| Abstract: | This study was designed to compare the capability of three kindergarten screening instruments to correctly predict which children would be recommended for referral to remedial programs or for retention. The instruments used were a screen based on Piagetian theory that was specifically designed for the current study, a published general screening test, and a language-specific screen. The subjects were 95 White, middle-class children approximately 60 months of age at the time of testing. The predictor screens were given prior to kindergarten entry, with the follow-up assessment completed 11 months later as the children neared the end of kindergarten. The teachers who conducted the follow-up testing were blind to the initial results. The Piagetian-based instrument was found to have poor predictive qualities. Both published instruments, the general-purpose kindergarten screen and a language-specific screen, were found to be predictive of teachers' recommendations regarding referral and retention. |
