The aim of the present study is to assess the role of educators’ interventions andcommunications in peer conflicts between preschoolers. Ninety-nine children (47females and 52 males) aged from zero to three years were observed in seven Italiannurseries during free-play, mealtime and structured activity. Their interactions (verbaland non-verbal behaviour) were video-recorded and transcribed. Event samplingwith continuous recording rules was followed and a conflict coding system was usedto analyse conflict episodes. Specifically, conflict antecedents, origins, unfolding,resolution, outcomes (solitary play, parallel play and together outcomes) and educators’intervention (direct, indirect or no intervention) were analysed. In addition, educators’communicative functions (tutorial, conversational, didactic, control and asynchronous)were assessed. Fifty-five peer conflicts emerged from analysis of the data, most of thembetween two males in the older group during free-play. Educators’ interventions wereassociated with a lower frequency of together outcomes and educators’ tutorialutterances, and with a higher frequency of educators’ control utterances. The studyemphasises the importance of a natural resolution of conflict and the role of theeducator as a “tutor” with children younger than three years old. It could, therefore,offer useful suggestions to educators, stimulating them to encourage a spontaneousresolution to conflict, and thus to promote children’s autonomy. Further research isneeded to clarify the influence of other variables, such as friendship relationships,contextual aspects (e.g. composition of the classes, composition of the group) andcultural aspects.
I conflitti tra bambini al nido. L’intervento dell’educatore durante i conflitti tra i bambini al nido: tra ostilità e riconciliazione
Majorano, Marinella
2015-01-01
Abstract
The aim of the present study is to assess the role of educators’ interventions andcommunications in peer conflicts between preschoolers. Ninety-nine children (47females and 52 males) aged from zero to three years were observed in seven Italiannurseries during free-play, mealtime and structured activity. Their interactions (verbaland non-verbal behaviour) were video-recorded and transcribed. Event samplingwith continuous recording rules was followed and a conflict coding system was usedto analyse conflict episodes. Specifically, conflict antecedents, origins, unfolding,resolution, outcomes (solitary play, parallel play and together outcomes) and educators’intervention (direct, indirect or no intervention) were analysed. In addition, educators’communicative functions (tutorial, conversational, didactic, control and asynchronous)were assessed. Fifty-five peer conflicts emerged from analysis of the data, most of thembetween two males in the older group during free-play. Educators’ interventions wereassociated with a lower frequency of together outcomes and educators’ tutorialutterances, and with a higher frequency of educators’ control utterances. The studyemphasises the importance of a natural resolution of conflict and the role of theeducator as a “tutor” with children younger than three years old. It could, therefore,offer useful suggestions to educators, stimulating them to encourage a spontaneousresolution to conflict, and thus to promote children’s autonomy. Further research isneeded to clarify the influence of other variables, such as friendship relationships,contextual aspects (e.g. composition of the classes, composition of the group) andcultural aspects.
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