Social Skills, Problem Behaviors and Classroom Management in Inclusive Preschool Settings

Abstract

This study aimed to determine preschool teachers’ classroom management skills and investigate the relationships between teachers’ classroom management skills and inclusion students’ social skills and problem behaviors. Relational screening model was used as the research method. Study group consisted of 42 pre-school teachers working in Kocaeli province and 42 inclusion students aged 4-7. Personal Information Form, Classroom Management Skills Inventory for Pre-school Teachers and Pre-School and Kindergarten Behavior Scale were used to collect data. Mann Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis methods were utilized to analyze the descriptive statistics. Results revealed that participating pre-school teachers had high level of perceived classroom management skills, teachers’ classroom management skills did not differ based on inclusion students’ age and gender but they significantly differed based on teachers’ age, seniority, type of school they graduated from and staff status. Inclusion students were found to have moderate social skills and high level of problem behaviors. Children scores in social skills and problem behavior scales did not change based on age but they significantly differed based on gender. According to the results, no meaningful relationships existed between teachers’ classroom management skills and inclusion students’ social skills and problem behaviors.