Enhancing preschool teachers’ capacity to support children’s social emotional learning in Turkey

Abstract

Early childhood teachers are critical in implementing social and emotional learning (SEL) while working with young learners. This qualitative study examined preschool teachers’ experiences in Turkey regarding their involvement in a SEL intervention. Four preschool teachers attended teacher workshops and received coaching support through the REACH program to improve children’s social-emotional development. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, classroom observations, and documents, including teachers’ reflective journals and implementor’s research journal. Thematic analysis was used to identify common themes in the data and four main themes emerged: (1) benefits to teachers, (2) benefits to children, (3) facilitators of implementation, and (4) barriers to implementation. The results underscore the importance of providing professional development support to increase teachers’ capacity to support children’s SEL. The findings suggest that providing coaching support may be a focus area for effective SEL implementation. Furthermore, results highlight that culturally adapted SEL programs are necessary for successful implementation. © 2025 Childhood Education International.