< VOLUME 53, No.3 >

Akiko Yuasa.  The Nature of “Cheating” Arising in the Game Playing of Young Children and the Transformation of Consciousness Arising from Mutual Interactions with Friends: Episode Analysis from Longitudinal Observation.

Research on Early Childhood Care and Education in Japan, 2015, 53(3), 248-260.

This research focused on “cheating” arising in a game with rules, and elucidated behavioral transformative pro- cesses from the behavioral records of young children who had been continuously observed to cheat. How mutual interaction is connected to primary factors that promote a transformation in the consciousness of the young children was examined. We observed that children experience the following four stages: (1) cheating to bring about a desired situation becomes suspected by surrounding young children due to repetition over a given period; (2) the surrounding young children question and feel discontent towards the cheating, and begin to point it out; (3) the cheater has this pointed out to them, and has the opportunity to consider the meaning and consequences of the actions; (4) the cheating behavior transforms gradually, not suddenly.

Keywords: cheating,  four-year-old and five-year-old children,  game,  episodic analysis

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Takafumi Hokii.  Establishment of Collaborative Activities among Young Children: An Analysis Using the Concept of Mentorship.

Research on Early Childhood Care and Education in Japan, 2015, 53(3), 261-272.

This study analyzes the establishment process of collaborative activities among young children from the daily social relationships perspective. The activities of five-year-old children in kindergarten were qualitatively ana- lyzed using the concept of “mentorship” advocated by Ripley and others. The results were as follows: (1) children participate in collaborative activities as a “peer group” that comprises of children who are fixed members in the play circle; (2) in peer groups, even if the goal of that activity is not shared by each child in the peer group, col- laboration is unexpectedly realized based on the interests of other children; and (3) the “carefree atmosphere” within the peer group makes interaction easier and leads to continuity in collaborative activities.

Keywords: young children,  collaborative activity,  relationship,  mentorship

,  peer group

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Sachie Suizu and Hiroo Matsumoto.  Kindergarten Teacher Interventions in Peer Conflict among Young Children: with a Focus on the Role of ‘Nagomase’ Interventions.

Research on Early Childhood Care and Education in Japan, 2015, 53(3), 273-283.

Th study examined the role of kindergarten teachers’ ‘nagomase’ interventions during confl among four-year- old children. Such interventions are not direct instructions for conflict resolution but indirect suggestions to the children (e.g. humor, physical contact & playing). In particular, we focused on peer interactions between children and teachers and analyzed these by an interpretive perspective based on the observational data from the kindergartens. Th main fi are as follows: 1) such interventions during peer confl function to break the ice, so that children are encouraged to look back on their confl and recognize their errors; 2) such interventions after peer confl func- tion to change the situation, so that the interventions contribute to children having continued peer interaction after the conflict.

Keywords: early childhood,  peer conflict,  teacher intervention

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Akari Tanaka.  Effects of Preschool Teachers’ Refraining from Getting Involved in 3 to 4-Year-Olds’ Emotion-Evoking Scenes.

Research on Early Childhood Care and Education in Japan, 2015, 53(3), 284-295.

To explore preschool teachers’ roles in child development, this study examined preschool teachers’ behaviors when children stumbled. Data were obtained from naturalistic observation and interviews. Teachers’ behaviors over the 2-year period (3-year-olds & 4-year-olds) were observed, as were interactions between twenty-six chil- dren and their teacher at a preschool. Results revealed that the teacher occasionally refrained from getting in- volved with 4-year-olds out of consideration for the development of the children’s emotions. Additional analysis of the effects of teachers’ behaviors showed that these behaviors could be classified under the following types: respecting the children’s feelings, helping the children to develop their own strengths, and building interpersonal relationships between the children. I therefore conclude that teachers’ refraining from getting involved enables the children to confront their own feelings, and offers them an opportunity to engage in emotional regulation.

Keywords: Observational method,  Emotion regulation,  Preschool teacher,  3 to 4-year-olds

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Takako Kawabe.  What Type of Children’s Play Ensures Development and Growth? : Attention should be Given to the “Context of Play”.

Research on Early Childhood Care and Education in Japan, 2015, 53(3), 296-305.

The goal of this report is to show that when considering child growth and development, it is necessary to un- derstand the cultural practices of play, and not only from a relational perspective.

Through cases where they interact with their surrounding environments, children are able to enhance the po- tential of those environments while creating the theme of the play and never ceasing to innovate the context of the play. This type of process ensures a high-quality type of play. It is important for educators to understand the subject and context of play and think of how to provide proper support.

Keywords: Play,  Quality of play,  Understanding children,  Subject of play,  Context of play

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