What do teacher–child interactions in early childhood classrooms in India look like? Teachers' and parents' perspectives

Abstract

The study assessed the nature of teacher–child interactions in early childhood classrooms in India, from the teachers' and parents' perspectives. Specifically, the impact of teacher training, satisfaction with training and job, years of experience, and class size on the teacher–child interactions were examined. Sixty‐five preschool teachers and 173 parents from an urban city in India comprised the total sample. Results using teacher reports indicated that the findings were not significant. According to parent reports, 25% of variance was accounted. Amount of experience showed a trend towards significance. Satisfaction with training of teachers inversely impacted the nature of teacher–child interactions. These findings suggested the interplay of specific factors such as limited space, finances and cultural notions of teaching/education, and adult–child relations on the perceptions of early childhood teachers and parents on teacher–child interactions in an Indian Context.