The view's of teachers about social-skills-training of children in the 4-6 age group

The view's of teachers about social-skills-training of children in the 4-6 age group. Focus of this study is to explore the teacher view's about children's social-skills-training in 4-6 age group. The sample includes the teachers who are working in independent preschools and preschools section of primary schools governed by the Turkish Department of Education. The data for this research came from 56 students in high socio-economic level, 22 students in low socio-economic level and 27 students in middle socio-economic level from Menemen district of Izmir in the 2013-2014 academic year. The data is collected by face-to-face interviews and by standardized, open-ended interview form developed by the researcher. 21 teachers participated in interviews. The researcher used content analysis methods for the analysis of the data. According to the results teachers categorize the social skills as communication skills, friendship skills, academic skills and the ability to manage emotions. Teachers think the following social skills should be gained during the students' pre-school years: communication, leadership, responsibility, empathy, sharing and tolerance. According to the teachers' opinion, social skills have not only social aspects but also there are individual relations. The following factors are affecting children gaining social skills: individual, environmental and academic subjects. It is emerged that according to social and emotional development programs in schools need to be changed based on social skills concepts. Teachers think that putting social skills activities directly to the program will force teachers to use them. Teachers evaluated their students' acquisitions of social skills by observations, using assessment activities , doing daily and monthly evaluations, by individual questions and answers and using evaluation board. Teachers pointed that they had problems in teaching their students the following social skills: problem solving, orientation, communication, expressing themselves and their feelings, abiding rules, participation, leadership, empathy, self-confidence, recognition of other cultures, responsibility, respect the differences, self-control, to respect the others, sharing, ethical skills. Keywords: Pre-school, training, social skills.