Understanding What Shapes Early Childhood Teachers’ Social and Emotional Competence: Evidence from South Korea

This study investigates the factors influencing the social and emotional competence (SEC) of early childhood teachers in South Korea. It examines internal variables, including teaching experience, academic qualifications, SEC-related teacher education, and SEC awareness, as well as external variables such as institution type and class age group. A survey was administered to 227 teachers from kindergartens and childcare centers, and SEC was assessed using a validated instrument. Data were analyzed using t-tests and ANOVA to identify differences across background variables. The results indicate that teaching experience, SEC awareness, and SEC-related teacher education significantly contribute to teachers’ SEC, while institutional differences also exert an influence. These findings underscore the importance of structured SEC training in both pre-service and in-service teacher education and highlight the role of workplace conditions in shaping teachers’ SEC. Collectively, the study offers meaningful policy implications for enhancing teacher education and fostering institutional environments that support the development of SEC.