ACHIEVEMENTS AND PHYSICAL GROWTH OF YOUNGER AND OLDER CHILDREN AT THE AGE OF ENTRANCE INTO GRADE 1

Abstract

Laws generally require a child to enter school at the age of six.However, as a rule, there is some variation in the actual age at entrance due to differances in dates of birth.Some children enter grade 1 at the age of six years, others at the age of six years and eleven months, with a difference of eleven months.
In this study, three groups, younger, middle and older children were compared in achievements, physical growth, frequency of absence from school and leadership from the first grade to sixth orninth grade.Younger children group had entered grade 1 at the age of six years and zero or one month, middle group at the age of six years and five or six months, older group at the age of six years and ten months.
The major findings are as follows:
1.The mean achievement score of the older group in the following four subjects of Japanese, social studies, arithmetic and science was superior to that of the younger group by the second or the third grade.These differences were of statistical significance.But the differences between the two groups in or after the third grade were of no statistical significance.
2. The differences the saores of music between two groups were statistically significant only at the first grade, those of drawing significant at the first grade to the fifth aid those of physical exercise significant at the first to the sixth grade.
3.The height, weight, chest circumferences and sitting height were measured.In all measurements, the younger group was inferior to the older group from the first to the ninth grade except the differences of the girls' height and sitting height at the ninth grade.These differences were of statistical significance.And the physical progress of the younger children showed the same tendency as that of the older group.It is evident that there is a great difference in physical maturity between older children and younger children.The physical maturity of the middle groups was between the older groups and the younger ones.
4.When the average daily absence from school for the two groups was compared, it was found that there were more days of absence for the younger group in the first and second grade.
5.Children of the older groups were more elected a as commisioner's number of home, rooras and clubs than the younger group at the first grade to the fourth grade