The Role of In-class Physical Arrangements in Supporting Preschool Children’s Behavior Regulation Skill

Abstract

Article HistoryReceived: 18 September 2017The purpose of this research is to understand the role of physical arrangements within the classroom in the development of behavior regulation skill of preschool children.From among the types of action research, the technical/scientific/cooperative action research was employed in the current study. In the selection of the participants, one of the purposive sampling methods, the typical case sampling method was used. The study group consists of 12 children aged at 60-84 months. The data collection tools used in the study are observation form regularly used by the teacher, structured written interview forms (before and after the action plan) and the Head Shoulders Knees and Toes (HSKT) scale. As a result of the action process, it was found that the physical arrangements related to learning centers positively affected the children's three of the behavior regulation skills that are independent acting, active participation and task completion skills. The physical arrangements regarding classroom routines were found to have positively affected the following behavior regulation skills of the children; perseverance, retention, protecting classroom order, taking responsibility, making effort to be successful and preferring the suitable behavior to the negative behavior, active participation, recall, independent acting. When the Head Shoulders Knees and Toes scores of each child before and after the action plan were examined, it was found these scores improved. When the teacher's evaluations made after the action plan were examined, it was found that the action plan made positive contributions to the teacher and the children in the themes of classroom order, concentration, social adjustment, classroom management, productivity, problems and widespread effect and also affected three more teachers and made them involved in the plan.