Cognitive capabilities among preschool children: Comparative study between Kindergarten, Anganwadi, Montessori and Special school for children with Hearing Impairment

Authors: [1] Shobha B. N. [2] Kadambari N. [3] Anjana K.

Pages: 60-63

Abstract:

Preschool program for children with hearing impairment is very important for the cognitive development which intern helps the children to cope up in a regular classroom. Early intervention and pre schooling is important for strong cognitive function of both hearing and children with hearing impaired. This study was under taken for understanding about the cognitive capability of hearing children versus children with hearing impairment across 4 types of preschool set up viz Kindergarten, Anganwadi, Montessori and Special school. Students from Preschool setups were selected for the study, Padmini Cognitive Capability Test (PCCT) was used to find cognitive capabilities in task in like Length seriation, shape completion, action through signs and classification of pictures. The data was hence analyzed and the results revealed that there was no significant difference between the cognitive capabilities of CWHI and hearing children in all the four setups. In both Montessori and special schools principle of individual attention with a series of structural activity are provided. In kindergarten group activity with rote learning is encouraged, In anganvadi it is vary pathetic to observe teacher busy with organizing distribution of food in an large group children and parents. The performance of Montessori children and CWHI studying in special school found to perform significantly better and shown highest degree of readiness to enter into primary school compare to other two school settings. Thus it is concluded that preschool centers do not have uniform pattern of teaching to make the children for ready to enter primary school.