A Comparative Study of Immigrant Children Starting Childcare

Abstract

This comparative study investigated the experiences of starting childcare of three immigrant children in three different learning environments inNew Zealand. The notion of learning environment was explored as a wayof thinking about how different people, places, and approaches to learninghave interacted to create a particular site for the children’s beginningexperiences in early childhood settings. The study sheds light on multipleperceptions and experiences with regard to immigrant children and theirlearning. Child observations, child interviews, and teacher and parentinterviews were conducted in each child’s setting. Findings suggest thatearly childhood environments played a critical role in supportingimmigrant children’s transition from homes to early childhood centres ifthey were informed by the principles of familiarity, care, andcollaboration. Immigrant children’s motivation to drive their ownlearning also provoked reflection on education both in New Zealand andother immigrant-receiving countries such as Canada, the United States,and Australia