IS YOUR CHILD READY FOR KINDERGARTEN? Studies Indicate Factors Contributing To Success CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Aug. 8 -- How can parents tell if their children are ready for kindergarten? There is no one single factor that indicates how well a child will fare as he or she begins school. Instead, parents of kindergartners can gain an indication of school success by observing how the child has handled the experiences and relationships in his or her life. "Stop thinking of kids as being 'ready' for school. If Johnny holds his pencil correctly, that does not necessarily mean he's ready for school. Our research shows that children's success as they begin school depends on how well they have used the resources available to them in their early years," notes educator and researcher Robert C. Pianta in a forthcoming article in the Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology. Pianta, an associate professor at the University of Virginia's Curry School of Education, is co-director of a national study examining the changes children experience before and during kindergarten. He is also directing the U.Va. site of a national research effort tracking approximately 1,300 children from birth to age 7. The studies are revealing the effects of differing family situations and child care arrangements on children's transition to kindergarten and the role such experiences play in later schooling. The studies are also indicating a broad range of factors, including positive interactions with parents and peers, exposure to reading, an understanding of discipline and a familiarity with routines that contribute to success in the early grades, according to Pianta. Among other key factors contributing to children's success as they begin school are: ¥ Fine motor skills. The extent to which a child can manipulate materials has been shown to be critically important. ¥ Good preschool experience. Although this does not necessarily mean organized day care, children who have been exposed to routines, regular interactions with teachers and peers and a variety of learning activities experience success when entering kindergarten. ¥ Social skills. Children should have gained experience in following directions, tolerating frustration when having to wait or share toys and knowing when to ask for an adult's help. ¥ Familiarity with reading. Children should have gained the idea that books offer stories and present information about the world. ¥ Gaining knowledge of the world. "New experiences, such as taking children to museums, varying the parks they visit and introducing them to other peers, offer windows to the larger world we live in," said Pianta, author of the recently published book, "High Risk Children in Schools." ### August 7, 1996 FOR MORE INFORMATION, contact Robert Pianta at (804) 243-5483 or 924-7472 or via rcp4p@virginia.edu. Television reporters should contact our TV News Office at (804) 924-7550.