Interactional dynamics: Reciprocal links between emotional support and children’s engagement in five-year preschool education
The goal is to explore the reciprocal links between emotional support and a child’s engagement to their teacher and peers in five-year preschool education. Twelve teachers and 113 children were observed in the classroom. A moderate level of emotional support and moderate-low levels of child engagement were noted. Only the emotional support offered in the classroom predicted the children's positive engagement toward their peers. These results underscore the importance of continuing to study interactional dynamics in the classroom.