Abstract
This study analyses the self-perceptions of listening skills of the directors of Early Childhood Education Centers (ECEC). Data were collected from 32 privately owned ECECs in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The directors of the 32 ECECs participated in this study by completing a ‘Listening Profile Questionnaire’ that was adapted from Brownell, 1989. The respondents were asked to answer the questions by assessing their perceptions of their listening behaviors. The directors of these centers were also observed in order to collect qualitative data on their listening behaviors. Findings of listening profile questionnaire reveal that the respondents possess almost excellent listening skills. In contrast, the data collected through observations reflect the opposite. This study suggests that the directors of ECECs in TRNC should demonstrate effective interpersonal communication skills not only for their own success but also for the success and development of the children they care for. However, this study will only emphasize the importance of listening skills that the leaders of ECECs need to improve for effective relationships with the staff, children and their parents.
According to the statistics of the Ministry of Education and Culture, there are 46 Early Childhood Education Centers (ECEC) in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). 14 of these centers are state-owned and 32 are private and family-owned institutions. However, this study is limited to the directors of privately owned ECECs in TRNC.
The total 46 ECECs in TRNC cater for 2344 children in the age group 3–5 years. 14 State- owned schools cater for 1358 (58%) whereas 32 privately owned schools cater for 986 (42%) of 3 to 5 year-old-children of the country.
It is possible for any high school graduate to get a license to establish an ECEC if the school premises meet the physical requirements. As it is the case in Australia, it is possible for a person to hold both positions as owner and director of the center, (Waniganayake 1998). In fact 30 of the 32 ECECs in TRNC are owned and directed by the same person. Usually, this person is also one of the teachers of their own centers.
Two of the directors of these 32 private ECECs hold high school diplomas and the rest are graduates of the only Teachers College of the country. The graduates of this college do not major in one subject but they graduate as ‘class teachers’. When they start their career, they can be assigned to teach any subject at any level, either at primary or pre-schools of the country. “Early childhood qualifications or experience in children’s services are not mandatory for either positions”(Waniganayake 1998).
The findings of this study on listening skills of the leaders of ECECs reveal two contradictory data. According to the self-assessment questionnaire results, directors of ECECs assessed themselves as adequate/excellent listeners. Therefore, the qualitative data, which were collected by the researcher through observations, show that most of these directors are lacking in effective listening skill, which is a crucial aspect of interpersonal communication skills that all ECEC leaders should possess.