This study investigated the relationship between soft skills and early childhood teachers’ job performance in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study examined the relationship between communication skills, conflict management skills, stress management skills, time management skills, and early childhood teachers’ job performance. To achieve the purpose of this study, four specific objectives, four research questions and four null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study and were tested at.05 level of significance. Literatures pertinent to the study were reviewed under theoretical, conceptual and empirical frameworks. Correlational research design was adopted for the study. A sample size of 600 early childhood teachers and 390 head teachers were selected for the study using multistage sampling technique. Two instruments were used for data collection and they were; Soft Skill Instrument (SSI) and Early Childhood Teachers’ Job Performance Instrument (ECTJPI). Teachers responded to Soft Skill Instrument (SSI) while school head teachers responded to Early Childhood Teachers’ Job Performance Instrument (ECTJPI). R and R2 values of Simple Linear Regression Analysis were used for answering the research questions and for testing the hypotheses. The findings of the study revealed that there is a significant relationship between soft skills and early childhood teachers’ job performance in Akwa Ibom State. It was concluded that there is a significant positive relationship between communication skills, conflict management skills, stress management skills, time management skills and early childhood teachers’ job performance. It was recommended among others that early childhood teachers should seek personal development of their soft skills through workshops, seminars and conferences.
Keywords: Early Childhood Education, Job Performance, Soft Skills, Teachers
