Childrens Social Competence and Classroom Social Climate in Primary Education.

An essential task of education is to prepare youth for their later functioning in society. In addition to academic knowledge and skills (academic competence), children need to acquire the knowledge and skills that are necessary to successfully navigate their social worlds as adults (social competence). Developmental theories state that children?s experiences with classroom peers and teachers influence their social competence development. The current proposal addresses the pedagogical qualities of classrooms by examining the role of classroom social climate and school context in children?s social competence development in the last two years of primary education. Two part projects will examine the associations among peer relations and teacher-child relations and their joint effects on social competence. To study causation the state of current classroom climates will be challenged through interventions that focus on interpersonal contact and teachers? awareness of classroom social climate.