An investigation of preschool teachers' competencies in using strategies that support children's executive functioning and children's executive functioning

The aim of this study is to examine the executive functioning skills of 48-72 month-old children receiving preschool education according to teachers' competencies in using strategies that support executive functioning. A non-random sample technique, and the descriptive survey model, a quantitative research approach, were used in the study. The preschoolers aged 48–72 months made up the study's population. The sample included 320 children, ages 48 to 72 months, who attended official preschools and kindergartens affiliated with the Ministry of National Education in Sakarya province and whose parents granted permission to participate in the study. The sample also included 75 teachers who work in official preschools and kindergartens affiliated with the Ministry of National Education in Sakarya province. The 'Tool for Assessing the Competence of Preschool Teachers to Use Strategies Supporting Children's Executive Functions' and the Teacher Information Form created by the researcher were applied to the teachers within the official kindergartens and preschools affiliated with the Ministry of National Education in Sakarya province. The application led to a ranking of the teachers' test scores based on the results. The 'Childhood Executive Functions Inventory (CIEF)-Teacher Form' was administered to the students of these two groups of teachers: 14 teachers with high scores were divided into two groups as high-scoring teachers, and 14 teachers with low scores were divided into two groups as low-scoring teachers. The study's findings indicated that there was a substantial difference in teachers' scores on the Childhood Executive Functions Inventory (CIEF)-Teacher Form based on their proficiency with executive function techniques. Nonetheless, there was no discernible variation observed in the instructors' age, seniority, or level of education. The study's findings showed that students of instructors who were highly competent in implementing executive function-supporting strategies had high levels of executive functioning activities, while students of instructors who were less proficient in this area had low levels.