THE IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL SKILLS IN PRESCHOOL

Abstract

During student’s ‘early childhood’ years, it is critical to teach them the appropriate social and emotional skills they will need to become successful students, learners, and adults in the future. Teaching these skills early provides students a structured base in which their other skills will be built upon. During these early years, children begin developing their social-emotional skills along with many other foundational skills. The social-emotional skills they develop will help their mental health and well-being in the future. Saltali and Deniz (2010), state, "Emotional skills are integral part of mental functions and inseparable part of daily life" (Introduction, paragraph 3). Research has shown a correlation between students who develop social skills and academic success as well as students who lack social skills tend to perform poorly academically. This paper discusses which basic social skills educators should teach, effective teaching strategies, importance of social skills, and the impact these skills will have on our students’ now and in the future.