An Exploration of a Preschool Teacher’s Distribution of Attention

• In Event: Sunday Roundtable Session 7:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Fostering a Love of Literacy for Early Childhood Settings (Table 15)

Abstract

This paper presents preliminary findings from a single case study investigating language stimulating interaction in early childhood education (ECE). By employing mobile eye tracking technology combined with qualitative data, the study comprehensively explores a preschool teacher's distribution of attention and its implications for language learning opportunities. The results reveal that the teacher's attention was unevenly distributed, influenced by the teacher's expectations and the language proficiency of the children. Less proficient pupils received less attention and had limited exposure to language-stimulating interactions. The insights into the practices of an individual teacher, contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms of inequality in language development within the ECE context.

Authors

• Thibaut Duthois, Ghent University

• Maribel Montero Perez, Ghent University

• Piet Van Avermaet, Ghent University

• Ruben Vanderlinde, Ghent University