Developmental trajectories of the Self in children during the transition from preschool to elementary school

Abstract

Abstract The aim of this paper is to discuss how do children co-construct their Self developmental trajectories, in the transition process from preschool to primary school. Two approaches, Dialogical Self Theory (DST) and Sociocultural Psychology, were the basis for the analysis. Methodologically, we developed a study about one year in the schooling context, with interviews, observations and semi-structured task of children, parents and teachers. Three children were selected for a microgenetic analysis, Helena, Giselle and Anderson. The analysis demonstrated, that children co-construct their Self developmental trajectories internalizing actively the cultural suggestions of significant social others and in the meaning-making process oriented to the emergence of I/self positionings . The children created, each on his/her way, signs or new I/self positionings to deal with the transition process.