The purpose of this study is to examine how five-year-old children participating in cooperative play form relationships with their peers. The following research questions were addressed to understand and explain the features of peer relationships form...
The purpose of this study is to examine how five-year-old children participating in cooperative play form relationships with their peers. The following research questions were addressed to understand and explain the features of peer relationships formed in cooperative play.
First, how do five-year-old children in the class called "Haneulban" perform cooperative play?
Second, what sort of peer relationship do five-year-old children in the class called "Haneulban" during cooperative play?
Third, how do five-year-old children in the class called "Haneulban" maintain cooperative play with peers and resolve conflicts with them?
The subjects of this study included 29 five-year-old children (16 boys and 13 girls) enrolled in H kindergarten in Seoul. The researcher observed the participants a total of 37 times, two to three times per week from October 11th, 2010 to January 22nd, 2011, and interviewed the children and their patents. Data collection was done through jotting down quick notes, taking photos and videos, interviews, and collecting related documents. For data analysis, the record of participation observation, the record of interview and related documents were analyzed by types and then categorized accordingly.
These findings are summarized as follows.
First, children in the class called "Haneulban" did cooperative play in the following order: forming a peer relationship; shifting from "I" to "We"; and sharing delight in achievement.
The children formed peer relationships at the initial stage of cooperative play in the following two ways: forming a peer relationship individually by expressing interests in the play other children are doing; openly looking for peers who want to play with them.
The plays in which children often formed peer relationships individually included constructive play in the area of block play, board games, formative art activity and activity involving a computer. Children individually formed relationships with their peers by showing interests in the play the peers were doing. Only those who gained approval from the peers could join the play. Children could gain approval from the peers when they were close to the peers, provided a good idea about the play or had some previous experience they could share with the peers.
Children openly look for peers who want to play with them, largely when they wanted to do outdoor activity or doll play. As far as the children in the class "Haneulban" were concerned, girls openly looked for peers who want to play with them more frequently than boys. Children formed relationships with peers who showed interest in the play they suggested, and then initiated the play.
In the stage of shifting from "I" to "We," setting a theme, assigning roles and elaborating play were done.
The theme of play was set depending on the type of play or peers' suggestions. The experiences children gained from books, the Internet, television, home and community composed themes of play.
Roles were assigned using the following methods: the one who applies for a role earlier than other children take the role; rock-paper-scissors; and one child assigns roles as he wants. The first method was used when children was familiar with the theme of play, and the second when conflicts occurred among children. The third was used when the leader-follower relationship was formed among children.
Play was elaborated as children shared their thoughts, knowledge and information and applied new ideas to the play. They had discussion, exchanged opinions to develop new things and expanded their thoughts to solve problems in a creative way.
In the stage of sharing delight in accomplishment, children boasted of the outcome of their efforts and expressed delight. The outcome made them acknowledged by peers and led them to express their feelings.
Second, the peer relationship formed in cooperative play turned out to be collaborative and power-based relationship.
Collaborative relationships among children helped them to understand and expand play. Doing cooperative play with peers, they ceaselessly suggested and shared ideas, elaborating the play. On the other hand, some collaborative relationships helped peers emotionally, leading them to feel a sense of belonging and actively participate in cooperative play. The collaborative relationship that supports the play of peers was largely formed among children with mild temperaments or among close friends.
When a power-based relationship was formed among children, a leader forcedly made other children continue play. Power-based relationships formed in cooperative play led children to exercise their physical power over other weaker children during the play.
Third, children used social skills to maintain peer relationships in cooperative play. They used various strategies to make their opinions accepted by peers during the play and to resolve conflicts with peers caused by disturbance to the play.
During cooperative play, children made efforts to maintain peer relationships using strategies such as consideration, concession, help and praise. This experience helped children to enjoy play without isolating anyone, leading them to learn naturally how to get socialized. Especially, the pleasure gained from cooperation encouraged children to do more cooperative play and strengthened the cohesion among them, leading them to maintain peer relationships.
During play, conflicts occurred among children when some children's opinions were not accepted or the play was disturbed. They resolved the conflicts using various strategies such as controlling their emotions, using an alternative method, seeking help from a teacher. They maintain peer relationships by diagnosing the cause of conflicts and finding solutions to them. Some children sought help from a teacher to resolve a conflict. However, when the teacher tried to resolve it regardless of the context in which the children played, he often ended up creating another conflict among the children without resolving the previous one.