2018 年 60 巻 3 号 p. 138-155
The purpose of this research is to identify differences and commonalities in reading instruction between Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Primary School Education (PSE),and to examine how teachers can assist their
children smoothly transit from ECE to PSE. Two ECE and PSE teachers respectively participated in Japan,the U.S.
and Belgium.In total twelve classes were audio-recorded and field notes were taken under natural observation. There were differences and commonalities in strategies of each country and they displayed various transition issues. For example,in the U.S.,there were more commonalities between ECE and PSE than in the other countries. However,there were differences in learning content,it was suggested that there was sequence and stepwise from ECE to PSE. PSE teachers taught higher reading skills than in the other countries by using the same learning style and type of language as in ECE. In Belgium,the learning content,style,and type of language was similar to the U.S.in ECE,however,PSE seemed to encourage their children to read a textbook by themselves,then they tended to prepare much easier content than those in ECE. In Japan,there were the big differences in type of language and learning style between ECE and PSE teachers seemed to adjust learning content to the same level as in ECE and demand desirable classroom behavior.
The outcome of this research suggests that there are pros and cons in school transition of each country,and incorporating the other countriesʼ“good”practices will be one clue of achievement of smoother transition.