Rather the decision-makers — which in most schools typically includes the parents, teacher and principal — should consider the following factors: Grade Level: A child adjusts better if retained in the early elementary grades, namely kindergarten and first grade.
Keeping a child back in the later elementary years, when he may have developed a stable group of friends, can cause him considerable distress and is rarely justifiable. As an example, if your child is having problems with math but keeping pace in his other subjects, he should get extra help in math rather than be kept back. Possible causes include a learning disability, a hearing or vision problem, emotional distress or an attentional problem. Retention of a learning disabled child may only cause him additional failure and frustration.
Availability of Extra Help: If your child can receive academic support in the next grade, then he may be able to keep pace with his classmates without retention.
This may or may not be related to your child's actual age. Rates of development are simply too varied to hang on chronology. Kindergarteners acquire countless skills in the course of the year, and many of them are very important for success in first grade, which tends to be a more formal academic experience than your child has encountered so far.
First graders typically start the year knowing how to count at least to 10 and usually beyond , reciting the entire alphabet and knowing the sounds of most of the letters, reading and writing simple words, and using "creative spelling" to put their own thoughts on paper.
These are only a handful of the academic skills that most graduating kindergartners have acquired, and if your child is lacking in several of them, he or she may be starting first grade with a deficit that can affect the entire year -- and the ones that follow.
Specific pieces of knowledge are really only part of the picture, though. Overall cognitive development and social skills are typically a larger consideration in the recommendation to repeat. If your child is unable to follow simple multi-step instructions, follow a task through to completion without getting overly frustrated or distracted, work as part of a group, listen to a story without interrupting, or sit still for the duration of a short lesson, he or she may not be quite ready for the relative rigors of first grade.
If you're considering having your child repeat the year, he or she is most likely behind in more than one of these areas -- and there's little question that a student is better off starting first grade in step with the rest of the class. What many parents have trouble with is whether their student will be better off repeating the year.
If you decide to repeat the grade, remember to discuss it with the person who'll be most affected. A positive and open talk about the plan can do a lot to help alleviate the stress of being "held back. There are no easy answers when it comes to grade retention, and experts are divided on whether repeating kindergarten is more likely to lead to long-term benefit or deficit.
On the positive side, keeping your child in kindergarten for another year certainly reduces the likelihood he or she will begin first grade in a rough spot that could lead to long-term academic and social insecurity. Staying in kindergarten means not only repeat exposure to the curriculum and so a greater chance of picking it up, but it also means being the oldest -- and most knowledgeable, mature and capable -- student in class, which can increase confidence dramatically, setting the tone for long-term positive self-concept and continued school success.
For a child who is behind his or her peers, these potential positives are real and significant. There are, however, problems that can arise when a child is "held back. What You Need to Know. Test-based retention in third grade improved student performance in Florida. Students made short-term gains in math and reading achievement, were better prepared for high school, and took fewer remedial courses once there. See More In.
Rural Resilience. A case study in collaborative action to leverage strengths of rural communities and support child wellbeing. By: Emily Boudreau. Posted: February 1, Researchers find disproportionate assignments for low-income students, raising questions about systemic barriers and equity.
By: Grace Tatter. Posted: February 21, In most cases, it may not be just one reason for making your kid to repeat kindergarten, but it may be more than one of the above reasons. The decision of making a child repeat a class may not be easy for the child, parents and even for the teacher.
It may be taken after much deliberation; however, there may be pros and cons that may be associated with this decision. Let us discuss the pros and cons of holding a child back in kindergarten:. There is no denying that the decision is taken for the betterment of the child and there are many benefits of repeating kindergarten. Repeating a class may help your kid to be better prepared for his next class. He may grow physically and may feel comfortable amongst his peers.
It is also seen that being older in the class may help your kid in gaining more confidence and help him to learn and grasp concepts more easily. No doubt there are more pros than cons, but one cannot undermine the associated cons.
It is seen that it may make your kid more conscious and embarrassed to be in the same class when his friends and peers may be in a higher class. Also, there is a stigma attached to the kids who are made to repeat a class and people may look down upon of your child, thinking that he may be of low IQ. You may ask for ways and means to help your child improve his performance in the class.
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