Abstract:

The purpose of this research was to analyze the parental roles in supporting a smooth transition from home to preschool in 2 aspects: 1) promoting school readiness and adaptation in preschoolers, and 2) parental involvement in the school. The samples were 352 parents of children aged 3 years old from schools within the Bangkok area; 322 parents were from schools under the Office of the Private Education Commission, 20 parents were from schools under the Office of the Basic Education Commission, and 10 parents were from schools under the Office of the Higher Education Commission.

There were two sets of research tools: a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview form. The data were analyzed by using frequency, mean, percentage, standard deviation and content analysis. The research findings were as follows:

Parental roles in supporting a smooth transition from home to preschool were at a high level (X ̅= 3.93, S.D. = 0.43). The highest performance of parents was with promoting school readiness and adaptation in preschoolers ( X ̅ = 4.07, S.D. = 0.47). This was followed by parental involvement in schools ( X ̅= 3.79, S.D. = 0.47).

The interview revealed that parental considerations in choosing schools for their children included the school being a short distance from home, schools with a shaded and beautiful environment, and age and developmental appropriated curriculum and practice. Parents focused mainly on children's interaction with peers, emotional control, and self-care as school readiness preparation. Practices to support a smooth transition from home to preschool included promoting physical development through play and routine activities, using school-related routine activities 2 weeks before school started, visiting schools with children, and telling stories or sharing conversations about schools with children. Parental involvement in schools was also one of the aspects that promoted children's self-esteem, confidence, and trust in participating in classroom activities.

Keywords:

Transition, Preschool, School readiness, Parental involvement.