Abstract
This article focuses on the initiatives taken by children and the responses given by professional adults with regard to the pedagogy of enhancing peer interaction among diverse learners. The study took place in four integrated special groups of public early childhood education. In groups of this kind, typically developing children and those with special educational needs (SEN) spent time together on a daily basis. We analysed 12 videotaped play sessions with 33 (3- to 6-year-old) children and 10 adults to examine the children’s initiatives, the adults’ responses, and the consequences that ensued. The study revealed verbal and nonverbal initiatives followed by a variety of responses scaffolding the children’s interaction and participation. However, the nonverbal or faint initiatives, especially those taken by the children with SEN, were at risk of being unnoticed or ignored. These findings call for professional reflection on pedagogical sensitivity in recognizing and responding to the initiatives of children.
Highlights
Peer interactions in early childhood education (ECE) groups, as well in mainstream and special education, can be compromised because of individual needs and characteristics of the children involved
We found that, notwithstanding the successful pedagogical practices aimed at interactions in play, professionals missed some of the initiatives, in particular those taken by children identified as having special needs
Functional-verbal initiatives were taken by children who were active in playing but might have had limited verbal abilities: the functional part was emphasized
Summary
Peer interactions in early childhood education (ECE) groups, as well in mainstream and special education, can be compromised because of individual needs and characteristics of the children involved. According to Kronqvist (2004), initiatives, responses, fostering new initiatives, and shared meanings form a continuum of collaboration among children. In this paper we were interested in children’s initiatives and the importance of professional adults’ reactions and responses to those initiatives with regard to enhancing peer interaction. The study was conducted in four integrated special groups in Finland.. Carried out in the context of early childhood special education (ECSE), the study is situated within the framework of inclusive early childhood education in which the goal is to increase social interactions among diverse learners (see Terpstra and Tamura 2008).
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