Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[learner12]

Hello, teachers!!

Nursery school

Other common names for nursery school are pre-school, playschool, playgroup and nursery. The German word kindergarten is also used in many countries to denote a form of pre-school education.[2] However, in the United States, Canada and some parts of Australia kindergarten is instead the term used to describe the first year of compulsory schooling.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nursery_school

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I cannot understand the last sentence. In the United States, Canada and some parts of Australia, doesn't "the first year of compulsory schooling" mean "the first year of elementary school"?

Thank you in advance.

[Lorikeet]

In the U.S., children generally begin school at age 5. That year is called "kindergarten." The kindergarteners are the youngest children in the elementary school. After they finish kindergarten, they will go to the first grade.

[learner12]

Dear Lorikeet:

Thank you so much for your time. I learned a new thing

I have one more question.

Which school do children go to, pre-kindergarten or pre-school? Does it depend on a financial problem or something from the point of view of parents?

Thank you in advance.

[learner12]

Dear Lorikeet:

What is the difference between pre-kindergarten and pre-school?

Thank you again for your help.

[CP]

The original idea of kindergarten ("children's garden" in German) is a sort of pre-school, where the children learn how to be good students -- paying attention to the teacher, following instructions, getting along with each other, etc. Kindergarten used to be a time to learn the alphabet and numbers, listen to stories, do fingerpainting, etc., and generally get used to school. It was light on the academics and heavy on the fun and learning how to be a good student.

After Sesame Street and the rise of working mothers in the 1970s, not to mention the government program Head Start, children in day care began to get more and more of a head start on school, learning the kindergarten skills well before kindergarten started. By the 1980s, children reporting for their first day of kindergarten already knew their numbers and ABCs, and more than likely could read and even write their own names.

So kindergarten is still the first year of compulsory education in the U.S., but for most children these days, it is just a continuation of the education they started at age 3, whether it is called pre-school, day care, pre-kindergarten, or whatever.
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You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[learner12]

Dear CP:

Thank you so much for your in-depth explanations. I learned a lot from you.

Have a nice day!!