Hello Friends! : 国際教育交流活動の実践記録からグローバルな保育を考究する<教育科学>

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The role of ‘Education for International Understanding’ has garnered a great deal of attention in modern globalised society. With the cooperation of parents, this study examined the records of an international exchange activity conducted in Japanese kindergartens and found that adopting a new approach to childcare can encourage multi-cultural competencies. Multi-cultural competency refers to the ability to overcome differences between people, based on background and belief in order for new values to emerge.It is an indispensable quality for Japanese children when competing in a multi-cultural society where, in the future, they may be expected to work with people who belong to different cultures or speak different languages. This study examined the effects of cultivating multi-cultural competencies through records of an exchange programme called ‘Teddy Bear Exchange Project (TBP)’. In this programme, a stuffed animal was sent back and forth for home-stay between Japan and the United Kingdom. A narrative assessment was conducted among children and teachers who participated in the programme to monitor changes in cultural awareness and teaching method. The effects on other learning activities were also investigated. The study found that (1) commencement of this activity, introduced to allow children from Japan and the United Kingdom to get to know each other, led to the establishment of a barrier-free language environment; (2) by learning through the experiences of a travelling stuffed animal, participants acquired first-hand knowledge that was not filtered by the school curriculum and (3) through participation in this activity, teachers positively responded to further education and improvement in teaching quality. Experience derived from an international education exchange activity such as this is particularly valuable in Japan, where multi-cultural interactions are not always possible. The introduction of a stuffed animal from overseas has brought about a new wave of learning for both school and families. New ideas and experiences gained from this series of activities have led to better quality childcare through the cultivation of multi-cultural competencies in children, teachers and parents. Therefore, to cultivate multi-cultural competencies, children must venture beyond the framework of the school curriculum to participate in education exchanges that enable learning about life in the real world. In conclusion, the ‘Teddy Bear Exchange Project’ has been found to be an effective multi-cultural educational tool.

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