Behavioural Patterns Exhibited by Preschoolers in Large Class Size: A Case of Early Childhood Centres in Ghana

Abstract

The purpose of the paper was to investigate behavioural patterns exhibited by preschoolers in large class size and suggested recommendations to tackle them. The study was based on pragmatism philosophical thought where concurrent triangulation mixed method design was used for the study. At the quantitative phase, descriptive survey was used while multiple case study was also used for the qualitative phase. The sample size was 234, where 216 questionnaires were distributed to preschool teachers in the quantitative phase. At the qualitative phase, interviews were conducted with 12 preschool teachers while observations were carried out at 6 early childhood education centres (ECECs).  The study shows that out of seat behaviour, talking out of turn, disrespecting teachers, verbal and physical aggression towards teachers were the behavioural patterns exhibited by preschoolers in large class size. Considering these behavioural patterns, the study suggested that building design used for ECECs should have toilet and other facilities to prevent preschoolers from exhibiting out of seat behaviour in classroom. The finding also shows that building more ECECs in addition to the existing ones and employing more substitute teachers to assist the permanent teachers could help teachers performance scaffolding, zone of proximal development and social interaction in managing preschoolers in classroom.   Received: 28 February 2022 / Accepted: 18 April 2022 / Published: 5 May 2022