Every year, more than 4,000 children start school in the Federal State of Bremen – a major step in their lives. But what do children need for good educational development? That is what researchers at the Center for Clinical Psychology and Rehabilitation at the University of Bremen want to find out. In a long-term study entitled “Precursor Skills for Successful Educational Development”, they intend to gather information on how children develop during their very first years at school and learn more about the capabilities and characteristics that have the greatest impact on this development. To assist them in their study, they are now looking for kindergarten children who will be starting school later this year. The boys and girls should be healthy and lively, and free from any conspicuous behavioral characteristics.

What will be expected of the children?

Following a telephone interview, appointments will be made for the children to meet with members of the research team in the University (Grazer Straße 6). During the two-and-a-half-hour examination, experienced members of the Psychological Children’s Outpatient Clinic will play various games with the children in order to determine their level of development with regard to general knowledge, linguistic capability, as well as their socio-emotional and physical development. These tests are to be repeated each year up to the end of the second year of school, monitoring the children’s development from pre-school age up to end of school year two.

What do parents stand to gain?

The parents will learn a lot about their child, including a lot of new insights. Following each examination they will be sent a comprehensive status report on their child’s development. Moreover, the parents themselves are brought into the study and asked to fill in a questionnaire to help the psychologists obtain as comprehensive a picture of their child as possible.

If you might be interested in your child taking part in the study you should contact:

Franziska Korsch
Zentrum für Klinische Psychologie und Rehabilitation (ZKPR) der Universität Bremen
Grazer Straße 6
28359 Bremen
Phone: 0421-218-68611
e-mail: fkorschprotect me ?!uni-bremenprotect me ?!.de