Readiness to Learn at School Among Five-year-old Children in Canada

This report provides an overview of Canadian children as they enter school as 5-year-olds. It looks at the collection of abilities, behaviours and attitudes that they bring with them, attributes that are important for early school achievement. The report shows that children vary on some dimensions of readiness to learn at school, according to their family characteristics, their background and their home environment and experiences. It also shows that some of the differences in readiness to learn may already be evident two years earlier, when the children were 3 years old. Finally, the report indicates factors in the home environment that may contribute to differences among different economic groups. The report adds to what we know about readiness to learn. It provides information that may be useful for policy analysts, teachers, researchers, and parents themselves as they work toward maximizing the potential of preschool children everywhere.