The debate between those who believe that it is better to send a child to school at 6 years old, and those who are of the opinion that it is better to wait until 7, are eternal. That is why it is important for parents on an intuitive level to feel whether it is time for their beloved child to discover an amazing school world with all its joys and difficulties. Maybe it's better to wait a little longer? There are many factors that influence children's readiness for school.
Psychological, emotional and social readiness for school
In the first place, of course, are the factors of the so-called "social development". What does it mean? That kid who has a certain outlook, knowledge about the world around him, is able to remember, give definitions and compare, is really ready for school. It is important that the child speaks well and can formulate his thoughts. Particularly important is the ability to control your behavior.
The emotional readiness of children for school is largely determined by the ability to assiduously engage in certain things that may not be very interesting for the child himself. In a word, this refers to the ability to understand the meaning of the word “necessary”.
The socio-communicative readiness of children for school depends both on the ability to communicate with their peers, to establish contact and build relationships, and on his ability to communicate with adults (not to do without politeness, understanding the authority of elders).
And finally, one of the most important factors that determine the readiness of children for school is ... the desire of the child himself to go there.
J. Chapi's mini test
To determine if your kid is ready for school, you can use the mini-test developed by the American child psychologist J. Chapi. Here are the main questions from it.
Basic child experience
- the baby should have some interests;
- you must read at least a few books to him;
- at least once a child must visit a museum, zoo or library;
- You should regularly visit public places with your child: mail, shops, banks, etc.
Physical development
- the child should not have any hearing problems;
- it is important that before the school all possible problems with vision are identified (if necessary, glasses are issued);
- the baby must be able to go down and climb the stairs, play with the ball;
- it is advisable that the baby can sit quietly for some time in one place.
Speech development
- the child confidently names the objects surrounding him;
- he is able to define objects of reality and explain their purpose;
- it is very good if the child can determine the state of things in space (above the bed, under a tree, etc.);
- the child should have good diction;
- he must be able to build at least a primitive story.
Emotional development
- the child should relate to the idea of going to school positively (as, indeed, to the whole world);
- easily changes the nature of his activity;
- children's psychological readiness for school also depends on whether the child plays calmly (and perceives defeat) in games where there is an element of competition;
- baby is confident in his abilities.
Cognitive development
- the child finds differences and similarities between objects;
- able to distinguish between letters of the alphabet;
- easily remembers new numbers and words, shown pictures;
- can build a storyline from pictures;
- it’s good when the baby can retell the story in his own words, preserving the plot line.
Communication
- a child can enter a game that has already begun;
- can listen carefully, without interrupting the interlocutor;
- able to wait in line if necessary.
If you have doubts about more than 20% of the points - most likely, at the moment there is no complete readiness of children to study at school, and it is better to postpone this moment. Or you can start to work hard to catch up.