Effects of a Teacher Professional Development Program for the Transition to School on Preschoolers' Social-Emotional Adjustment and School Readiness

Abstract This study investigated the effectiveness of the Transition to School Teacher Professional Development Program (TSTPDP) in promoting school readiness and social-emotional adjustment among preschoolers in Southeastern Anatolia, Türkiye. Using a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest control group design, 40 preschool teachers and 152 children aged 48–72 months were assigned to either the TSTPDP intervention or a control group. The 12-session TSTPDP, grounded in Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory and the Ecological and Dynamic Transition Model, was implemented online over four weeks before the start of the school year. Data were collected using the School Readiness Scale, adapted to the Turkish context by the researcher, and the Preschool Social Competence and Behavior Assessment Scale (SCBA-30), and reflective journals completed by the participating teachers. Results indicated that children in the TSTPDP group exhibited significantly higher levels of school readiness and social-emotional adjustment compared to the control group at the end of the first semester. The qualitative data enriched these findings, providing insights into teachers' changed perspectives and practices. These findings highlight the potential of comprehensive teacher professional development programs in facilitating a smoother and more positive transition to preschool for young children.