Retention in Kindergarten for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Improvement, Delusion or Both?

Stefanos Loukeris,Spyridon-Georgios Soulis

doi:10.4236/psych.2021.127064

Abstract

Student retention in kindergarten is a common practice so that students will obtain the necessary school preparation for elementary school. The current study examines the impacts of retention on the students with ASD. A sample of 110 students was taken from kindergartens all over Greece, and it was observed that the retention was advantageous, but not for all students. Retention has not actually been beneficial for students from families with low educational attainment as well as students from foreign families. Moreover, these findings apply to students who could not attend extracurricular supporting programs. A serious dilemma came up as a result of all the above about the real benefits of the retention.

Highlights

In Greece, in recent years, the number of applications for retention into kindergarten has significantly increased
Order 27922/2007, the integration class in kindergarten in Greece works as follows: it is staffed by special educators, who commit themselves to the education of students with special educational needs or disabilities who attend school
The analysis demonstrated that both cognitive and social domains of students were positively affected by retention

Summary

Introduction

In Greece, in recent years, the number of applications for retention into kindergarten has significantly increased. According to Min. Order 27922/2007, the integration class in kindergarten in Greece works as follows: it is staffed by special educators, who commit themselves to the education of students with special educational needs or disabilities who attend school. They are responsible for differentiating the school curriculum and personalizing it where needed (Greece, 2007) They are in the classroom where they support the students along with the class teacher, while when they deem it necessary, they can work individually or in small groups in a special room outside the classroom that has been properly designed depending on the student’s difficulty (e.g., space with minimal stimuli for students with ASD and ADHD or Braille typewriter for students with impaired vision). In case the parents wish, they can ask for private parallel support, but they must undertake the cost themselves

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Discussion

Conclusion