Socio-emotional development of the kindergarten pupil: the role of assessment in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana

Socio-emotional development which includes a broad range of mental, behavioural, and self-control skills is used in social interactions to achieve social and emotional goals and adjustment. A well assessed socio-emotional development, through social skills, empathy skills and relationship skills, could help reform and guide against pupils mental, behavioural, and self-control skills and vice versa. This prompted the researchers to examine the influence of social skills, empathy skills and relationship skills on socio-emotional development of children in selected early childhood centres in the Kumasi Metropolis. The study was nested in quantitative design using Multiple Linear Regression Model. A sample of 242 kindergarten teachers from 149 early childhood centres in the Kumasi Metropolis were selected with the help of table of random numbers. The study established a strong and positive influence of assessment in the form of social skills, empathy skills and relationship skills on the socio-emotional development of the children in the selected centres. It is recommended that effective and regular in-service should be organized for kindergarten teachers in Ghanaian early childhood centres to expose to them to the need for sound assessment practices in the development of socio emotional skills of their learners. Teachers can influence the socio emotional development of their learners. They should therefore be mindful of their behaviours in the classroom and model a good behaviour for their learners to emulate.