ABSTRACT

Establishing and maintaining positive social interaction with peers is important for youngchildren because it will form a foundation for their later social adjustment and academicachievement. Social competence in this study means an increasing awareness andunderstanding of other human beings as part of the child\'s world. The purpose of the studywas to help four-year-old children to accept other children in their mind. This study had threespecific aims: To find the reasons for their difficulties; to examine their changing playbehavior; and to observe teachers\' roles in helping them to become involved in peer groupplay. Lack of communication skills and emotional instability were the main difficulties thechildren faced. Regarding the changing play pattern, they passed through five distinctivestages: Staying alone, showing strong interest in the peer group play, going voluntarily tofriends, actively playing with one or two friends, and finally becoming an active member ofthe peer play group. In improving children\'s involvement in peer group play the teachersplayed several important roles: Making them feel safe, giving them an opportunity toexperience familiar things, suggesting plays, creating opportunities to become acquaintedwith other children, and modeling how to play with other children.

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