ABSTRACT
Children who have a deficit in language as they enter school continue to be behind their peers as they progress from grade to grade. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many children were unable to attend school or preschool in person. Children develop language best in face-to-face environments. Previous literature did not include how the pandemic and the increased use of remote learning using technology might impact kindergarten readiness. This study adds to the body of knowledge by including perceptions of parents after remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. I utilized a quantitative phenomenological research design. Data were collected using a questionnaire survey that used a 5-point Likert scale. The questions determined the perceptions of parents of kindergarten students on (a) what parents of kindergarteners believe they did to prepare their children before kindergarten, (b) what skills parents of kindergarten students feel are important for success in kindergarten, and (c) how participation in remote learning change how parents feel they should have prepared their children for kindergarten. Results of the study indicate that parents did change their overall perceptions of what they felt were the most important skills for students to be prepared to know as they enter kindergarten. Before the pandemic and remote learning, parents felt that cognitive and motor were most important and that social/emotional was the most important measure of success in kindergarten. Following remote instruction, 48% of parents in the sample population, stated they would do more to prepare their children in language/communication. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)