DOES THE ATTENDANCE OF SCHOOLKINDERGARTEN PROMOTE LITERACY ACQUISITION

It is investigated whether the attendance of the schoolkindergarten pr omotes literacy acquisition. 20 schoolkindergartenchildren, 20 childre n of a control group and 155 children of a slightly reduced representa tive group (comparison group) are compared. The schoolkindergartengrou p does not differ from the control group in age, sex, intelligence, li teracy prerequisites, literacy knowledge and behaviour variables. Scho olkindergarten- and controlgroup both strongly differ from the compari son group in their literacy prerequisites. During schoolkindergarten y ear the literacy prerequisites and literacy knowledge improved only pa rtially. In the first school years the literacy achievement of the sch oolkindergartenchildren does not exceed literacy achievement of the co ntrol group. Achievements of both groups are inferior to the compariso n group. Possible reasons for the no-promotion-effect are discussed.