Understanding the Reggio Emilia-inspired literacy education: A meta-ethnographic study
Reggio Emilia-inspired literacy education
Abstract
The Reggio Emilia pedagogy is compatible with literacy education goals. However, just a few detailed accounts have been published about how literacy instruction is integrated into the Reggio Emilia-inspired preschools. The study adopted qualitative research design and aimed to fill this gap by conducting a meta-ethnographic study by examining and synthesizing various studies done on play-based emergent literacy education in Reggio Emilia inspired-preschools. The study adopted Noblit and Hare’s 7 steps meta-ethnography method, including interpretations and syntheses of various studies. Since the meta-ethnography method involves cumulative synthesis through induction, the current research employed synthesis of 24 studies by analyzing in-depth, and then synthesizing the studies comparatively and cumulatively, maintaining links among the synthesis and then creating hypotheses and implications for teachers and parents accordingly. The emerged theme was discussed along with the sub-themes, namely philosophy, practices, and evidence. Each sub-theme was scrutinized in detail during the data analysis. It was found that play-based education in Reggio Emilia-inspired preschools successfully accomplished healthy literacy development covering all the links (cognitive, psychological, ecological, social and sociocultural perspectives) between play and literacy. Early childhood educators and parents were advised to take children’s interests and needs into consideration to provoke literacy-related plays and to set up the literacy-enriched climate, where children could reach materials easily, had time and space to interact with them, and had adult and peer assistance to enrich their literacy-play activities. By using multiple literacies (100 Languages) and making literacy learning enjoyable and fun, play guarantees young children’s early attempts at literacy to be successful. In short, the study illustrated that literacy was reconceptualised in a new and effective way in Reggio-inspired preschools compared to traditional literacy education in other preschools and it was found that what makes the Reggio Emilia-inspired experiences special was the whole approach to literacy instruction.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2020 International Journal of Curriculum and Instruction
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Submission of an article implies that the work described has not been published previously (except in the form of an abstract or as part of a published lecture or academic thesis), that it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere, that its publication is approved by all authors and tacitly or explicitly by the responsible authorities where the work was carried out, and that, if accepted, will not be published elsewhere in the same form, in English or in any other language, without the written consent of the Publisher. The Editors reserve the right to edit or otherwise alter all contributions, but authors will receive proofs for approval before publication.
Copyrights for articles published in International Journal of Curriculum and Instruction are retained by the authors, with first publication rights granted to the journal. The journal/publisher is not responsible for subsequent uses of the work. It is the author's responsibility to bring an infringement action if so desired by the author.
