Talking Lion and Bird – Translanguaging and Embodied Learning in Bilingual ECEC in Finland

Abstract

Embodiment and bodily experiences are vital parts of communication and learning in the early years. Children are believed to develop their thinking processes and language skills through sensory and motor experiences in early childhood education while they show, touch, mimic, and think by doing; in other words, they are learning by doing. In this paper, embodied and playful learning activities are explored through a translanguaging approach. The embodiment experiences in education can be understood as modalities of learning; this especially concerns play. Thus, the pedagogical scaffolding of these modalities by teachers can be analysed through a translanguaging approach. In Finnish early childhood education, there is a whole-child approach that considers children to be active agents in learning. Moreover, recognizing the whole child and viewing their development from social, physical, and mental perspectives have been rooted very strongly in pedagogical philosophy and practices in ECEC Finland through the playful learning approach. In this paper, we emphasize the expression of children’s embodiment and non-verbal communication when combined with spoken verbal languages and fantasy animal languages using a translanguaging approach. We focus on children’s translanguaging practices and embodied expressions. Embodiment in learning practices is essential for children in their sensory-motor or pre-perational phase of development because they show, touch, mimic, and think through an active approach. 

The Finnish early childhood education and care (ECEC) is known for the EduCare approach. Children are considered active agents and the whole child approach is considered the basis of educational activities and interaction (Kangas, Ojala & Venninen, 2015). Recognition of the whole child and viewing the development through social, physical, and mental aspects have been rooted very strongly in pedagogical philosophy and practices in ECEC Finland through the playful learning approach (Kangas & al. 2019). In this paper we emphasize the importance of the visual environment, design learning process, and expression of young children’s embodiment in learning in the early childhood education context.

In this study we focus on 2-3 years old toddlers' visual and kinesthetic expressions of bodily learning and embodiment. Bodily learning means active learning experiences that early childhood education should include within everyday interaction and learning environment. Embodiment in learning practices is essential for children in the senso-motor or pre-operational phase of development because children show, touch, mimic and think by doing. In other words, they are learning by doing (Dewey 1916; Leinonen & Sintonen, 2014). The research questions are: 1) How do the learning materials scaffold children’s participation and meaning making? 2) How are the embodiment and active learning used as a tool for communication and interaction between children and teachers?

We understand embodiment learning as visual and bodily expressions of agency, participation, and learning. These aspects are understood as modalities of interaction, language, and communication. With young children it has been shown that translanguaging takes place through movement, gestures, expressions, and emotions as well as a spoken language(s) (Leinonen & Sintonen, 2014). The study was conducted as video observation of learning design of two kindergarten groups with one teacher and 6 to 7 children in each. The study takes place in the Playful Learning Center (PLC). The PLC is a learning laboratory in University of Helsinki, that is specially designed to scaffold young children's visual and kinesthetic exploration and expression through play and playful activities (Sefton-Green et al. 2015). The observation data were analysed through content analysis using researchers’ triangulation to discuss the visual communication and embodiment themes.