This study is purposed to devise a praise activity program that aims to improve self-esteem and peer relationship of young children and to evaluate effects of the program. The study subjects are as shown below.
Firstly, what effects the praise act...
This study is purposed to devise a praise activity program that aims to improve self-esteem and peer relationship of young children and to evaluate effects of the program. The study subjects are as shown below.
Firstly, what effects the praise activity program have on self-esteem of
young children?
Secondly, what effects the praise activity program have on peer
relationship of young children?
In order to verify the above-said study subjects, this study selected young children of a kindergarten attached to the "P" elementary school and a kindergarten attached to the "K" elementary school located in Paju of Gyeonggido and conducted a test to evaluate self-esteem and peer relationship of them. young children who showed low-rank test results (50% from the bottom) were then divided into 15 young children in an experimental group and 15 in a control group.
After confirming homogeneity of these two groups, the praise activity program (8 sessions during 4 weeks) was conducted for young children in the experimental group in order to find out the effects of this program. This program, however, was not conducted to the control group. This program was composed of group activities. Considering the amount of time during which young children can concentrate their attention, each session of the program lasted less than 30 minutes. After carrying out the program, post test was conducted for these two groups. As to the data processing, statistical analysis based on t test was done using the SPSS program. In a bid to make up for limitations of quantitative data analysis, qualitative data analysis based on reaction of young children and observation by teachers was also conducted.
As to the testing tools of this study, the questionnaire, which revised Harter's and Pike's scale (1984) by Kim, Yeong-sook(1997), was used to verify self-esteem of young children. Also, the questionnaire, which was developed by Pettit, Dodge, and Brown(1988) and amended/revised by Seong, Hyeong-gon(2001) and Lee, Gyeong-jin(2005), was used to find out peer relationship of them.
Results of this study can be summarized as specified below.
First of all, dependant sample t test that was conducted for pre test and post test to verify self-esteem of the experimental group was done, and statistically significant difference was shown. In the sub test of the self-esteem test, "peer acceptance, mother acceptance, self acceptance, and physical ability" exhibited statistically significant difference, but "cognitive ability" showed no statistically significant difference. In other words, after carrying out the praise activity program, it was found out that positive effects were shown in the self-esteem of young children in the experimental group.
Secondly, dependant sample t test that was conducted for pre test and post test to verify peer relationship of the experimental group was done, and statistically significant difference was shown. In the sub test of the peer relationship test, "sociality, leadership, stability, competence, cooperation" showed statistically significant difference. That is, after carrying out the praise activity program, it was found out that positive effects were shown in the peer relationship of young children in the experimental group.
Thirdly, as a result of the analysis into reaction of young children and observation by teachers, it was found out that young children could discover positive aspects of them through the praise activity program. They could recognize value and preciousness in themselves. In addition, these young children participated in activities of kindergartens with confident attitude and showed active attitude during interactive activities with teachers and peers.
Taken together, test results showed that the praise activity program exerted positive influence over building self-esteem and making better peer relationship of young children. Therefore, this program is expected to help to improve self-esteem and peer relationship of young children.