Post-pandemic Transition from Home to Preschool and its Impact on Pragmatic Language Skills: Teachers’ and Guidance Counselors’ Perspectives

This study evaluates the pragmatic language skills of children who were quarantined during the COVID-19 pandemic and later returned to preschool, alongside the perspectives of preschool teachers and guidance counsellors on language, speech, and communication challenges. Interviews were conducted with 10 preschool teachers and 10 guidance counsellors. Teachers highlighted that social isolation and increased screen time during the pandemic negatively impacted children’s language, speech, and communication skills, which could also affect their adaptation to primary school and academic performance. To address these challenges, teachers implemented in-class and out-of-class activities involving both children and families. They emphasized the importance of keeping schools open, fostering peer interactions, and educating families on quality time and screen time management to minimize the impact of future pandemics. The Pragmatic Language Skills Inventory (PDBE-TV) was used to assess the pragmatic skills of 200 children. Results showed that 40% of children had below-average classroom interaction levels, 34.5% had below-average social interaction skills, 24% had below-average personal interaction skills, and 28% had below-average overall pragmatic language skills. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to support children’s language development and social skills, particularly in the context of pandemic-related disruptions.