Conceptual Tempo and the Early Detection of Learning Problems

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the notion of conceptual tempo and the ability of kindergarten children to regulate tempo in situations of varying levels of task complexity and under varying sets of instructions. Two groups of kindergarten children, “risk” and “nonrisk,” were selected on the basis of two validated early screening techniques — behavior observation and teacher ratings. It was hypothesized that risk children are more impulsive than nonrisk children and that they are less able to regulate tempo in various situations. Results suggest that risk children were more impulsive than nonrisk children, and were also less able to alter tempo when going from simple to complex situations and when told to work fast or to work slow. The data support the importance of regulation of conceptual tempo as a dimension of educational risk at kindergarten level and in later school success.