Abstract:

The purpose of this study is to describe the perceptions of early childhood teachers about the influence of physical environment on their instruction process and behavior management practices. Twenty-two female early childhood teachers participated in the study; eleven teachers from the public sector and eleven from private schools. A researcher-developed semi-structured interview protocol was used to collect data. After data analysis, 3 main themes were determined: (1) factors influencing classroom management, (2) physical environment and (3) the influence of physical environment on instruction and behavior management practices. The findings of the study show that there are some differences between private and public school teachers’ perceptions related to the factors influencing classroom management, the physical environment of their classrooms and effect of the physical environment on teachers’ instruction and behavior management practices.Key Words: physical environment, instruction, behavior management, teachers' perceptions, early childhood teachers  

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