The development of self-regulatory skills and school readiness

Families' economic status is associated with wide disparities in children's academic achievement; this linkage creates particular concern given that almost 25% of preschool-age children in the United States live below the poverty line. Longitudinal studies document that later scholastic achievement is linked closely with children's academic skills in kindergarten, fueling efforts to enrich preschool education for at-risk children in order to promote their future success. One target area for early education efforts is the growth of language, literacy, and quantitative skills that will support academic learning. Also, future school success requires children to develop the social-emotional skills necessary for cooperation and positive interaction with teachers and classmates. Children's school readiness in the dual domains of academic and social skills relies heavily on the development of self-regulation skills, or children's ability to manage their behavior, attention, and emotions in voluntary and adaptive ways. This chapter provides an overview of the development of young children's self-regulation skills, and efforts to promote self-regulation with preschool interventions. A central focus is on the design and impact of the Chicago School Readiness Project (CSRP), an intervention program designed to improve low-income children's preparedness for school by fostering their self-regulation.