Children’s ideas about their world: a study exploring the hundred languages of children and how educators support them

Abstract

Children are capable, competent, and intelligent members of the early years community (Edwards, 2011; Fyfe, 2011, Ontario Ministry of Education, 2014 & 2016, Wexler, 2004). The purpose of this research study is to explore the ideas children are developing about their world and how their educators support them in their discoveries. This qualitative mini-ethnographic case study investigates how children represent their understandings by considering the Reggio Emilia pedagogical strategy of the hundred languages of children and its connection to how children generate, test, and/or confirm their ideas about the world around them. The participants included 30 children and 7 educators from a Reggio Emilia inspired early learning setting. Data sources included educator interviews, video-based observations of the learning environments, and through-the-window observations. All data was collected at a distance due to COVID 19 protocols limiting in-person research. A qualitative analysis of the data revealed that the children were actively exploring a vast number of ideas about their world and used repeated actions in the form of play schemas to support their investigations to make further connections. Educators supported the children by preparing the classroom environment with purposeful materials, providing educator assisted/provoked experiences, engaging in positive interactions, supporting their safety and welfare, and participating in ongoing professional development. Considering the main findings of this research, the author offers three key conclusions as take-aways. These conclusions include the themes of power between the educator and the children in the learning environment, relationships between the children and their educators, their peers, and the learning environment, and risk taking among the children.