Changes in Emotion Teaching Practices in Preschool: Implications for Children’s Social–emotional and Academic Success

Alexa Roth

Advisor: Timothy W Curby, PhD, Department of Psychology

Committee Members: Olga Kornienko, Pamela Garner

David J. King Hall, #1024
April 24, 2019, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Abstract:

Children develop considerably in their emotional competence within their preschool classrooms. Despite agreement about the importance of social–emotional learning within this context, surprisingly little is known about the specific strategies teachers use to support children’s emotional development. The purpose of this study is to examine the extent to which emotion teacher practices change over the course of the year and whether changes in teacher practices are associated with children’s academic and social–emotional outcomes. An observational measure of teachers, the EMOtion TEacher Rating Scale (EMOTERS), will be utilized to assess emotion teaching behaviors across four domains: teaching, modeling, reacting, and relating. This study will use multilevel modeling to understand the associations between changes in emotion teaching practices and student’s social–emotional and academic achievement, and further to advance the science, education, and training of preschool teachers.