Early Childhood Care and Education in the Asia-Pacific Region: Issues and Challenges

Abstract

This issue is the second of two that we have published this year with articles that pertain to the issues and challenges facing early childhood educators in the Asia-Pacific region. Those readers who have already viewed volume 5, number 2 will realize that education in the region is diverse and a variety of issues have come to the forefront in each country due to various political, social, economic, educational, and personal influences, and this indeed challenges the essence of what constitutes the Asia-Pacific region apart from geographic location. Certainly there are a myriad of cultures and identities within each of the countries in the region and an overview of the scope and range of ideas that have been written about is rich in details about specific practices and innovations that have arisen out of local community needs.In this issue we have articles from South Korea, New Zealand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vanuatu, India, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Pakistan, and China. In the first article entitled ''Teachers'' Philosophical Orientation and Practices: a study of novice preschool teachers in South Korea'', Mina Kim explores the philosophical basis of novice preschool teachers in South Korea and how this pedagogical orientation is reflected in their classrooms. Through interviews and observations this research gives Korean preschool teachers the opportunity to voice their beliefs about child-centred pedagogy and illuminates how their beliefs are reflected in their teaching. Reform plans for South Korean kindergartens are advocated to improve the quality of early childhood education and provide more support for teachers.Next, Alexandra Gunn, Coralanne Child, Barbara Madden, Kerry Purdue, Nicola Surtees, Bronwyn Thurlow {&} Paula Todd present an article entitled ''Building Inclusive Communities in Early Childhood Education: diverse perspectives from Aotearoa/New Zealand''. This article looks critically at the extent to which inclusive early childhood settings are ones in which diversity is valued and where everyone''s contribution is equitable. The article explores the impact of language and actions on diverse groups in early childhood education and discusses subtleties in experiences of ''difference''. The discussion explores both exclusionary and inclusionary practices and seeks to provide some suggestions about how we might go about creating inclusive communities in early childhood education.The third article by Ming-Fang Hsieh, entitled ''Teaching Practices in Taiwan''s Education for Young Children: complexity and ambiguity of developmentally appropriate practices and/or developmentally inappropriate practices'', examines the implementation and application of the revised guidelines for developmentally appropriate practice in the care and education of young children in Taiwan.Li Yuen Ling writes about ''The Culture of Teaching in the Midst of Western Influence: the case of Hong Kong kindergartens''. This article reviews practices in current teacher education, the cultural context of education in the Hong Kong SAR, and the classroom strategies utilised by kindergarten teachers in nine case studies. The findings of the study reveal that the culture of teaching tends to reflect the coping strategies of the teachers to overcome a triangle of potentially conflicting expectations and orientations: the vision of early childhood education, the Chinese culture, and local constraints.In the article ''Reflecting on Early Literacy Development in the Context of Vanuatu'', Desma Hughes explores the issue of literacy development in parts of the Pacific region. Vanuatu is used as an example of the experience of many Pacific Island countries. A comprehensive overview of the context of the family, preschool, school, and country, including the government services, is presented.Amita Gupta, in her article ''Working with Large Class Size: dispositions of early childhood teachers in India'', examines, through the perceptions of teachers, school principals, and teacher educators, the relationship between the preparation and practice of early childhood teachers in private schools in New Delhi, India. It is found that early childhood teachers work in classes that average 43 children. The article concludes with an analysis that contextualises large class size in Indian schools, and a discussion on the relationship between small class size, Western developmental discourse, and issues of privilege and power.In ''Teaching Islam: a look inside an Islamic preschool in Malaysia'', Lihanna Borhan seeks to raise our awareness of the schooling experience of children attending Islamic preschools in Malaysia.In the first colloquium Pamela Schulze provides an interesting discussion about research on Filipino mothers'' socialisation goals and beliefs about the role of other adults in disciplining their children. The results reveal that Filipinos have a collectivistic orientation, but that they nevertheless encourage independence in their children. Next, Sirene Lim explores the use of Deweyan principles to advocate for socially just curricula in Singaporean preschools that embrace play as a vehicle for children''s learning. Audrey Juma examines some of the issues and challenges inherent in improving practices in early childhood classrooms in Pakistan. The last colloquium by Hyewon Park Choi, Young Mee Won {&} Kwee-Ock Lee discusses the bilingual environment and bilingual development of Korean-Chinese children in Yanji, China. The study explores children''s access to media and the relationship between the use of media and language development. The study reveals that media and parents'' mediation play an important role in the development of bilingualism.Three book reviews complete this issue of the journal. Andrea Nolan provides a review of Key Times for Play: the first three years by Julie Manning-Morton {&} Maggie Thorp (2003). Ann Heirdsfield provides a review of Complementing the Computer Puzzle: a guide for early childhood educators by Suzanne Thouvelle {&} Cynthia J. Bewick (2003). Lastly, Suzy Edwards provides a review of Shaping Early Childhood: learners, curriculum and contexts by Glenda Macnaughton (2003).Nicola J. Yelland {&} Yasmine FauzeeRMIT University, Melbourne, AustraliaAudrey LimHong Kong Institute of Education, Hong Kong [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]