Purpose
The study investigates kindergarten children’s expectations about the transition to school and their own perspectives related to being ready for school. The research question is: What new insights about transition to and being ready for school are gained by including the children’s own perspective, and how can these help strengthen the transition from kindergarten to school?
Result
The results indicate that children are aware of and focused on meeting the school’s norms and rules in order to be as prepared as possible for learning at school. The children expect to have to adapt to new forms of social interactions in the school environment. Several children were concerned about whether they would be able to meet the school’s academic requirements, while others were looking forward to learning. The study concludes with a transitional pedagogy proposal that emphasises enhanced interaction between children, kindergarten, and school to support kindergarten children in their transition to school.
Design
The study involves 25 kindergarten children, 14 girls and 11 boys, aged five to six years. The children are from three different kindergartens in a small Danish city. To highlight the children’s own perspectives, the study is based on the mosaic method, which combines qualitative research with interviews, conversations, observations, drawings, role play, and photographs taken by the children themselves. The children were encouraged to express positive and negative expectations related to the transition from kindergarten to school, as well as being ready for school. The data were analysed through thematic analysis to identify prominent main themes.
References
Schürer, M., & Kalsgaard Møller, A. (2023). Inddragelsen af børneperspektivet i evaluering af skoleparathed. CEPRA-Striben, (32), 4–17.