Nuestra Señora De Aranzazu Parochial School

San Mateo, Rizal

Guidance and Testing Center
School Year 2009-2010

Survey of Pupil Admitted to Grade 1 below Six Years and Six months of age -
Their Behavior and Academic Performance.

Abstract

This study aims to show the behavior and academic performance of the
Grade 1 pupils below Six Years and Six months of age. 14 Grade 1 pupils that
are Six Years and Six months of age and below have been surveyed to see if
early admission affects their behavior and academic performance. Two (2) of
them are Boys and twelve (12) of them are girls. In relation to their Academic
Performance, there seems to be no negative effect of early admission pertaining
to their age since most of the pupils obtained an average to above average
performance on their final grades and some are even excellent pupils in their
class. As for their behavior, the result varies seemingly because many factors
affect their behavior and not primarily because of their age.
Background of the Study

First Grade or Grade 1 as we called them is a year of primary education in

schools in the United States, Canada and also here in the Philippines. It is the
first school year after the preschool. Pupils are usually 6 to 7 years old in this
grade level. In other country like in England, the first year of school is called
RECEPTION, and the pupils are 4 to 5 years old upon admission to this level.
However, the first compulsory schooling age starts when the child is 5 and this
year is what they call YEAR ONE. (http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grade_1)

At six years old, the child is curious, active, and becoming engrossed in
school and new friendships. In these years we can see the gradual development
of their social skills and an increasing ability to relate to the outside world, at
school and with friends. Children have a great desire to fit in and be accepted by
their peer group and some degree of peer group acceptance is essential for their
self-esteem. They want to play with children of the same sex and sometimes
stereotype members of the opposite sex. This is normal, and offers the
opportunity to point out that both sexes are capable of doing lots of different
things not just “boy” or “girl” things.(Developmental Milestones: Your 6 years old,
Joyce Destefanis, M.A., Nancy Firchow, M.L.S.)
Six-year-olds have longer attention spans and continue to prefer
structured activities to more open-ended experiences. They enjoy taking on new
roles and responsibilities, but still require much direction from adults and
frequently ask questions to ensure that they are completing tasks the right way.
The language skills of six-year-olds become increasingly sophisticated
throughout the year. Their vocabularies rapidly increase, and their language
moves beyond communication to provide a foundation for learning, including the
development of independent reading skills. In general, their pronunciation of
words is clear and they use complex grammatical forms accurately.
(http://www.pbs.org/parents/childdevelopmenttracker/six/index.html)
In first grade, children transform into true readers. They apply their
knowledge of how print works and practice strategies to decode unfamiliar words.
They learn to read aloud with fluency, accuracy and understanding. They read a
variety of texts for pleasure (e.g., stories, informational texts, poems) and draw
upon a variety of comprehension strategies to understand and enjoy texts.
Children this age write stories, notes and descriptions. Most are able to develop
an idea beyond a sentence and will add some details to help describe or explain
things in their world. They enjoy sharing their writing with others.
Six-year-olds continue to enjoy moving in a variety of ways. Although far
from proficient in motor skills, this does little to dampen their enthusiasm for
trying out new activities and sports. They are able to run in various pathways and
directions and can manipulate their bodies by jumping and landing, rolling and
transferring their weight from feet to hands to feet. Their hand- and foot-eye
coordination is still developing, so skills like throwing, catching, kicking and
striking are still emerging. With the right equipment, however, and a skillful
partner, their motor skills continue to improve. Note: During this period of
development, children's actual skill levels will vary based on their amount of
physical activity. Sedentary children will not mature as quickly as those who
participate in activities like dance lessons, team sports or backyard play.
In the Philippines, the former Department of Education Secretary Jesli
Lapuz, in May 29, 2008, reduced from seven to six years old the entrance age for
Grade 1 enrollees. But if there are enrollees younger than six years old, they may
be admitted to Grade 1 provided their school readiness for school that been
assessed positively by the school where they are applying for admission.
(http://www.deped.gov.ph)
According to the research by Paul Janos and Nancy Robinson
psychosocial maturity of gifted children is closer to their academic mental age
than their chronological age. These kids not only think older, they also feel older.
Another research shows about chronological age at entrance to first grade by
Bickel, Zigmond and Strayhorn in 1989 tells that there was no relationship
between age of entrance and a measure of conduct and academic performance
in the first grade. (http://www.suite101.com/content/grade-skipping-
misconceptions)
Significance of the Study

Methodology

The descriptive research design was used in this study. The study is made
up of survey pertaining to the behavior and academic performance of the Grade
1 pupils below 6 years and 6 months of age. For the academic performance of
the pupils, the final grade of the 14 pupils were obtained to determined whether
they would fall in above average, average or below average category.
As for their behavior, the anecdotal records of the Guidance and Testing
Center was used and classified into different categories namely Leadership,
Honesty, Obedience, Cooperativeness, Attitude in Class, Sociability, School
Conduct, Emotional Disposition, Emotional Adjustment and Neatness.

Sample
Results of the Data
Table I. Grade 1 pupils, their birthday and age.

Pupil No. Birthdate Age

1 26-Jun-03 5.11

2 21-Jun-03 5.11

3 28-May-03 6.1

2-May-03 6.1

15-May-03 6.1

20-May-03 6.1

22-May-03 6.1

25-Apr-03 6.2

3-Apr-03 6.2

20-Mar-03 6.3

17-Feb-03 6.4

28-Feb-03 6.4

12-Feb-03 6.4

30-Jan-03 6.5

Figure 1. Age of Grade 1 pupils

Age of early admitted students in Nuestra Señora De Aranzazu

6.3 year
Parochial School starts with 5.11 years old with the percentage of 14% next is

6.4 years old

6.1 years old with 36%, 6.2 years old at 14%, 6.3 years old at 7%, 6.4 years old
at 21% and 6.5 years old with 7%.

Table II. Gender of the Grade 1 pupils aged 6.5 years old and below.

Pupils No. Gender

1 Girl
2 Girl
3 Boy
4 Boy
5 Girl
6 Girl
7 Girl
8 Girl
9 Girl
10 Girl
11 Girl
12 Girl
13 Girl
14 Girl

Figure 2. Gender

It shows that among the 14 sample, 2 of them are boys and 12 are girls. In
percentage, 14% of them are boys and 86% are girls.

100
80
 Table III. Final Grades of the Grade 1 pupils and their academic performance.

Grade 1
Final
Pupil No. Grade Description
1 88.54 Average
2 85.29 Average
3 91 Above Average
4 90.21 Above Average
5 89.29 Above Average
6 94.08 Above Average
7 86.04 Average
8 87.96 Average
9 86.70 Average
10 92.46 Above Average
11 95.71 Above Average
12 86.29 Average
13 88.58 Average
14 94.08 Above Average

It shows that 50% of them got an above average performance and 50%
got an average performance. No one among the sample got a below average
rating. It appears that early admission at age 6.5 years or below does not affect
academic performance even if they were early enrolled as Grade 1 pupils. The
Individual Inventory Records also show that 57% of the mothers of these pupils
are not working and may have enough time to teach their children on their
assignments. Furthermore, 36% of the samples are eldest children who may
have enough motivation to master their tasks with only a minimum supervision
from their parents.
Figure 3. Behavior of Grade 1 pupils according to their Anecdotal Records.
Figure 3.1

According to the results obtained, 50% of pupils consider by their

adviser to have the ability to lead others and 50% of them are followers to other
students in a group.

60
Figure 3.2

H a s A b ility
40 A
to
O
L e a d o th e
20
50%
The majority of the pupils obeys willingly with a 57% and 43% of them
obeys hesitantly.

0
60
Figure 3.3
 H
50% of the pupils were trustworthy and 50% of them are easily
tempted while no one of the pupils were cannot be trusted.

60
Figure 3.4

40 T r u s t w Ao Ert ttahis
50%
20
In relation to the attitude in class, 64% shows that they were

P
interested and enthusiastic to learn new things while 36% of them were passively
interested.
100
Figure 3.5
Co I
In t e r e s t e d a
 50% of the pupils will goes out his own way to assist his/her other
classmates on their group works in class while 50% of them cooperates
grudgingly maybe because at their age they wanted to play most of the time or
doesn’t know what will do.
Figure 3.6

S ch

7% has a discipline problem. It also shows that 43% of them well-behaved

Be ha
in class and half of them with a 50% behaved on class with minimal
m in i
60
misdemeanors. This appears contradicting to the attitude and cooperativeness

m is d e
category where the advisers identified no one falling therein and now noted that
some have discipline problems.

Figure 3.7
50%
40 E m o t i
W e ll - b e h a v e d
o
43%
 57% of the students are fairly good in nature and occasionally
irritable (may be because of the up bringing of their parents at home) (do not put
assumptions here. Just present the facts). 43% were good-natured, rarely
irritable and no one of them was assessed as frequently irritable.

Figure 3.8

E m o t io

57% were well-adjusted and doesn’t need assistance in some ways like
accompanying in school. While 43% of them were adequately adjusted and no
one was poorly adjusted may be because at their age of 6 years old they show
independence.
60
W e ll- A d ju s tAe dd
N
Figure 3.9

40
57% ad
 64% of them are neat and well-dressed (may be because they were
properly supervise by their parents at home)(do not assume here). 36% of them
were somewhat untidy at times (, for being playful they can’t keep off the mess).
It also shows that no one of them were so careless and untidy.

Figure 3.10

S
64% of them go with many friends and wants to fit in with their peer group.
36% of them go with 1 or 2 friends only (may be because they wanted to play
with same-sex friends only)(do not assume without supporting info from the
sample). No one of them prefers to be alone at school.

100 G
Assumptions & Recommendations
As a summary, it is shown that early admission of a pupil below 6.6
years of age has no negative effect in their academic performance and

G o e s w it h m
behavior. Reviewing the data in the Individual Inventory Records, 57% of the
mothers of these pupils are plain homemakers may have enough time to

50 f r ie n d s
monitor their children on their studies. Also, 64% of the parents are college
graduates and may have set a standard of achievement in the home
environment. In addition, 36% of the pupils obtained an Intellectually Superior
performance in their mental ability test upon admission indicating that they
may actually be gifted. And 36% of the pupils were eldest among their
siblings that may seem to be responsible on their actions.
For this study, the researcher recommends the continuation of the
survey towards their succeeding grade level to know if their behavior and
academic performance will vary as they developed. Also, in favor of the
decision of the Department of Education that the admission for Grade 1 is
already six years old, it seems that the children in this country can handle
their appropriate grade level even at early age. For that the researcher
recommends to have a follow-up study for the early admitted pupils at home
by their parents or guardians to maintain their study habits and excel on the
academic performance and mold their positive behavior.
Appendix I.
 References

http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grade_1

Developmental Milestones: Your 6 years old, Joyce Destefanis, M.A., Nancy

Firchow, M.L.S.

http://www.pbs.org/parents/childdevelopmenttracker/six/index.html

http://www.deped.gov.ph

http://www.suite101.com/content/grade-skipping-misconceptions