conflict in Latin America with special reference to minority groups in Chile.Comparative Education, 19, 213–237.
Woodhead, M. (1985). Preschool education has long-term effects: But can they be generalized?Oxford Review of Education, 11, 133–155.
Zigler, E.F., & Muenchow, S. (1984). How to influence social policy affecting children and families.American Psychologist, 39, 415–420.
Zigler, E., & Zeitz, V. (1982). Head Start as a national laboratory.Annals American Academy of Political and Social Science, 461, 81–90.
Zigler, E.F., & Valentine, J. (Eds.) (1979).Project Head Start: A legacy in the war on poverty. New York: Free Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jadue, G. Effects of preschool experiences on the readiness skills of chilean children from low income families. IJEC 21, 11–21 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03174580
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03174580