Verbal Communication in Museum Programs for Young Children: Perspectives From Greece and the U.K.

Abstract

This comparative study explores the verbal communication between museum educators and young children, based on principles of developmental psychology. In early developmental stages, when student learning is greatly dependent on verbal communications from the teacher, observation skills may be developed through purposeful instruction. Through the example of instructional strategies used during educational museum visits, the author illustrates the approach to guided instruction for observation. The approach uses the “child as a scientist model” to question established power relationships between adults and children in museum programs to ensure children's autonomous participation and choice in educational settings. Such relationships are akin to that of early childhood education institutions. These considerations are significant in understanding and ensuring children's rights in educational environments—rights to make decisions and express opinions about children's individual needs, interests, and situations.

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Acknowledgments

This work has been made possible thanks to the financial support of the Special Account for Research (ELKE) of the University of Crete, Greece in 2011 (KA 3208).

Notes

¹ The age range of children attending an early childhood education institution before primary school varies among countries. In this study, the activities observed were for children age 3-6 years.