Sociocultural Learning in Young Childrens Worlds
This final paper is on a topic related to sociocultural learning in young children’s worlds. The Final Paper Topic is – What influence do parents and other supporters/mediators (children’s siblings, grandparents, teachers - Early Childhood Educators, community members, and friends) play in children’s sociocultural worlds and what impact do they have on their learning and development?
• This topic should relate to young children – the early years – The courses focus is research in Early Childhood Education.
• Learning Objectives -
o To reflect on the understanding that parents, children’s siblings, grandparents, teachers (ECEs), community members, and friends there are all numerous supporters in children’s sociocultural worlds who impact their learning and development.
o To recognize that young children engage simultaneously with the hybrid traditions of different sociocultural communities, enabling them to be active members of several distinct worlds
The instructions for this final paper are…
Please provide an Introduction to the topic, explain the Significance of the topic, and include a Rationale (why you believe this topic is important to the ECE field): 10 marks
Review of the Literature (a minimum of five references – books or journal articles), and suggest Implications for Practice in an early childhood environment: 10 marks
Conclusion & APA: 5 marks
This assignment should be approximately 10 pages including references (Times New Roman font, 12, 1.5 spacing, American Psychological Association [APA] format).
Here are some articles I came across. These are only suggestions…if you feel you have better resources please use them. I only have attachment for the first two.
Anderson, J. & Morrison, F. (2007). “A great program…for me as a gramma”: Caregivers evaluate a family literacy initiative. Canadian Journal of Education, 30(1), 68-89. http://www(dot)csse-scee(dot)ca/CJE/Articles/FullText/CJE30-1/CJE30-1-AndersonMorrison.pdf
Howe, N. & Recchia, H. (2006). Sibling relations and their impact on children's development. Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development, 1-8. www(dot)enfant-encyclopedie(dot)com/Pages/PDF/Howe-RecchiaANGxp.pdf
Gregory, E., Long, S., & Volk, D. (2004). A sociocultural approach to learning. In E. Gregory, S. Long, & D. Volk (Eds.), Many pathways to literacy: Young children learning with siblings, grandparents, peers, and communities (pp. 6-20). New York: RoutledgeFalmer.
Harkness, S. & Super, C.M (1992). Shared child care in East Africa: Sociocultural origins and development consequences. In M.E. Lamb, K.J. Sternberg, C.P. Hwang, & A.G. Broberg (Eds.), Child care in context (pp. 441-459). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Nsamenang, A.B. (1992). Human development in cultural context: A third-world perspective. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Rogoff, B. (1990). Apprenticeship in thinking: Cognitive development in social context. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Rogoff, B. (2003). The cultural nature of human development. New York: Oxford University Press.
Thank you for all your help! Please let me know if you have any questions or need more information. If you feel this is not a topic that you can help me with, please let me know ASAP. Thanks again!
Sociocultural Learning in Young Childrens Worlds
Name;
Institutional Affiliation;
Date
Introduction
The socio-cultural theory illustrates the manner in which a child’s development is closely tied and connected to social, cultural and historical elements that aid the process of learning. The rationale for this approach is in ensuring that children are connected and involved in social interactions and activities which have the capacity to shape and construct the mental processes of development. It is out of this that it would be essential to note that the socio-cultural ideologies are fundamental aspects in learning since it lays emphasis on the social interactions by learning.
In the contemporary society, children are growing in a rapidly changing environment that is harbored by several dramatic shifts in what children are expected to do and know. According to my philosophy that is firmly tied to the socio-cultural theories of Lev Vygotsky will be used in this paper to address the approaches and techniques that can be used in assisting children through their learning and developmental processes (Chen, Masur, & McNamee, 2011). According Vygotsky, there are several opportunities that provide for social interactions that are fundamental to a child’s learning. Vygotsky counts all social interactions as social learning opportunities whether this is derived and supported by parents, the family members, older and younger adults, teachers among other key players in the society.
A child’s interaction and participation in this area depict the manner in which they learn and the depth they have achieved in the learning process. Vygotsky in support of his ideologies founded theory rather known as the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) that allowed a child to conduct his/her learning. This area depicted the differences in what a child already knows and what they can discover given the needed assistance. Children learn best when given the needed support from other skilled learners or educators in an atmosphere that is conducive and infiltrated with learning resources and experiences including the proponents of social, cultural and historical influences.
It is, therefore, imperative to ascertain that a child’s connection and involvement in social interactions including some culturally controlled activities has the capacity to shape their mental development. The Sociocultural elements in learning purposefully focus on the frameworks as a fundamental source for learning since it lays importance to social interactions by instructing and communicating the learning needs of a child (Chen, et.al). These functions, therefore, play a vital role in Early Childhood Education since they determine a child’s development and learning. It is upon this foundation that this paper pursues avenues to determine typically the influences that parents and other mediators/supporters play in the sociocultural world of a child including the impact they have in their learning development.
Literature Review
Sociocultural Approaches to Educational
The Sociocultural approaches of learning share the ideology that the learning process of children and their development occur through historical activities mediated by the prospects of culture through experiences in which several key players guide the children in identifying the world around (Chen, Masur, & McNamee, 2011). This ideology alleges that each culture defines the activities its children engage in since they are considered valuable in their learning process and participation. In many times, opportunities are therefore tailor made in a manner that meets the developmental and abilities of children in an explicit manner. It is essential to note that the priorities of culture determents upon children’s participation that either occurs in formal or informal manner in which family members, teachers, peers, community members, and family members participate in enhancing the course of education on children.
A child’s engagement and participation in learning can be mediated through the use of language and guidance including technology that ranges from explicit instruction and observational opportunities. Through the participation in cultural activities, children are given the chance to negotiate the meaning of their cultures in which they are supposed to accept, reject or transform them. The social world therefore provides the children’s developing minds with mutual generated context that originates from the goals and contributions of the participants.
According to Vygotsky, the social and cultural contexts play a significant role in impacting the developing the psychological processes of a child. Through the social and cultural contexts, a child is provided with the essential tools that can aid the learning process (Chen, Masur, & McNamee, 2011). Through this, a child’s thought processes are changed through learning; a factor that changes his/her values, attitudes, behaviors and views. Vygotsky in his opinion alleged that culture remains one of the essential elements in the development of a child’s mind since it mediates the psychological tools that give a child an understanding of the world. In this, it is critical to note that different sociocultural contexts and conditions influence a child’s development differently.
The Sociocultural principle describes a process through which a child interacts with several elements in order to gain knowledge (Chen, Masur, & McNamee, 2011). When beginning a learning activity, a child would depend on other people with more knowledge in order to gain insights. After a period of time, the child will be in a position to take care of his/her increasing responsibilities in learning and participation in a joint activity that is characterized by a guided activity. This process depicts the manner in which the children acquired knowledge of their world.
The Role of Siblings in a Childs Learning
Nina & Holly (2006) alludes to the fact that close to 80% of the children from the Western countries have at least one sibling and considers the fact that a siblings relationship may last over an extended period of time, a factor that plays a critical role in the lives of the family unit. Considering the vast wealth in the relationship between the parents and their children, there has been relatively limited attention devoted to determining the role of siblings and their impact on one's development (p.1-6). Research studies have therefore been directed towards understanding the sibling relationships especially in early childhood, a factor that has immensely proved fruitful. It is, therefore, essential to underpin that siblings remain an integral element in a family unit.
In early childhood, it has been discovered that there are three distinctive characters in a sibling relationship. To begin with, siblings’ interactions remain emotionally charged since they are centrally weaved on strong, uninhibited emotions that are either viewed as of positive or negative ambivalent quality (Nina et.al). In addition to this, the relationship between siblings may be defined by intimacy since children in their early stages of life tend to spend more time playing together, thus knowing each other well. During this period, an opportunity may for providing emotional and instrumental support to each other may occur. It is also notable to heed that the relations that exist between siblings may also be characterized by individual differences in the quality of how children relate to each others.
Sibling relations have the capacity to provide an essential function in the development of a child understanding of his social, moral, emotional, and cognitive world (Gregory, Long, & Volk, 2004). In essence, children play a bigger role in the development of their understanding of their thoughts, emotions, beliefs and intentions. They tend to demonstrate an in-depth understanding of their peers minds during the process of interaction before they disclose an understanding of more of their formal assessments.
This understanding according to the author of this material is mostly revealed during periods when the children get into conflicts, tease one another, engage in pretence play and in cases where the utilize their mental language in conversations (Gregory, et.al). In a nutshell, the relationships between siblings remain one of the unusual laboratories through which children can gain knowledge about their world. It is also the safest and secure learning avenue that capacitates children to learn how to interact efficiently with others and how to manage their disagreements constructively. There are several op...