ERIC Number: EJ942894
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1056-3997
EISSN: N/A
Understanding the Diminishing Academic Advantage of Full-Day Kindergarten
Davies, Randall S.; Cress, Susan
Mid-Western Educational Researcher, v23 n2 p18-26 Spr 2010
Most people agree that young children benefit academically from attending kindergarten; however, some research suggests that any academic advantage attributed to attending full day kindergarten compared to half-day programs will disappear as early as third grade. Based on the results of this study which looked at students in typical classroom settings, a likely explanation for this is that teachers often provide considerable remedial assistance to low achieving students. Once students meet benchmark expectations, instruction tends to broaden to other instructional objectives. We also found that in practice distinguishing between full- and half-day programs based solely on time in school is problematic. Many schools offering full-day kindergarten do not provide a full day of academic instruction, and many teachers see little value of doing so. (Contains 1 table and 2 figures.)
Descriptors: Day Programs, Kindergarten, Young Children, Low Achievement, School Schedules, Comparative Analysis, Elementary School Students, Outcomes of Education, Qualitative Research, Statistical Analysis, Reading Tests
Mid-Western Educational Research Association. P.O. Box 34421, Chicago, IL 60634-0421. Tel: 419-372-7401; Fax: 419-372-2828; e-mail: mer@bgsu.edu; Web site: http://www.mwera.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Elementary Education; Grade 1; Grade 2; Grade 3; Kindergarten
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Indiana
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A