Levels of competence in the learning domains of kindergarten entrants

Abstract

Nursery is a preparation for kindergarten education. This paper deals with the gained competence of the nursery as they move up to the kindergarten program of the K-12 Curriculum in the Philippines. This study reveals that there are similarities and differences in the curriculum programs of nursery and kindergarten; that the nursery children performed very satisfactory in the learning domains on Social and Emotional; Self-Management; Perceptual and Motor; Early Math; Early Literacy; Receptive Language; and Expressive Language; and that sex is not related to the children’s ability to learn and develop the skills needed of their age. This is a quantitative-descriptive method that investigated 568 nursery children from the 29 National Child Development Centers or Day-Care Centers in the Philippines. Using documentary analysis, Levene’s test, and T-test, the study revealed the similarities and difference in the 2 programs and the levels of competence of the nursery children in the different domains of learning offered by the program showing their ability and the skills which help them move up to kindergarten. This study recommends that there should be a good transition of children from nursery to kindergarten and this can only be achieved if there is congruency of the curriculum offered by the two programs. The skills mastered by the children in nursery program should be enhanced more in the kindergarten program. Since kindergarten is an important developmental milestone for young children, it should offer children an experience to develop their skills, competence and potentials to the fullest and that a balance and holistic development of the children should be ensured.