CHILDREN'S SYMBOLICAL SYSTEMS:
THE POWER OF EDUCATORS' BELIEFS AND BACKGROUNDS

Giorgia Dei
PhD candidate, Freie Universität, Berlin, giorgiad@zedat.fu-berlin.de

Abstract

This study is rooted in Emergent Literacy field, a process starting from the age of 2, during which children become able to understand and to produce symbols, before schooling. In particular, it is investigated the development of written numbers.

The aim was to find out the influence of educators' backgrounds and beliefs on children's paths toward writing of numerals.

The data was collected through questionnaires to educators, tests to children and observations of learning environment and practices during regular days at bilingual German-Italian kindergartens in Berlin. A qualitative analysis based on the principles of Grounded Theory has been conducted on data of observations and questionnaires. Besides, a reinforcing game involving the use of symbols permitted a comparison between two kindergartens in a quasi-experimental design.

The learning environment is resulted a factor affecting the children's path, considering both the different settings and the daily activities like expression of educators' beliefs. ,

Keywords: Preschool, Emergent Literacy, numbers writing.