Help and Solidarity Interactions in Interactive Groups: A Case Study with Roma and Immigrant Preschoolers

Andrea Khalfaoui, Rocío García-Carrión, Lourdes Villardón-Gallego and Elena Duque
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Andrea Khalfaoui: Faculty of Psychology and Education, University of Deusto, 48007 Bilbao, Spain
Rocío García-Carrión: Faculty of Psychology and Education, University of Deusto, 48007 Bilbao, Spain
Lourdes Villardón-Gallego: Faculty of Psychology and Education, University of Deusto, 48007 Bilbao, Spain
Elena Duque: Department of Theory and History of Education, University of Barcelona, 585 08007 Barcelona, Spain

Social Sciences, 2020, vol. 9, issue 7, 1-17

Abstract: Peer interactions in early childhood education play a key role in establishing the first structures of social relationships and foundations for future development. Engaging in social exchanges with different people enriches children’s concurrent and future learning opportunities. Building on the importance of diversifying interactions, interactive groups (IGs) are a specific dialogue-based classroom organization format that creates an inclusive learning environment by allocating students to small heterogeneous groups with an adult volunteer per group. This classroom organization format has produced reported evidence of enhancing social cohesion and academic achievement, mainly in elementary education. However, its potential to foster positive peer interactions in Early Childhood Education among disadvantaged children remains unexplored. Therefore, this case study explores in depth the type and frequency of positive peer interactions in interactive groups in a preschool classroom serving mainly Roma and immigrant children with a very low SES. The results show that in this context, children acknowledge each other’s work and provide help, guidance, and solidarity interactions when solving academic tasks. Our analysis reveals that children internalize the rules and functioning of the IG since those aspects emerge in their conversations during the activity. Implications for practitioners and policymakers are also discussed.

Keywords: interactive learning environments; interactive groups; positive peer interactions; early childhood education; help and solidarity interactions; Roma and immigrant children (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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