INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECT OF PARENTAL SUPPORTED PRIMARY SCHOOL PREPARATION PROGRAM

The aim of this research is to evaluate the effects of the "Parental Supported Primary School Preparation" program, which is designed to increase the school adaptation levels of foreign children. The sample consists of foreign children aged 5-6 who attend preschool education in official independent kindergartens and kindergartens in the central districts of Samsun province and are expected to start primary school the following year. A total of 49 foreign children participated in the study. Parents and teachers of the participating children were also included in the research process. As part of the study, the researcher implemented the "Parental Supported Primary School Preparation" program consisting of 28 activities, delivired two days a week for nine weeks, to the foreign children in the experimental group. The children's parents also received training once a week. Peabody Picture and Vocabulary Test, Child Peer Relations Teacher Evaluation Scale, Social Skills Evaluation Scale, Developmental Primary School Readiness Scale, Primary School Readiness Scale, and School Adjustment Teacher Evaluation Scale were used to collect data in the study. At the same time, interviews were held with the parents and teachers who participated in the training program. The data were analyzed using the SPSS 21.0 package program. It was found that the "Parental Supported Primary School Preparation" program, designed to increase children's school readiness and adaptation levels, significantly improves children’s primary school readiness levels. It was also concluded that the program has a positive effect on children’s language skills.