DOCUMENTING AND FACILITATING "SCHOOL READINESS LANGUAGE " IN THE KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOM

Minimum language skills for kindergarten success are described, and defined as "school readiness language. " A school readiness language checklist gives a procedure for documenting a child’s level of language skill. Specific techniques are presented to remedy documented gaps within the context of the kindergarten classroom. IN THE LAST YEAR before kindergarten, dramatic developmental changes take place. Cognition becomes more fully expressed in thoughts (Luria & Yudovich, 1971; Vygotsky, 1962), perceptual/fine motor and gross motor skills integrate with and serve cognition (Bruner, 1972; Piaget, 1964/1967), and language skills expand to include the ability to discuss events remote in time and space (Bloom & Lahey, 1978; Holdaway, 1979). These and related skills together create school readiness, defined as &dquo;a match between a child’s current developmental level and the kinds of activities provided to stimulate further learning&dquo; (Bruner, 1960, p. 33). Not all children beginning kindergarten will achieve this match. In the past, options for working with children who are not yet &dquo;ready&dquo; for kindergarten have included referral for special education (Zill, 1985), retention (Shepard & Smith