Teaching in ECE: Promoting children's language learning and cooperation on knowledge construction in everyday conversations in kindergarten

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.

► The teachers smiled, nodded and acknowledged the children's utterances.
► The children's utterances received few comments, they were seldom asked to expand on their answers.
► The interactions in this study yielded benefits for the children's self-esteem.
► Little evidence of children's learning how to use language to expand on ideas and to collaborate.