. TITLE INSTITUTION PUB DATE.-110TEr

This report provides a comprehengive view of the tub-year kindergarten program for 'children from Toron-Ws Italian, coilmunity which ran from September 1973 toJune 1975.'The transition program and its participants are descriOed, and the program is° examined inrelation to the implicit goals with the aid o comparisons with.students in 'regular kindergartens classes. The transition progy3.,m children learned English at a rate equal to that of'similar children in regular prorgrais, despite being expoied to Italian for mot of the first year, and they participated more in class discussions,,a sign that their adjustment to School uas made-easier. Parents of the transition children attended more.official sChool functions and talked regularly uith,the teacher on an informal _ basit. These results suggest that-the pzograa generally has been succes6ful in meeting its goals in the short term aka that the transition model' ' is viable, for children in. kindergarten. Other henefits or draubacks may.not emerge until later'in the children,s school career. The content in uhich-a. progran of this nature is implemented is extremely important. Various considerations and procedures that might required in other contexts or with alternative program models are discussed in the summary of the report. (Author/CLK