Investigating the School Adjustment Process of Children in a Multicultural Preschool Classroom in the Context of Teacher and Peer Relations

ŞİMŞEK E. E., YAŞAR M.

Early Years, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus) identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Basım Tarihi: 2026
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1080/09575146.2026.2629250
  • Dergi Adı: Early Years
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Education Abstracts, Educational research abstracts (ERA), ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Psycinfo
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Multicultural classroom, peer relationships, school adjustment, Teacher-child Relationships
  • Akdeniz Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

This study employed a qualitative case study design to examine how teacher and peer relationships shape the school adaptation of three-year-old children in a multicultural classroom. The study group included 17 children (11 girls, six boys), eight parents, and one teacher. The classroom’s multicultural nature stemmed not only from diverse family backgrounds (eight mothers were Russian) but also from cultural differences among children and the teacher. Data were collected through observations and interviews. Observations focused on teacher-child, peer, and teacher-parent interactions during adaptation. The primary researcher (PR) interviewed the teacher and parents to explore how cultural elements affected adaptation. Data were analyzed using inductive content analysis. Results show that effective classroom management significantly influences children’s adaptation and shapes teacher-child relationship quality. Classroom interactions reflected cultural dynamics, showing that children from varied backgrounds and those with similar traits tended to build supportive connections during adaptation.