Abstract

The intention of this study is to examine how early childhood education (ECE) teachers can promote children's language learning and the construction of knowledge about their environment in everyday conversations. Young children primarily learn through interactions with adults and peers, with conversations representing important arenas for language learning, as well as for learning about the environment. The research question is: How can teachers encourage a learning environment to promote children's learning to use language and collaborate on the construction of knowledge in everyday conversations? This study has a special focus on the collaboration between teachers and children, and the study was accomplished through video observations carried out in a small-town kindergarten consisting of four classes. The results revealed that the children were mostly invited to answer closed questions, and that the teachers did not invite them to work together to develop their understandings. Through the study, the ECE teacher became focused on what is taking place in everyday conversations.

Citation

Gjems, L. (2013). Teaching in ECE: Promoting children's language learning and cooperation on knowledge construction in everyday conversations in kindergarten. Teaching and Teacher Education: An International Journal of Research and Studies, 29(1), 39-45. Elsevier Ltd. Retrieved June 5, 2023 from https://www.learntechlib.org/p/113797/.

Keywords

• Classroom Communication
• Classroom Environment
• Classroom Research
• collaboration
• Community Characteristics
• Cooperative learning
• early childhood education
• early childhood teacher education
• Elementary Education
• Everyday conversations
• Interpersonal Communication
• kindergarten
• Language Acquisition
• language learning
• Municipalities
• Observation
• Preschool Teachers
• Shared thinking
• Speech Communication
• Teacher Student Relationship
• teaching methods
• Video Technology
• Young Children