Hoi Yin Bonnie Yim

Rethinking attachment: fostering positive relationships between infants, toddlers and their primary caregivers

This article provides a synthesis of current theory and research in relation to attachment between infants/toddlers and their caregivers. Worldwide statistics show that there are a significant number of women working in the global labour market. In Australia, recent research also found that over 300,000 children aged 0–5 years are currently attending long day child care, and a child can spend up to 12,500 hours in child care before starting school (based on attendance of 50 hours per week for five years). In order to understand the importance of developing secure relationships that build on the first transition from home to child‐care centre, semi‐structured interviews were conducted to collect views from parents and child‐care staff. Results showed that most participants in the sample were in favour of using a primary caregiver approach. Implications for the implementation of this approach will be discussed.

Confucianism and Early Childhood Education: A Study of Young Children's Responses to Traditional Chinese Festival Stories.

The teaching of values has seen renewed interest, as educators, policymakers and parents seek ways of increasing peaceful coexistence for children in a conflict‐driven world. Education systems are again reviewing values as part of their core mission. Confucian values form the core of most Asian cultures, penetrating different levels of social life, and also set the standards for most families, communities and political behaviour. The research reported in this study set out to examine young childrens expressed views of Confucian values represented in traditional stories of four Chinese festivals. Within this research, Confucian values were centred on five virtues: Ren (benevolence), Yi (righteousness), Li (courteousness), Xiao (filial piety), and Zhi (wisdom). The four selected Chinese festivals were: (1) Chinese New Year, (2) Dragon Boat festival, (3) Chung Yeung festival, and (4) Mid‐Autumn festival. Participants included 392 children aged four to five years from 29 kindergartens or nursery schools and 57 pre‐service early childhood teachers in Hong Kong. Results showed that the values of Ren (benevolence) and Yi (righteousness) were the most popular responses among local young children, while the value of Li (courteousness) tended to be the least popular category. Some implications for curriculum planning in early childhood education are discussed arising from the study findings.

Measuring children’s involvement as an indicator of curriculum effectiveness: a curriculum evaluation of a selected child study centre in Singapore

This paper presents one aspect of a research project evaluating a curriculum model of a selected child study centre in Singapore. An issue of worldwide interest and concern is the ‘quality of learning’ debate as it relates to early childhood centres. In Singapore, the government is focusing on expansion in child care settings and increases in the amount of funded training. One of the issues surrounding prior-to-school education raises the question of how one measures the quality of teaching and learning, to describe the value of using, funding and promoting early education. The research reported in this study used a quasi experimental research paradigm to assess one aspect of the quality of a curriculum programme in a child study centre in Singapore. Children aged between 18 months and 6 years (N = 81) participated in the research. Using the observation scale of Laevers’ Child Involvement Scale, the active involvement of children in learning experiences was measured. The findings are presented and discussed.

Belonging, Being, and Becoming: Challenges for Children in Transition

This article presents some findings of a small-scale research study carried out in 1 kindergarten in Hong Kong. The study looked at the problems associated with the transition of families from one culture (mainland China) to a new culture (Hong Kong), concentrating on the childrens development of a sense of belonging in Hong Kong. Specific issues that children may face were identified. The study also suggests some strategies for early childhood teachers to use when implementing a play-based curriculum that gives immigrant children opportunities to express their emotions through play. The study found that a sense of belonging can be enhanced if teachers understand the difficulties inherent in cultural transition and respond accordingly.

Fostering Relationships Between Infants, Toddlers and Their Primary Caregivers in Child Care Centres in Australia

[Abstract]: This chapter provides a synthesis of theory and research in relation to relationships between babies, toddlers and their caregivers in child care centres. The themes addressed includes attachment theory and how this is taken account of by caregivers, the importance of secure relationships that recognize and build on the first transition from home to child care centre. In addition, the use of primary caregiving groups is investigated whereby the caregiver establishes close reciprocal relationships with babies, toddlers and their families.

A study of the effectiveness of music appreciation TV programs for young children in Hong Kong

This paper provides a preliminary report of a small-scale research examining the effectiveness of a series of Music Appreciation segments of “Pre-school: Learn to Fly”—a locally designed and produced early childhood TV program in Hong Kong. Four aspects of young children’s musical development were studied: 1) musical exposure; 2) attention span; 3) response to music; and 4) musical memory. The findings enrich local understanding of early childhood music education and media, and provide more information for the production of the next series from late 2004.

Parental Engagement in Music with Young Children

Parents play an important role in fostering young children’s learning. Specifically, parents are critical in terms of providing stimulating and responsive experiences in promoting young children’s development in the early years (Ghirotto & Mazzoni, 2013; Shonkoff & Phillips, 2000). Also, parents’ responsiveness to children’s learning is important, and this is most vividly illustrated in brain development research (e.g., Bradford, 2012; Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, 2015; Jensen, 2008).