The development and validation of a social emotional school readiness scale

Abstract

English: The first year at school is a major life transition. School readiness assessments do not always assess social-emotional competence although it is considered to be a key aspect of successful school adjustment. This omission is compounded by the absence of an appropriate measure of social-emotional school readiness. Subsequently, this research aimed at the identification of behaviours that underpin the major social-emotional school readiness constructs, namely Self Awareness and Regulation, Social Relationships, Empathy and Coping Skills. A scale, in the form of a questionnaire (BUSSE-SR), was developed for such assessment. A convenience sample of 338 Grade R children in Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal, were evaluated by their parents and Grade R teachers according to these scales. The same cohort was assessed the following year by their Grade One teachers in terms of their adjustment to school and academic performance in Life Skills, Literacy and Numeracy. The results indicated that the predictive validity of the scales was greater for Grade R teachers than Grade R parents. Through factor analysis, 28 behaviours of the most valid items were identified for the final version of the scales. The correlation coefficient for social-emotional competence and school adjustment, and social-emotional competence and academic performance, indicated a significant relationship between Self Awareness, Self Regulation, Social Relationships, Coping Skills and school adjustment and performance in Grade One.

Afrikaans: Die eerste skooljaar verg geweldige aanpassing van the skooltoetreder. Skoolgereedheidstoetse meet nie altyd sosial - en emosionelevlakke nie, alhoewel dit n deurslaggewerde factor is vir suksesvolle aanpas sing op skool. Omdat daar so n groot leemte in die meting van sosiale- en emosionele skoolgereedheid in bestaande skoolgereedheidstoete is, is daar besluit om hierdie navorsing te rig op die identifisering van n gedragspatrone wat sosiale- en emosionelevlakke sal meet. Die volgende gedragsatrone is in hierdie studie gemeet:- Bewustheid van self,Selfbeheer van emosies en gedrag, Sosiale verhoudings,Empatie en Lewensvaardighede. 338 Graad R leerders in Durban KZN is geevalueer deur hul ouers en graad R onderwysers deurmiddel van n vraelys (BUSSE-SR). Dieselfd e groep leerders is in die daaropvolgende jaar deur hul Graad 1 onderwysers geevalueer in terme van hul skoolaanpassing en akademies prestasie. Van die vytig items in die vraelys, is bevind dat 28 gedragspatrone n betekenisvolle verband getoon het met suksesvolle aanpassing and academies prestasie. Die resultate ook dui daarop dat die voorspellingsgeldigheid van die skale vir Graad R onderwysers hoër was as dié vir Graad R ouers. Daar is gevind dat sosi ale- en emosionele skoolgereedheid is met Self-Bewustheid, Self-beheer, Sosiale Verhoudings,Lewensvaardighede en skool aanpasbaarheid en prestasie in Graad 1.