Die skoolbeginner : Wie? Wat? Waarheen?

Inaugural lecture--Department of Education, Rand Afrikaans University, 26 September 1979@@The first experiences of a child at school form the basic frame of reference for all subsequent school experiences. Not all children are learning ready the day they start their school careers and this often leads to eventual learning and/or behaviour problems. Seeing that school attendance is compulsory for White, Coloured and Asian children the school has a duty to assist children who are not yet ready. Under the question: "Who?" a picture is given of a generation of schoolbeginners in Johannesburg Afrikaans medium primary schools. It appears that although they may be ready in many respects, the majority certainly are not yet ready for intellectual tasks on the concrete operational thought level. Under the question: "What?" certain guidelines are given for teachers of first grade classes. Under the question: "Where to?" the emphasis is placed on the desirability of cognitive stimulation, such as is given in the Oregon DISTAR. Israeli MATAL and Rotterdam KWOWED programs.