Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the continuation of literacy education from kindergarten to elementary school in the mid-Meiji era, focusing on the abolition of literacy education in kindergarten. This study first analyzed how Froebel’s literacy education theory was adopted to Japanese kindergarten by reffering the theories of Nobuhachi Konishi and Goroku Nakamura. Froebel's literacy education theory emphasized that literacy education should be based on children’s interest using the Froebel’s gifts. However, educational focus shifted from an interest-based to compulsory subject. Later in the Meiji 20’s, literacy education was terminated in the kindergarten affiliated to Tokyo Women’s Normal School, resulting in the disconnection of kindergarten and elementary school in terms of literacy education.
