Study: "Is Kindergarten the New First Grade?"# NextGeneration - 我爱宝宝
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Study: "Is Kindergarten the New First Grade?"
Authors: Daphna Bassok (University of Virginia), Scott Latham (University of
Virginia), Anna Rorem (University of Virginia)
Published online January 6, 2016, in the AERA peer-reviewed journal AERA
Open
. In recent years, parents and teachers have become increasingly concerned
about changes in kindergarten classes across the country leading many to
wonder if kindergarten has become the new first grade. Recent accounts
suggest that accountability pressures have trickled down into the early
elementary grades and that kindergarten today is characterized by a
heightened focus on academic skills and a reduction in opportunities for
play.
. Researchers from the University of Virginia tackled this question by
comparing kindergarten and first grade classrooms between 1998 and 2010.
They found that over a 12-year period, kindergarten classes have become
increasingly like first grade.
. Researchers used data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study in
1998 and 2011 to compare kindergarten classrooms between 1998 and 2010. The
sample included 2,500 public school kindergarten teachers in 1998 and 2,700
in 2010 and whenever possible, responses from kindergarten teachers in 2010
were also compared to those of first grade teachers in 1999.
. The authors hypothesized that kindergarten classrooms in 2010 would be
more focused on literacy and math than those in 1997, because these subjects
were specifically assessed by No Child Left Behind.
. Based on the data they examined, the authors found that kindergarten
teachers in 2010 have much higher expectations of their students than in
1998 and their classrooms have become more similar first grade classes from
the '90s.
. Specifically, teachers in 2010 are much more likely to believe academic
instruction should begin before kindergarten, including an increase in the
number of teachers who believe students should know the alphabet and how to
use a pencil before beginning kindergarten, both of which rose by 33 percent.
. Teachers in 2010 were also significantly more likely to think students
should leave kindergarten knowing how to read. In 1998, 31 percent of
teachers believed their students should learn to read in kindergarten while
in 2010, that figure jumped to 80 percent.
. As anticipated, the amount of time spent on reading and math instruction
increased, particularly on skills that in 1998 were considered too advanced
for kindergarten.
. In addition, researchers found that while academic instruction increased
, time spent teaching arts substantially decreased. Between 1998 and 2010,
the number of teachers reporting daily music instruction decreased by 18
percentage points and daily art instruction decreased by 16 percentage
points. In a similar vein, the number of teachers who spent at least one
hour per day on child-selected activities and the likelihood that classrooms
have discovery or play areas, such as a sand table, science area, or art
area, fell by 14 percentage points and over 20 percentage points,
respectively.
. Teaching strategies also underwent significant shifts between 1998 and
2010 with children twice as likely to be taught reading and math using
textbooks in the later period. Kindergarten teachers were also about 15
percentage points more likely to report daily use of math and reading
workbooks.
. Teachers were 22 percentage points more likely to indicate that
evaluating students in relation to local and state standards was very
important or essential. Notably, in 1998, teachers were not asked how
frequently they used standardized tests to assess student progress while
teachers in 2010 were. Twenty-nine percent of kindergarten teachers in 1998
indicated they assessed their students with standardized tests at least once
a month.
. Data also revealed that these findings were similar across the country
but were more pronounced at schools that serve predominantly low-income and
minority students, particularly with respect to teacher expectations and
didactic instruction.
. "Young children's first experiences in school are quite different today
than they were in the late nineties," said study co-author Daphna Bassok. "
These changes likely have important implications for children's learning
trajectories."
. "We were surprised to see just how drastic the changes have been over a
short period of time," added Bassok. "We expected to see changes on some of
these dimensions but not nearly so systematically and not nearly of this
magnitude."
Authors: Daphna Bassok (University of Virginia), Scott Latham (University of
Virginia), Anna Rorem (University of Virginia)
Published online January 6, 2016, in the AERA peer-reviewed journal AERA
Open
. In recent years, parents and teachers have become increasingly concerned
about changes in kindergarten classes across the country leading many to
wonder if kindergarten has become the new first grade. Recent accounts
suggest that accountability pressures have trickled down into the early
elementary grades and that kindergarten today is characterized by a
heightened focus on academic skills and a reduction in opportunities for
play.
. Researchers from the University of Virginia tackled this question by
comparing kindergarten and first grade classrooms between 1998 and 2010.
They found that over a 12-year period, kindergarten classes have become
increasingly like first grade.
. Researchers used data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study in
1998 and 2011 to compare kindergarten classrooms between 1998 and 2010. The
sample included 2,500 public school kindergarten teachers in 1998 and 2,700
in 2010 and whenever possible, responses from kindergarten teachers in 2010
were also compared to those of first grade teachers in 1999.
. The authors hypothesized that kindergarten classrooms in 2010 would be
more focused on literacy and math than those in 1997, because these subjects
were specifically assessed by No Child Left Behind.
. Based on the data they examined, the authors found that kindergarten
teachers in 2010 have much higher expectations of their students than in
1998 and their classrooms have become more similar first grade classes from
the '90s.
. Specifically, teachers in 2010 are much more likely to believe academic
instruction should begin before kindergarten, including an increase in the
number of teachers who believe students should know the alphabet and how to
use a pencil before beginning kindergarten, both of which rose by 33 percent.
. Teachers in 2010 were also significantly more likely to think students
should leave kindergarten knowing how to read. In 1998, 31 percent of
teachers believed their students should learn to read in kindergarten while
in 2010, that figure jumped to 80 percent.
. As anticipated, the amount of time spent on reading and math instruction
increased, particularly on skills that in 1998 were considered too advanced
for kindergarten.
. In addition, researchers found that while academic instruction increased
, time spent teaching arts substantially decreased. Between 1998 and 2010,
the number of teachers reporting daily music instruction decreased by 18
percentage points and daily art instruction decreased by 16 percentage
points. In a similar vein, the number of teachers who spent at least one
hour per day on child-selected activities and the likelihood that classrooms
have discovery or play areas, such as a sand table, science area, or art
area, fell by 14 percentage points and over 20 percentage points,
respectively.
. Teaching strategies also underwent significant shifts between 1998 and
2010 with children twice as likely to be taught reading and math using
textbooks in the later period. Kindergarten teachers were also about 15
percentage points more likely to report daily use of math and reading
workbooks.
. Teachers were 22 percentage points more likely to indicate that
evaluating students in relation to local and state standards was very
important or essential. Notably, in 1998, teachers were not asked how
frequently they used standardized tests to assess student progress while
teachers in 2010 were. Twenty-nine percent of kindergarten teachers in 1998
indicated they assessed their students with standardized tests at least once
a month.
. Data also revealed that these findings were similar across the country
but were more pronounced at schools that serve predominantly low-income and
minority students, particularly with respect to teacher expectations and
didactic instruction.
. "Young children's first experiences in school are quite different today
than they were in the late nineties," said study co-author Daphna Bassok. "
These changes likely have important implications for children's learning
trajectories."
. "We were surprised to see just how drastic the changes have been over a
short period of time," added Bassok. "We expected to see changes on some of
these dimensions but not nearly so systematically and not nearly of this
magnitude."