Prediction of kindergarten reading success from preschool report of parents

Abstract

Most screening techniques for school learning difficulty have utilized data obtained from the child during an examination session. However, the child's potential for school learning difficulty may be assessed more reliably by parent report. The Minnesota Child Development Inventory was used to obtain parent observations on 59 children before the start of the kindergarten year. At the end of the kindergarten year, measures of reading skill were obtained by two group tests (Lippincott Reading Readiness Test and Metropolitan Reading Readiness Test) and one test administered individually to each child (Wide Range Achievement Test). Results indicated that the parent report on a number of variables from the MCDI correlated highly with postkindergarten success in reading (multiple r = 0.79). Although follow-up in the primary grades will be needed to determine whether these relationships hold, the data are provocative in suggesting that greater attention should be given to parent reports in evaluating a child's school readiness.