摘要

文章回顧了在中國大陸發生的三次幼稚園課程變革，闡述了西方學前教育思潮對變革所起的推波助瀾作用。在反思西方思潮對變革的影響時，文章提出了要對價值無涉與價值有涉、宏大理論與地域知識、教育品質和教育公平以及學術研究與實踐研究等問題進行深入思考，並指出要在縱觀課程變革的歷史和經驗，橫觀中國經濟、政治、文化等領域發展的基礎上把握幼稚園課程變革的發展方向。

關鍵詞：西方學前教育思潮；中國幼稚園課程改革；反思

Abstract

This paper reviews three main kindergarten curriculum reforms in the Chinese mainland, and explicates the important role of western thought in driving those reforms in early childhood education. When reflecting on the influence of western thought on the reforms, the paper examines the following issues: value-free vs. value-related education, macro theories vs. local knowledge, quality education vs. equity in education, and academic research vs. practical study. It also points out that discussion about development orientations of Chinese kindergarten curriculum reform should be based not only on an overview of curriculum reform history and experience, but also on an understanding of the development of Chinese economy, politics and culture as a foundation for reform.

摘要

本研究主要探討台灣近年幼托機構課程模式的發展趨勢。研究者採用文獻分析法，從課程就是敘事文本的觀點，分析台灣具代表性之幼教專業團體「中華民國幼兒教育改革研究會」於1997–2007年會發表之論文及課程記實。研究發現台灣的幼托機構在1980年前大多採用台灣省政府所發行的單元活動設計為統一教材，部分也採用坊間出版之讀本為補充教材；換言之，幼兒園的課程模式以扮演「別人的故事」為主。1980年至2000年間台灣幼兒園陷入才藝分科、認知取向和美語教學的課程迷思，大量採用現成教材，教室內仍以扮演「別人的故事」居多。然而研究者分析文獻發現，近年來部分幼托機構已開始採用以學習者為主體的課程模式，教室內扮演「我們的故事」有逐年增加的發展趨勢。

關鍵詞：幼兒教育；課程模式；敘事文本

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to examine the developmental trend for a curriculum model in the preschools in Taiwan from the perspective of understanding the curriculum in narrative text. The research analyzes the reference papers and documents presented in the annual conference of the Taiwan Association of Early Childhood Education Reform from 1997 to 2007. It was found that before 1980, most of the preschools adopted teaching materials already published by the Taiwan government or the private sector for classroom teaching instead of developing their own materials. In other words, children experienced “other people’s stories” more in the early childhood settings in Taiwan. From 1980–2000, the curriculum was still largely based on “other people’s stories” in the preschools, due to the public’s misconception about an arts-related and cognitively-oriented curriculum as well as developments in early foreign language learning and the adoption of ready-made teaching materials. However, it was found in narrative texts that recently, the trend has been increasingly switched to a more learner-centered orientation curriculum model, and preschool classrooms in Taiwan now tell “our stories” a lot more.

Abstract

Early childhood education has long been recognised globally and locally as significant in laying the foundations for lifelong learning and all-round personal development. The same recognition is prominent in the education reform proposals of Hong Kong. To facilitate kindergarten teachers to design quality curricula, several government bodies issued curriculum related documents to serve teachers as guidelines. A study of these government-published materials reveals a degree of consistency among them in terms of what the government expects of the kindergarten curriculum, despite the fact that their publication spans the two decades 1984 to 2006. This paper, divided into two parts, attempts to analyse the aforementioned documents from three broad, multiple curriculum perspectives. The first part will cover the categories and questions inherent in a Tylerian perspective. The second part will cover the notion of Schwab’s practical perspective and associated curricular “commonplaces” (teacher, student, subject matter and milieus) (Reid, 2006), which address related pedagogical questions such as what, when, how, why, to whom, and by whom (Heydon & Wang, 2006). Finally, we shall offer some comments from critical perspectives.

Keywords: early childhood education curriculum; Tylerian perspective; Schwab’s curricular “commonplaces”; critical perspectives; Hong Kong

摘要

幼兒教育素被視為終身學習與全人發展的一個重要基礎。它的重要性亦在香港的教育改革中被認定。為了確保幼稚園的課程質素，教育局等政府部門印製了不同的文件以供老師參考。這些課程文件反映出政府對幼稚園課程的期望在這些年來是一致的。本文分為兩個部分，並嘗試從三種廣義的課程觀去分析上述文件：第一部分是以經典的泰勒式課程觀去分析；第二部分是以施瓦布的實用性課程觀去討論；最後，我們將從批判的視角出發評論這些文件。

摘要

記憶中文字的最好方法是學習字形結構，因為中文字形結構帶有很多視覺訊息提示。研究對象為178位三至六歲兒童，透過是項研究，驗證對稱性和非對稱性中文字的視覺特徵是能幫助兒童記憶中文字，並從中比較不同年齡兒童對中文字的視覺記憶之分別。結果顯示無論是對稱字還是非對稱字，幼兒班的正確率都偏低，證明他們未能從視覺記憶中辨識正確的中文字。低班和高班在對稱字的正確率則高於非對稱字，顯示他們已開始從視覺特徵識別中文字的特性。

關鍵詞：學前兒童；中文字；字形結構；視覺記憶

Abstract

The present study investigates the influence of perceptual experience on lexical processing of Chinese characters. One hundred and seventy-eight children, aged three to six, participated in two visual memory tasks. In Task 1, children were asked to recall a list of characters with symmetrical structure, and in Task 2, they had to identify characters with asymmetrical structure. The results from the two experiments indicated that there were significant symmetrical structural effects in children’s recall. Effects from age differences were found, indicating that perceptual information in Chinese characters was utilized by preschool children of different ages in different ways in the character acquisition process.

Abstract

Most psychological studies on the learning of Chinese characters assume that children can easily analyze a character into its semantic and phonetic radicals. Rather than this, the present study explores how 17 Grade One to Three children actually went about reading and writing a number of whole characters unknown to them. The major findings are: First, the children indeed were able to make use of the semantic and phonetic radicals to infer the meaning and sound of an unknown character. Second, a major problem of the children is to erroneously use a component other than the semantic radical to make inferences about the meaning of an unknown character. Third, the children on the basis of the sound of the phonetic radical mistook an unknown character as another character homophonous to the sound. Fourth, the children less often made use of their knowledge about the semantic radicals in the task of writing an unknown character than that of reading.

Keywords: learning Chinese characters; semantic and phonetic radicals; children’s errors

摘要

有關學習漢字的心理研究，一般都預設：兒童很容易就能夠把一個漢字拆分為義符與聲符。本研究摒除這樣的預設，以十七名小一至小三兒童為對象，探討他們究竟怎樣認讀與書寫陌生的完整字形。結果發現：一、兒童確實能夠運用字形中包含的部件，來猜測字義與字音。二、兒童分析字形的困難，其實是誤用並非義符的部件來推測字義。三、兒童也會誤以聲符的讀音，錯認字形為另一同音字。四、當兒童書寫字形時，亦較少運用自己已有對義符的知識。

摘要

長短、高矮、深淺、粗細、厚薄、寬窄這組概念，有什麼共同的特徵？有什麼因素在變化？本文從符號學理論出發，介紹一種鷹架兒童運用「長度符號」概括和建構這組概念的方法，並探討這方法對於促進兒童理解和運用數學符號的作用和對於促進兒童數量概括能力發展的深層含義。

關鍵詞：長度符號；概括能力；鷹架策略

Abstract

What is the common characteristic and differences among the concepts of “long and short”, “tall and short”, “deep and shallow”, “bold and fine”, “thick and thin”, and “wide and narrow”? A method of scaffolding children’s use of “length symbols” to construct related concepts was examined in this study. From the perspective of semiotics, we discuss the effectiveness of this method in stimulating children to a better understanding of the usage of mathematical symbols. We also explore the in-depth implications of the method on promoting children’s development in quantity grouping and mathematical logical thinking.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine whether a socio-emotional programme (Zippy’s Friends) had significant short-term effects on the children who participated in it, when compared with children in a control group who did not participate in the programme. Ten kindergartens were invited to participate in the study. There were totally 139 kindergarten children (5–6.25 years old) in the experimental group. The control group consisted of 128 kindergarten children (4.5–7 years old). Results show that the Zippy’s Friends Programme has significant short-term effects on helping kindergarten children to use more coping strategies to cope with everyday adversities. Teachers also found that the programme had changed their perceptions of children and improved classroom communication and has helped them to have a better understanding of children’s emotional needs.

Keywords: coping; stress; socio-emotional programme

摘要

本研究旨在探討一個社交情緒教育課程（「比比和朋友」）對兒童的短期影響。研究邀請了十所幼稚園參與此計劃。實驗組包括139名五至六歲的兒童。控制組包括128名同齡兒童。結果顯示「比比和朋友」課程能有效地幫助兒童發展應對逆境的能力。參與這計劃的老師表示這計劃改變了他們對兒童的看法，改善了課堂上師生之溝通，以及幫助他們更明白兒童的情緒需要。

摘要

有效的幼兒檔案評價是提高幼稚園教育品質的重要途徑。通過問卷調查與觀察，我們發現當前幼兒檔案評價實施過程中主要存在以下問題：比較重視眼前的效果而忽視長遠效益、比較忽視幼兒及家長對檔案評價的參與和利用、檔案評價資訊收集與利用與教育教學過程聯繫不緊密等等。如何科學認識幼兒檔案評價的功能與效果、提高檔案評價的有效性問題值得我們深入的反思。

關鍵詞：檔案評價；有效性；反思

Abstract

The validity of portfolio assessment in kindergarten has great influence on the quality of preschool education. Many problems in current portfolio assessment were found through questionnaire surveys and observation. There are problems such as teachers paying more attention to immediate effects rather than long-term benefits, neglecting children and parents' participation, portfolio assessment not closely related to the teaching process and so on. How to conduct portfolio assessment in kindergarten scientifically and effectively is worth further investigation.

Abstract

Assessment and evaluation are essential educational practice. In December 2003, a set of Performance Indicators on the Domain of Child Development (revised edition) was published by the Education Manpower Bureau and Social Welfare Department to assist preschools in Hong Kong to evaluate young children’s performance in learning and development. This paper outlines how a project conducted by the Hong Kong Institute of Education has empowered 15 Hong Kong preschools using Performance Indicators to formulate strategies for self-evaluation on the Domain of Child Development. Implications for successful change of the assessment culture in the preschools are discussed.

Keywords: child assessment; child development; performance indicators; school improvement programme

摘要

評估和評鑑是教育工作者不可或缺的任務。香港教統局（現稱教育局）於2003年12月編訂了表現指標（兒童發展範疇），以助幼教機構評估兒童學習和發展。本文報告一項由香港教育學院舉辦，為期兩年的學校支援計劃。是項計劃不單強化了十五所幼教機構運用表現指標評估兒童學習和發展的知識和技能，並且協助教師有效運用兒童評估資料進行自我評鑑。除此之外，本文也論述是項計劃的成果及其對學校改變兒童評估文化的啟示。