{"id":35,"date":"2023-11-13T16:09:01","date_gmt":"2023-11-13T16:09:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accintroductiontoece\/chapter\/interaction-and-conversation-as-curriculum\/"},"modified":"2025-12-28T19:51:40","modified_gmt":"2025-12-28T19:51:40","slug":"interaction-and-conversation-as-curriculum","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/accintroductiontoece\/chapter\/interaction-and-conversation-as-curriculum\/","title":{"raw":"1.3: Interaction and Conversation as Curriculum","rendered":"1.3: Interaction and Conversation as Curriculum"},"content":{"raw":"
Interactions and conversations throughout the day model for young children the expected ways of communicating with and being with members of the group or community. Through how they interact and talk with young children and guide children\u2019s behavior, teachers support children in learning the code of behavior and the language of the education and care community. Children rely on family members and teachers to provide the experience of expected patterns of behavior, interactions, and language. At home, children experience interactions and language that are grounded in their family\u2019s culture. In the early care and education setting, they encounter what might be a different expected pattern of behavior, interaction, and language from what they experience at home.<\/p>\r\n
The following vignette offers an opportunity to learn from the children\u2019s point of view and to see what the teacher intentionally does to guide the children\u2019s thinking.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\r\n
\r\n
\r\n
Vignette<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n
\r\n
Mr. Ravi and his group of preschool children enter the play yard on Monday morning. As several children run to the sandbox, Vicente shouts with dismay, \u201cOh, look! Somebody ruined our fort and messed up all the hiding places we dug for our food! That was mean!\u201d Mr. Ravi comes over quickly to join them. He surveys the logs and boulders strewn around in the sand and notes the children\u2019s distress and sense of outrage.<\/p>\r\n
Mr. Ravi responds sympathetically, \u201cYou all spent so much time working together to build this last Friday. It does seem unfair that it has been destroyed. Do you have ideas about what to do?\u201d<\/p>\r\n
Vicente suggests, \u201cI know! We can make it over again and then you can write a sign that says, \u2018Keep Out. This is OUR fort.\u2019\u201d The other children agree.<\/p>\r\n
Mr. Ravi says, \u201cIt sounds like you have a plan to rebuild and protect your project. I know that Marcos can write words and likes to make signs. Why don\u2019t you ask him if he would be willing to make the sign you need?\u201d The children agree with this idea, and Mr. Ravi accompanies them to talk to Marcos, who sits alone on the stairs. \u201cThis is going to take a lot of teamwork,\u201d comments Mr. Ravi.<\/p>\r\n
\u201cYeah, but we\u2019re getting really good at teamwork,\u201d responds Vicente confidently.[1]<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
\r\n
Reflection Question<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n
\r\n\r\nIn what ways does Mr. Ravi's intentional inclusion of Marcos (who sits alone) demonstrate an understanding of social-emotional development and community building, and how might this strategy impact both Marcos' sense of belonging and the other children's understanding of inclusive practices?\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
This experience illustrates what is referred to as a teachable moment. It was not planned, and the teacher had no way of knowing that it was going to occur. It was a spontaneous encounter, but when planning at an earlier time, the teacher had wondered whether one like it would occur and had considered how he would respond in such a moment. Having in mind how to respond to various situations, especially moments of conflict or misunderstanding, emerges from the reflective curriculum planning that early childhood teachers do. It also allows the teacher to think about how to include a child who was not participating with other children and may not have had the social skills to join the group on his own. Knowledge of group dynamics helped the teacher be aware of opportunities to connect Marcos with his peers.<\/p>\r\n
Here is another example of how a teacher is supporting learning. In this classroom, the children speak four different languages.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\r\n
\r\n
\r\n
Vignette<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n
All the children are playing outdoors, and the teachers have set up a board with openings in different shapes (e.g., circle, square, triangle, rectangle). Jasmine, a child who speaks Farsi, is looking toward the board and appears interested. Mr. Li gestures to Jasmine to come closer and picks up a beanbag. He models for Jasmine how to throw the beanbag toward the board at the different openings. While he throws the beanbag with an underhanded motion, he simultaneously says, \u201cLook, Jasmine, I swing my arm and throw the beanbag.\u201d Mr. Li repeats the physical action several times while simultaneously describing his actions. He then encourages Jasmine to try it. When Jasmine picks up the beanbag, Mr. Li smiles and repeats, \u201cSwing your arm and throw. That\u2019s the way to do it, Jasmine!\u201d[2]<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
\r\n
\r\n
Reflection Question<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n
\r\n\r\nHow does Mr. Li use multiple scaffolding strategies (gestures, modeling, verbal description, and repetition) to support Jasmine's learning despite potential language barriers, and what does this approach reveal about effective instructional practices for dual language learners?\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
This type of reflective curriculum planning may not show up in daily or weekly posted written plans. Through planning, teachers are able to anticipate interactions and conversations in which they may help children think about how to solve a problem or resolve a dispute, or support children in learning a new language. Early childhood curriculum includes principles and approaches for how teachers can support young children in learning English when their home language is not English (CDE 2010a, 177\u2013223.)<\/p>\r\n
Early childhood curriculum also includes principles and approaches for intervening when conflicts between children arise (CDE 2010a, 67\u201368). Some of what teachers do to plan such a curriculum is written into the daily or weekly plans, but much of it occurs during teachable moments, in which teachers already have in mind a clear plan for what to do, how to do it, and when to do it<\/i>.\u00a0<\/b>Even so, the moments when teachers apply their plans are not known to them in advance. The principles and approaches addressed in the frameworks necessarily go beyond a series of planned activities.<\/p>\r\n
For Example:<\/p>\r\n
A teacher watches an infant who is on the verge of being able to crawl. The child focuses her gaze on a desired yet distant object and attempts to move toward it. Despite her effort, she barely budges. The teacher watches the infant\u2019s expression of delight change to a frown and tears welling up in the baby\u2019s eyes. The teacher knows to move closer to the child and offer words of encouragement. The teacher\u2019s attentive presence, calm voice, and look of encouragement reassure the child, help her focus her attention, and prompt her to sustain her efforts. Feeling connected with the teacher and emotionally secure, the child is ready to try again, moves forward on all fours, and looks at the teacher with an expression of glee and surprise.[3]<\/i><\/p>\r\n \r\n
These examples illustrate how teachers support children in negotiating projects, in building language skills, or in trying a challenging physical movement. Such examples are integral to daily life in an early childhood education and care setting. Teachers keep in mind concepts and skills described in the foundations and apply strategies and approaches presented in the frameworks, as they engage in interactions and conversations that occur within unplanned yet curriculum-rich teachable moments. In the two preceding examples, the teachers supported children\u2019s learning in an intentional way, yet their responses and strategies were not spelled out ahead of time in their written plans. Nevertheless, the teachers know that such interactions and conversations are important components of the curriculum in early childhood settings.[4]<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\r\n
Watch this!<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n
\r\n\r\nThis is a conversation with Macy Vierra, an early childhood educator at Wolf Ranch Elementary, as we explore what makes for successful interactions with Pre-K students in this video,\u00a0Early Childhood Education: The Power of Interactions <\/strong>(3:43 minutes)\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n[embed]https:\/\/youtu.be\/ePkuGdX_np8?si=pfOMORZB6vM1e3gk[\/embed]\r\n
\r\n
References<\/h2>\r\n
[1]\u00a0California Preschool Program Guidelines\u00a0by the\u00a0California Department of Education\u00a0is used with permission<\/p>\r\n
[2]\u00a0California Preschool Program Guidelines\u00a0by the\u00a0California Department of Education\u00a0is used with permission<\/p>\r\n
[3]\u00a0California Preschool Program Guidelines\u00a0by the\u00a0California Department of Education\u00a0is used with permission<\/p>\r\n
[4]\u00a0California Preschool Program Guidelines\u00a0by the\u00a0California Department of Education\u00a0is used with permission<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n