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19 - Conflict

from Part III - Interaction and Inclusion

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 June 2022

By
Amelia Church  and
Ekaterina Moore
Edited by
Amelia Church  and
Amanda Bateman
Amelia Church
Affiliation:
University of Melbourne
Amanda Bateman
Affiliation:
Swansea University
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Summary

The aim of this chapter is to provide an overview of what we know about young children’s peer conflict in early childhood educational settings and how teachers can support children to develop skills in conflict resolution. This chapter begins with a review of the types of disputes in the early years, how children respond to opposition from other children and a discussion of learning opportunities in the practices of negotiation and compromise. The discussion also shows that teacher intervention is either solicited by children when they are stuck in a repetitive stalemate or instigated by the teacher when disputes escalate. Data extracts illustrate how intervention can be managed productively, where teachers guide children to identify and implement solutions. The analysis shows that intervention is most effective when the teacher monitors and encourages the uptake of solutions proposed by the children themselves. Finally, this chapter outlines implications for practice in early childhood education, in supporting children to resolve disputes.

Keywords

child conflictresolving disputesteacher interventionearly childhood education
Type
Chapter
Information
Talking with Children
A Handbook of Interaction in Early Childhood Education
 , pp. 388 - 404
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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