In order to promote early childhood traditional culture education using picture books, this study analyzed the contents of picture books utilized at early childhood education institutions and surveyed kindergarten and childcare center teachers’ perc...
In order to promote early childhood traditional culture education using picture books, this study analyzed the contents of picture books utilized at early childhood education institutions and surveyed kindergarten and childcare center teachers’ perception of early childhood traditional culture education based on picture books. Thus this study aimed to provide basic information for teachers at kindergartens and childcare centers to utilize picture books effectively in early childhood traditional culture education. For this purpose, we set research questions as follows. Question 1: How are the contents of traditional culture contained in picture books utilized for early childhood education institutions?
Question 2: How do kindergarten and childcare center teachers’ perception of early childhood traditional culture education utilizing picture books?
In order to answer Question 1, we analyzed 135 picture books related to traditional culture education selected from the book lists of 28 early childhood education institutions in D City, and for Question 2, we surveyed 130 teachers
at childcare centers and kindergartens in D City.
As to instruments used in this study, for Question 1, we classified the sampled picture books using the content classification system for early childhood traditional culture education and according to the contents of life
theme ‘My Country’ the kindergarten curriculum. For Question 2, we prepared a questionnaire by revising and supplementing the questionnaires used in ‘A Study on Teachers’ Perception and Execution of Early Childhood Tradition Education’ (Jeon Gyeong‐hwa, 2000) and ‘A Study on the Current State and Activation of Traditional Culture Education in Kindergarten’ (Ko Min‐yeong,
2004) through literature review, preliminary survey, and face validity test by two specialists in early childhood education.
The results of this study are summarized as follows.
First, the contents of early childhood traditional culture education in picture books utilized at kindergartens and childcare centers were categorized into
‘traditional art,’ ‘traditional life,’ ‘seasonal customs,’ and ‘traditional plays’ in order of volume. Among the sub‐categories of each category, ‘traditional
literature’ under ‘traditional art’ occupied the largest portion in picture book contents.
In addition, according to the contents of picture books owned by early childhood education institutions, the largest number of picture books were classified to be usable in ‘Appreciating Korean old stories’ among the subthemes of kindergarten life theme ‘My Country.’
Second, with regard to the necessity of early childhood traditional culture education using picture books, most of the teachers recognized its necessity,
and with regard to the degree of the utilization of picture books in early childhood traditional culture education, they replied ‘Utilize’ or ‘Utilize frequently.’ With regard to the effect of using picture books in traditional culture education, they replied ‘Highly effective’ or ‘Effective.’
As to the time for early childhood traditional culture education, they executed such traditional culture education in connection to specific life themes or in special events, showing that traditional culture is emphasized
limitedly in special events or in connection to specific life themes.
In order to recognize the importance of early childhood traditional culture education and execute it properly at early childhood education institutions, the right selection and utilization of picture books are required first. For this, the
analysis and classification of picture book contents for early childhood traditional culture education may be helpful for many teachers to execute early childhood traditional culture education efficiently using picture books.