ABSTRACT

Preschool has become, for a majority of children, the introduction to learning in a structured environment with teachers and other children. It represents both a transition from and an extension of children’s home environments. The main objective of this study is to analyze the roles that parents in Thailand play in building a smooth transition from home to preschool in two aspects: 1) preparation of school readiness skills and self-adjustment and 2) the involvement of the parents in transition activities. The data was obtained from questionnaires administered to 400 parents, each with a 3-year-old child attending school in Bangkok, and by interviews with 15 parents who had the highest average scores in both of these aspects. Frequency distribution, mean, percentage, standard deviation and content analysis were used to analyze the data. The findings reveal that parents recognize the importance of their child’s transition from home to preschool, and are active in both preparation and involvement. The mean score of operational level in the aspect of preparation was the highest,followed by that of involvement in transition activities. It also must be noted that building smooth transitions requires collaboration between parents and teachers. Smoothness of transition is a key factor in reducing a preschooler’s stress and anxiety, thus helping to facilitate learning.

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