This book presents a comprehensive overview of children’s transitions to kindergarten as well as proven strategies that promote their readiness. It presents theories and research to help understand children’s development during the early childhood years. It describes evidence-based interventions that support children in developmental areas essential to school success, including cognitive, social-emotional, and self-regulatory skills. Chapters review prekindergarten readiness programs designed to promote continuity of learning in anticipation of the higher grades and discuss transitional concerns of special populations, such as non-native speakers, children with visual and other disabilities, and children with common temperamental issues. The volume concludes with examples of larger-scale systemic approaches to supporting children’s development during the transition to kindergarten, describing a coherent system of early childhood education that promotes long-term development.
Featured topics include:
- Consistency in children’s classroom experiences and implications for early childhood development.
- Changes in school readiness in U.S. kindergarteners.
- Effective transitions to kindergarten for low-income children.
- The transition into kindergarten for English language learners.
- The role of close teacher-child relationships during the transition into kindergarten.
- Children’s temperament and its effect on their kindergarten transitions.
Kindergarten Transition and Readiness is a must-have resource for researchers, clinicians and related professionals, and graduate students in child and school psychology, educational psychology, social work, special education, and early childhood education.
Andrew J. Mashburn, Ph.D., is a Professor of Developmental Psychology at Portland State University. His research focuses on identifying, developing, and testing innovative approaches to promote school readiness and later school success for children living in poverty. He has been involved in large-scale studies of the effects of preschool programs and strategies to improve preschool quality and/or children’s development.
Jennifer LoCasale-Crouch, Ph.D., is a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Virginia's Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning (CASTL). Her research focuses on the supports and systems that influence children during their early school experiences, and how we can best enhance those experiences to support children’s development. She has extensive experience in the design and implementation of studies in early childhood settings across varying cultural and geographic contexts.
Katherine C. Pears, Ph.D., is a Senior Scientist at the Oregon Social Learning Center in Eugene, OR. Her research focuses on factors influencing school readiness and school adjustment in children facing early adversity such as placement in foster care due to maltreatment and poverty. She has designed, tested, and implemented preventive interventions for high-risk children to prepare them and their caregivers for the kindergarten transition.
