Kindergarten Transitions and Linkages to Primary School – Readiness Re-conceptualized

Young children's transition into school has been constructed as a time-limited period around initial school entry, a set of teacher or school practices, a process of establishing continuity of experience, a multilayered, multiyear set of experiences, and a dynamic relationship-based process. Although preparedness issues continue to be addressed, there is a trend toward more complex understandings of transition emphasizing continuity, relationships among multiple stakeholders, system coherence across extended time periods, and enhancement of resilience. This article, in the early years of a new century, outlines some conceptualizations of readiness and transition as they relate to diverse children's pathways through early childhood and early school settings.