Sharing attention and activities among toddlers: the spatial dimension of the setting and the educator's role

The study proposes an analysis of the processes through which the material and symbolic features of the setting and the activities of the educators interact to determine the children's experience in an early educational centre. This analysis is of particular interest with regard to both educati...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inEuropean early childhood education research journal Vol. 19; no. 2; pp. 207 - 221
Main Authors Musatti, Tullia, Mayer, Susanna
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Abingdon Routledge 01.06.2011
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Subjects
Child Behavior
Child Care
Child Development
Classroom Design
Classroom Environment
Cognition & reasoning
Cognitive Development
Early Childhood Education
early educational centre
Educational Practices
educator's role
Environmental Influences
Foreign Countries
group play activities
independent locomotion
Interaction
Italy
Learning Activities
Preschool children
Preschool Teachers
Psychomotor Skills
Social interaction
spatial arrangement
Teacher Role
Teachers
Toddlers
Video Technology
Young Children
Italy
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Summary:The study proposes an analysis of the processes through which the material and symbolic features of the setting and the activities of the educators interact to determine the children's experience in an early educational centre. This analysis is of particular interest with regard to both educational practice and understanding developmental processes during children's second year of life. During this period, important changes occur in children's interaction with the environment in its physical and social components, on the basis of their cognitive development as well as of their acquired capacity to independent locomotion. Two examples will be presented that illustrate how the educators' activities and the spatial arrangement of the setting combine and interact with toddlers' recently acquired independent locomotion in sustaining their cognitive engagement and social encounters during their daily routine in an educational centre. The discussion of the examples opens new perspectives for understanding early sociality in a group situation and for innovating educational practices.
ISSN:1350-293X
1752-1807
DOI:10.1080/1350293X.2011.574408