Immigrants in particular

Every tenth child is immature when starting school

In a new study, many kindergarten teachers express concern.(Bild: Christian Jauschowetz)

Enrolment for around 15,000 first graders begins in Upper Austria after the semester break. Every tenth child has to go to pre-school, and a quarter of immigrants are affected. In a new study, many kindergarten teachers express concern.

Compulsory schooling is compulsory schooling, the train runs over it! After the semester break, enrolment begins for around 15,000 kindergarten children who will move on to elementary school in the fall. But many of them are not yet ready for the basics, reading and writing - or simply for paying attention.

On average, eleven percent of children in Upper Austria spend their first year at pre-school. If you take a closer look at this group, the majority come from families with a low level of education and a migrant background. Just over a quarter of children from families with a non-German everyday language are classified as not ready for school.

More than half of children have deficits
This is consistent with a survey recently published by the University College of Teacher Education Tyrol among teachers working in "hotspot kindergartens". In other words, in childcare facilities with more than 50 percent of boys and girls whose first language is not German and whose parents have a low level of education - that is 17 percent of all around 750 kindergartens in Upper Austria.

The study revealed that 70 percent of kindergarten managers "do not have a good feeling" about more than half of their charges, rating their cognitive and linguistic development in particular and, even more so, their social-emotional development as very or rather poor. The teachers are particularly concerned about children of immigrants from Turkey, the Arab world and Africa.

However, school readiness is ultimately assessed by the teachers at elementary school. Compulsory schooling cannot be postponed if a child turns six before September 1st - so extending kindergarten is not an option.

Kommentar

Früher ansetzen mit der Pflicht

If you wait too long, the damage will be worse than if you do something straight away - even if it doesn't look urgent. Repairing at home is similar to education.

In kindergarten, it doesn't seem to matter whether the little ones "come to play" at the age of three or five. But it doesn't, especially not with children from problematic backgrounds. It is crucial to integrate them quickly and strengthen them as much as possible. This would allow many - not all - problems to be identified more quickly, even before they start school. Extending compulsory kindergarten attendance is one approach - the children would certainly not mind.