How Do Nursery School and Kindergarten Teachers Assess Their Experiences of Early Childhood Education and Care for Children with Special Needs?

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine how nursery school and kindergarten teachers assess their experiences of early childhood education and care for children including those with special needs. We interviewed 22 nursery school and kindergarten teachers and analyzed their narratives. These narratives included the binary oppositional structure "participation/non-participation". The result was that there were some practical suggestions about "events", "group activities", "environment creation" and "the presence of assistant teachers". In conclusion, the link was reconfirmed between children's learning and the immutable "watch over them (mimamoru) so they can feel at ease" nurturing style. I submit that a review of records and debates is necessary to create a cycle for deconstruction practices.