he Need for Additional Support for Nursery School Children and the Reasons why It is Not Provided: A Teachers’ Perspective

Abstract

The general objective of the research presented in this paper was to determine children’s (12 to 48 months) needs for additional support (either in the form of individualized teachers’ approach or additional professional support provided by a nursery school counsellor) in the day nurseries in Rijeka and perceived reasons for the lack of it, according to preschool teachers’ assessment. The participants were 236 children who attended the day nurseries of the Rijeka Nursery School in the academic year 2014/15. Using a univariate analysis of the questionnaire, the nursery school teachers (N=78) assessed that 8.9 % of children were in need of additional support, receiving it partially or not at all. Teachers expressed greatest concerns regarding child’s behaviour, interaction with other children and child’s speech development. According to nursery teachers, children were not provided with additional support due to parents’ misperception of its necessity or the shortage of nursery school counsellors. The results of this study emphasize the importance of the early recognition of children who need additional support in all segments of development, regardless of the official decisions. Furthermore, it is important to have competent professionals as well as it is crucial to invest in nursery school teachers’ competencies regarding establishing and maintaining good relationships with parents