Strategies and modalities of oral argument in the Early Childhood Education assemblies. A multi-case study

Abstract

This paper analyses the importance of the argument as an effective strategy for the expression of children's interests. It is framed in a wider line of research of shared construction of knowledge in the Work Projects methodology (hereinafter, PT) in Early Childhood Education. In this work, through observational methodology, oral interventions of the children and teachers of six classrooms of third level of Early Childhood Education are recorded while they participate in the initial meetings where they must choose the topic on which they will carry out their project. They are contrasted and complemented data collected on the recordings with field notes of the daily research and interviews with teachers. The results indicate that children at this age -five to six years- use three conversational modalities: (1) Juxtaposed; (2) Interactive; and (3) Agreed. Children use different argumentative strategies to support their opinions. Methodological resources used by teachers have a great impact on the argumentative quality and participation of the learners.