Teacher’s current practices of identifying and supporting children with speech, language and communication needs in early childhood education settings in Ghana - Interview transcript

Abstract

This dataset presents a rich collection of qualitative insights gathered from 20 Kindergarten (KG) teachers within the Gomoa-Central District of Ghana. The data is generated from semi-structured interviews conducted between December 2021 and February 2022, exploring the teachers' day-to-day practices in identifying and supporting children with Speech, Language, and Communication Needs (SLCN) within the framework of Ghana's recently introduced KG curriculum. The interviews delved into how teachers currently recognize children with SLCN, any changes in their approaches following the new curriculum, their understanding of the curriculum's guidelines related to SLCN, and their experiences with associated training initiatives. The dataset comprises verbatim transcripts of these in-depth conversations, offering detailed narratives of teachers' experiences. Complementing these qualitative accounts is background information collected from each participating teacher, including details such as their gender, age, educational qualifications, years of teaching service, and their specific circuit. The findings highlight a shift in teachers' practices towards more play-based and thematic teaching approaches encouraged by the new curriculum. This dataset offers a valuable understanding of the realities of SLCN identification and support in Ghanaian early childhood education from the perspective of the practitioners themselves, making it a significant resource for researchers, policymakers, and educators interested in this critical area