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Olivia
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| Posted: July 01 2013 at 3:35pm | IP Logged
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Wasn't sure where to post...
I am looking for research that would back up the idea of: it's better to start late than too early when it comes to formal teaching for a young child.
I know a family who's 7yr old son is struggling at school for his age group. The parents feel that he would benefit from going down a year (he is the youngest in his year anyway). They feel it would be better for him to drop down a year than to be with his age group but always struggling to keep up. He struggles to concentrate and it's a huge struggle to get him to do his homework (with help from both parents).
I remember reading somewhere about some research that showed that teaching children to read at a younger age (4 yrs) could be detrimental to some children if they are not ready. But I can't find it anywhere now.
The parents are meeting with the headmaster and hoping he'll agree to letting their son go down a year. They want some 'evidence' that this is a good idea, to give the headmaster.
Does anyone know of any formal research on this topic please?
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: July 01 2013 at 4:02pm | IP Logged
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Here is an article I read recently on this subject. Not sure if it is the specific study you are remembering.
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myheaven1967
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| Posted: July 01 2013 at 5:30pm | IP Logged
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Waldorf teaches that it is best to start a child older too. The whole principle and theory behind Waldorf is pretty intense though. I cannot locate the article at the moment, if I find it I will link it.
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Erin
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| Posted: July 01 2013 at 5:31pm | IP Logged
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Olivia
My absolute starting point would be the works of Raymond and Dorothy Moore, authors of Better Late Than Early. Huge proponents of starting later backed up my plenty of research.
The also started the Moore Foundation.
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: July 02 2013 at 8:16am | IP Logged
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myheaven1967 wrote:
| I cannot locate the article at the moment, if I find it I will link it. |
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Please don't. 
From our board guidelines regarding educational philosophy:
Quote:
| Because Waldorf is associated with philosophies that have been condemned by the Church, and because we are parents, not theologians, we have determined that it is not within the purview of the 4Real Board to discuss Waldorf (formal or informal schools, curriculum, pedagogy and philosophy, Steiner's lectures, anthroposophical writings). The 4Real Board will no longer host discussions of those topics. |
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[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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Olivia
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| Posted: July 02 2013 at 10:35am | IP Logged
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Thanks everyone. I did a search and found some useful info. Particularly this paper which includes a lot of research in it for anyone interested:
http://www.nfer.ac.uk/nfer/publications/44410/44410.pdf
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myheaven1967
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| Posted: July 02 2013 at 10:39am | IP Logged
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Holy cow, I had no idea. I am very sorry. I left the teachings as they did not feel right, but had no idea it was condemned by the Church. Very sorry. 
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jawgee
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| Posted: July 02 2013 at 4:39pm | IP Logged
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Just started reading Boys Adrift: The Five Factors Driving the Growing Epidemic of Unmotivated Boys and Underachieving Men. I'm very early into the book, but it is enlightening. This book, of course, deals specifically with boys, and makes the case that the early academic pressure put on boys - before they are academically or socially ready - makes boys disengage from school and begin to hate school altogether. Here is two quotes of interest:
Waiting until seven years of age to begin the formal, "rigorous," reading and writing curriculum of today's kindergarten might reduce or ameliorate a significant fraction of the problems we see with boys and school. For many boys, there's a huge difference in readiness to learn between age five and age seven - just as there's a huge difference in readiness for a girl between three and five.
and
The pace of education has accelerated, but boys' brains don't grow any faster now than they did thirty years ago. That's one part of the first factor leading boys to disengage from school.
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CatholicMommy
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| Posted: July 05 2013 at 10:14am | IP Logged
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An interesting take I've not yet seen in regards to this topic is a thorough study on ***methodology*** used at each age.
Children CAN and most SHOULD learn to read at age 4 - because there is a sensitive period there for language. It is perfectly naturally to learn to read and write with EASE at this age. VERY-very-very few children don't, but that doesn't mean they can't learn the keys at this age, then they will naturally put those keys together around age 8 when the second window opens up. The better late than early concept is based on this second window - and is based on the INAPPROPRIATE methodology at earlier ages.
Because most of us were educated in a "traditional" setting - in this case defined as a setting heavily emphasizing the use of human reasoning skills (classical education is included here as well) - it makes sense to wait until those reasoning faculties are more in place - age 7 for most children (age 6 for many children).
HOWEVER, there are also methodologies that focus on need-fulfillment - and providing "keys". Most parents do this naturally; most homeschoolers do it even more intensely - without realizing it. But most of them not perfectly, because it's entirely unconscious, so many opportunities are missed. Not saying that is good or bad, just stating a fact ;)
We naturally teach our children the names of colors through conversation, experience, little games - as well as the numbers and the letter names (letter names not being actually necessary for reading/writing - we need the letter sounds, but I digress).
With a focus on fulfilling needs, having natural conversations and real-life experiences, and focusing on providing keys, then yes, "education" actually starts in-utero, like it or not ;)
Even language development is programmed into the brain in-utero. For example, Chinese newborns, adopted within the first 2 weeks of life into an American family and only hearing English, still tend towards speech delays, because their brains are already slightly wired to Chinese just be virtue of the womb.
SO providing keys at the appropriate "windows" or "sensitive periods" IS education; but it's not the same education we provide to older children.
Should we sit down with a 4 year old boy and do learning to read exercises we would do with a normal and intelligent 7 year old boy? NO!
But he can learn to read, in an age-appropriate way.
To say this just one more way - when we talk about "readiness to learn" - a child is ready to learn from the moment of their conception. But the style of learning changes throughout development.
But most of the time when we hear "readiness to learn" we are thinking of the traditional school setting with traditional school materials - and yes, those are reserved for elementary age children.
Even many of those who recognize that Montessori is valid at the preschool/kindergarten level, tend to veer away at elementary because that preschool/kindergarten approach isn't going to work for their elementary children. Most parents recognize this fact intuitively. What many parents don't realize is that even Montessori "changes" for the elementary level because the needs and learning styles of the elementary child change.
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4Real Forums : Philosophy of Education
Topic: Research on delaying schooling....
