A Proposed Guideline for Teachers in Developing Characteristic of Thai Preschoolers to ASEAN Community

Abstract

The research objectives of this study were to study the needs of preschool teachers in developing characteristics of Thai pre-schoolers to ASEAN community and to propose approaches to develop characteristics of Thai pre-schoolers to the ASEAN community. The participants included 397 preschool teachers in schools under the Office of the Basic Education Commission. The research instruments utilised included questionnaire and questions for a focus group. Data was analysed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation,
t-test, Modified Priority Needs Index, and content analysis. The research findings were as follows. First, the mean scores of the developing characteristic of Thai pre-schoolers to ASEAN community in reality were significantly different from the mean scores that they should be at a .01 level in all aspects. Second, guidelines to develop characteristics of Thai pre-schoolers to the ASEAN community should include teachers allocating time to care for themselves and that the Ministry of Education should prepare a teacher manual about being a good model to care for physical and mental well-being. Teachers should create activities that promote pre-schoolers to interact positively and school administrators should develop teachers’ knowledge and understanding in teaching such matters. Further, teachers should enhance pre-schoolers’ positive attitude towards ASEAN by encouraging them to learn from daily life situations followed by linking ASEAN with their daily life and school administrators should define topics to enhance positive attitude towards ASEAN citizenship in the school curriculum.