NATURE-NURTURE IN THE CLASSROOM - ENTRANCE AGE, SCHOOL READINESS, ANDLEARNING IN CHILDREN

The impact of entrance age on reading and mathematics achievement in 1 st grade was examined. Methodological problems with past research were identified, including small size of achievement differences, failure to take background variables into account and confusion of achievement levels with degree of learning. Using a pre-post design, growth of re ading and mathematics was examined in younger 1st graders, older 1st g raders, and older kindergarteners. Comparisons of background informati on on these groups with children who were either held out prior to or retained an extra year in kindergarten, produced minimal background di fferences. Results revealed that younger ist graders made as much prog ress over the school year as did older 1st graders and made far more p rogress than older kindergarteners. Overall, findings demonstrated tha t, in itself, entrance age was not a good predictor of learning or aca demic risk.