The child's month of birth can affect her success at school - scientists from the University of Turk in Finland have reached this conclusion.
The study has covered data on more than 400,000 children born in Finland from 1996 to 2002. Twins were excluded from the analysis to avoid statistical errors. In the second stage, the authors focused on monitoring more than 3 thousand students, who found difficulty learning - in particular, in reading, writing and mathematics.
It turned out that children who were born closer to the end of the calendar year demonstrate on average lower results in training. Those who came into the world in January, on the contrary, had the advantage - and, as a consequence, better grades.
What is the reason?
The explanation is quite simple: children with a difference at the age of 11 months may be in one age group. A six -year -old child who turned six in January at the time of joining school will be much more mature than the one who was born in December and went to school for five years.
According to the authors of the study, this age difference at first glance seems insignificant. However, it is in the younger school age that even several months can significantly affect the ability to acquire knowledge, self -esteem and interact with peers.
What do scientists advise?
Finnish researchers urge parents, teachers, pediatricians and educational managers to take a closer look about the age characteristics of students. In determining the age of admission to school, not only the formal year of birth, but also the level of emotional and cognitive maturity of the child should be taken into account. In some cases, it may be advisable to delay the start of training.
The conclusion is obvious: the month of birth is not a sentence, but a factor that should not be ignored. Timely support and adaptation of the educational process to the needs of younger students can prevent learning difficulties before they become systemic.
