TRANSITION FROM PRESCHOOL TO PRIMARY SCHOOL, SCHOOL READINESS,SCHOOL SUCCESS, AND LIFE SKILLS

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INTRODUCTION

Dockett and Perry (2011:374) have suggested numerous reasons why it would be worthwhile to describe and examine the perspectives and impressions of children at the time when they are starting school. Firstly, children are the experts on their own lives and they live out their childhood experiences in the present. Secondly, the experiences of children are different from those of adults, and if we are able to acquire a clear understanding of their experiences, we may be able to respond to whatever it is that is important to them. Furthermore, it is by listening to children with care, attention and respect that we are able to make their personal interests and concerns a reality. When we take the trouble to elucidate the way in which children perceive the world, we give them the gift of being heard in an adult environment in which children’s voices may be silenced by the preconceptions of adults. When we open ourselves to the opinions, feelings and thoughts of children, we are tacitly admitting to ourselves and to them that their experiences are also valuable, important, interesting, as well as being part of the total picture of the world inhabited by all of us.

RATIONALE FOR THE STUDY

The rationale of this study is that it is, firstly, a pro-gradation and expansion on the research that I carried out in my master’s degree (Prozesky, 2005). My specific purpose in that research was to identify and describe the particular stressors that are experienced by Grade 1 learners in their school environment. One of the recommendations I made at the conclusion of that study was that it would be useful if further research were to be carried out to examine and clarify, in a more holistic
manner, the stressors that are experienced by Grade 1 learners.

INDIVIDUALS WITHIN A TWINSHIP

Rosemary, Theroux, Josephine and Tingley (1978:77) observed that individuals within a twinship continued to grow in independence during their preschool years, something that is common to most children. They also noted that individual preferences with regard to clothing, toys and the need to have more contact with the outside world become more prominent in the lives of these children. For the purpose of this study, I agree with the findings of Rosemary et al. (1978:70), and have thus argued that contact with other children of the same age gives individuals within a twinship a head start in their ability to choose separate friends.

STRESS, STRESSORS AND COPING

Lazarus and Folkman (1998:1) note that while the term stress is widely used in the biological and social sciences, it is also encountered in education. They also point out that we are constantly confronted with messages about how stress can be prevented, managed and even eliminated in our popular culture (Lazarus & Folkman, 1998:1). “Stress has become a household word, and we are flooded with messages about how it can be prevented, eliminated, managed, or just lived with. A major reason for the currently high profile that stress research and theory has acquired is abundant evidence that it is important for our social, physiological, and psychological health” (Lazarus, 1999:27).

Chapter 1 Introduction to the Study
1.1 INTRODUCTION
1.2 RATIONALE FOR THE STUDY
1.3 ORIENTATION
1.3.1 TRANSITION FROM PRESCHOOL TO PRIMARY SCHOOL, SCHOOL READINESS,SCHOOL SUCCESS, AND LIFE SKILLS
1.3.2 INDIVIDUALS WITHIN A TWINSHIP
1.3.3 STRESS, STRESSORS AND COPING
1.3.3.1 Positive stressors
1.3.3.2 Negative stressors
1.4 STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTION
1.6 GENERAL ASSUMPTIONS
1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS
1.8 PARADIGMATIC PERSPECTIVE
1.9 RESEARCH SITES AND SAMPLING
1.10 RESEARCH DESIGN
1.11 DATA COLLECTION
1.12 DATA ANALYSIS
1.13 RIGOUR OF THE STUDY
1.14 MY ROLE AS RESEARCHER
1.15 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
1.16 POSSIBLE LIMITATIONS AND CHALLENGES
1.17 LAYOUT OF CHAPTERS
Chapter 2 Exploring Existing Literature as Background to the Study
2.1 TRANSITIONS BETWEEN GRADE R, GRADE 1 AND GRADE 2
2.1.1 INTRODUCTION
2.1.2 TRANSITION IN GENERAL
2.1.3 FACTORS THAT MAKE THE TRANSITION PERIOD MORE EFFECTIVE
2.1.4 CHALLENGES CHILDREN MIGHT EXPERIENCE DURING TRANSITION
2.1.5 SCHOOL READINESS
2.1.6 THE APPROPRIATE TIME FOR A CHILD TO BE ENROLLED FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL
2.2 INDIVIDUALS WITHIN A TWINSHIP
2.2.1 DEFINITIONS AND BACKGROUND
2.2.2 CONTEMPORARY ATTITUDES TOWARDS INDIVIDUALS WITHIN A TWINSHIP
2.2.3 BONDING BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS WITHIN A TWINSHIP
2.2.4 INDIVIDUALS WITHIN A TWINSHIP AS INDIVIDUALS
2.2.5 THE INFLUENCE THAT EACH OF THE INDIVIDUALS WITHIN A TWINSHIP EXERT ON ONE ANOTHER
2.2.6 CHALLENGES OF BEING AN INDIVIDUAL WITHIN A TWINSHIP
2.2.7 THE WAY IN WHICH INDIVIDUALS WITHIN A TWINSHIP SEPARATE FROM ONE ANOTHER IN THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
2.3 STRESS
2.3.1 DEFINITIONS
2.3.2 THE CLASSIFICATION OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF STRESS
2.3.3 STRESS, EMOTION AND COPING
2.3.4 THE CAUSES OF SCHOOL-RELATED STRESS AMONG CHILDREN
2.3.5 SCHOOL STRESS
2.3.5.1 The stressfulness of having to adjust to school
2.3.5.2 Indicators of stress
2.3.5.3 Stressful school experiences
2.4 LIFE SKILLS AND RELATED TERMINOLOGY
2.4.1 LIFE SKILLS
2.4.2 LIFE SKILLS DURING THE SCHOOL YEARS
2.4.3 COPING
2.5 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
2.6 CONCLUSION
Chapter 3 Research Design and Methodology
3.1 INTRODUCTION
3.2 PARADIGMATIC CONSIDERATIONS
3.2.1 METHODOLOGICAL PARADIGM
3.2.2 META-THEORETICAL PARADIGMS
3.2.2.1 Interpretivist paradigm
3.2.2.2 Social constructivist paradigm
3.3 RESEARCH DESIGN: AN INTRINSIC CASE STUDY
3.4 PARTICIPANTS AND RESEARCH SITE
3.5 RESEARCH PROCESS
3.6 FORMAL DATA-COLLECTING STRATEGIES
3.6.1 OBSERVATION
3.6.2 INTERVIEWS
3.6.3 ADDITIONAL DATA COLLECTING METHODS
3.6.3.1 Structured activities and instruments
3.6.3.2 Audiovisual materials
3.6.3.3 Field notes
3.7 DATA ANALYSIS
3.8 RIGOUR OF THE STUDY
3.8.1 CREDIBILITY
3.8.2 TRANSFERABILITY
3.8.3 DEPENDABILITY
3.8.4 CONFIRMABILITY
3.8.5 AUTHENTICITY
3.9 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
3.9.1 AUTONOMY
3.9.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND ANONYMITY
3.9.3 INFORMED CONSENT
3.9.4 NON-MALEFICENCE
3.9.5 TRUST
3.9.6 BENEFICENCE
3.9.7 PUBLISHING OF THE FINDINGS
3.10 MY ROLE AS RESEARCHER
3.11 CONCLUSION
Chapter 4 Data Analysis and Findings
4.1 INTRODUCTION
4.2 CONTEXT OF THE STUDY
4.2.1 PARTICIPANT 1 – ALEX
4.2.2 PARTICIPANT 2 – RICK
4.2.3 THE INDIVIDUALS WITHIN A TWINSHIP
4.2.4 THE FAMILY OF THE INDIVIDUALS WITHIN A TWINSHIP AND THEIR HOME ENVIRONMENT
4.2.5 GRADE R ENVIRONMENT
4.2.6 GRADE 1 ENVIRONMENT
4.2.7 GRADE 2 ENVIRONMENT
4.3 FINDINGS UNDERLYING THIS STUDY
4.3.1 THEME 1
4.3.1.1 Positive attitudes and behaviour
4.3.1.2 Their self-confidence and pleasurable new experiences
4.3.1.3 Their co-individual within a twinship
4.3.1.4 Friendships
4.3.1.5 Their Grade R, Grade 1 and Grade 2 teachers
4.3.1.6 Learned life skills
4.3.1.7 Their Grade 1 and Grade 2 expectations
4.3.1.8 Homework and academics
4.3.1.9 Bullies and perceptions of disobedient children
4.3.1.10 Conclusion
4.3.2 THEME 2
4.3.2.1 Part one: ‘The transition of the individuals within a twinship to Grade 2, was to some extent, more stressful than the transition to Grade
4.3.2.2 Part two: ‘They nevertheless still experienced Grade 2 as pleasurable’
4.3.3 THEME
4.3.3.1 Learned life skills
4.3.3.2 Parents and home environment
4.3.3.3 School(s) support
4.3.3.4 Alex and Rick’s personalities
4.3.3.5 Conclusion
4.4 SECONDARY RESEARCH QUESTIONS
4.4.1 WHICH LIFE SKILLS ARE NECESSARY FOR YOUNG CHILDREN DURING THEIR TRANSITION FROM GRADE R TO GRADE 2?
4.4.2 WHAT PERCEIVED STRESSORS WERE EXPERIENCED OR IDENTIFIED BY EACH OF THE PARTICIPANTS DURING THE TRANSITION FROM GRADE R TO GRADE 2?
4.4.2.1 Positive stressors in Grade R
4.4.2.2 Negative stressors in Grade R
4.4.2.3 Positive stressors in Grade 1
4.4.2.4 Negative stressors in Grade 1
4.4.2.5 Positive stressors in Grade 2
4.4.2.6 Negative stressors in Grade 2
4.4.3 WHICH COPING STRATEGIES WERE USED BY THE INDIVIDUALS WITHIN A TWINSHIP TO COPE WITH CERTAIN IDENTIFIED STRESSORS, BEFORE AND AFTER LIFE SKILL FACILITATION TOOK PLACE?
4.4.4 WHICH LIFE SKILL FACILITATING STRATEGIES WERE USED BY THE GRADE R, GRADE 1 AND GRADE 2 TEACHERS TO THE CHILDREN IN THEIR CLASSROOMS?
4.4.5 WHAT WERE THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE INDIVIDUALS WITHIN A
TWINSHIP WITH REGARD TO GRADE 1 AND GRADE 2?
4.4.5.1 Expectations of Grade 1
4.4.5.2 Expectations of Grade 2
4.5 FINAL REMARKS
Chapter 5 Conclusions and Recommendations
5.1 INTRODUCTION
5.2 SYNOPSIS OF CHAPTERS
5.3 ANSWERING OF PRIMARY RESEARCH QUESTION
5.3.1 THEME 1
5.3.1.1 Positive attitudes and behaviour
5.3.1.2 Their self-confidence and pleasurable new experiences
5.3.1.3 Their co-individual within a twinship
5.3.1.4 Friendships
5.3.1.5 Their Grade R, Grade 1 and Grade 2 teachers
5.3.1.6 Learned life skills
5.3.1.7 Their Grade 1 and Grade 2 expectations
5.3.1.8 Homework and academics
5.3.1.9 Bullies and disobedient children
5.3.1.10 Conclusion of Theme 1
5.3.2 THEME 2
5.3.3 THEME 3
5.4 ANSWERING OF SECONDARY RESEARCH QUESTIONS
5.4.1 FIRST SECONDARY RESEARCH QUESTION
5.4.2 SECOND SECONDARY RESEARCH QUESTION
5.4.3 THIRD SECONDARY RESEARCH QUESTION
5.4.4 FOURTH SECONDARY RESEARCH QUESTION
5.4.5 FIFTH SECONDARY RESEARCH QUESTION
5.5 FINDINGS IN TERMS OF CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
5.6 REVISITING THE THEORETICAL ASSUMPTIONS
5.6.1 THEORETICAL ASSUMPTION 1
5.6.2 THEORETICAL ASSUMPTION 2
5.6.3 THEORETICAL ASSUMPTION 3
5.6.4 THEORETICAL ASSUMPTION 4
5.7 THEORETICAL CONTRIBUTION OF THE STUDY
5.7.1 THE TRANSITION OF INDIVIDUALS WITHIN A TWINSHIP FROM GRADE 1 TO GRADE 2
5.7.2 THE EXPECTATIONS THAT THE INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE TWINSHIP HAD WITH REGARD TO GRADE 1 AND GRADE 2
5.7.3 UNSTRUCTURED STRATEGIES THAT TEACHERS USE TO TEACH LIFE SKILLS IN THEIR CLASSROOMS FROM GRADE R THROUGH TO GRADE
5.8 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
5.8.1 THE INDIVIDUALS WITHIN A TWINSHIP AS PRIMARY PARTICIPANTS
5.8.2 THE SOCIAL SUPPORT STRUCTURE OF THE INDIVIDUALS WITHIN A TWINSHIP
5.8.3 THE SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE INDIVIDUALS WITHIN A TWINSHIP
5.8.4 THE EXTENSIVE DURATION OF THE FIELDWORK
5.8.5 MY ROLE AS RESEARCHE
5.8.6 THE DESIGN OF THE CASE STUDY
5.8.7 THE PROBLEM OF EVIDENCE
5.9 RECOMMENDATIONS
5.9.1 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH
5.9.2 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PRACTICE
5.9.3 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
5.10 FINAL REFLECTION
List of References