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18 - Friendships

from Part III - Interaction and Inclusion

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 June 2022

By
Maryanne Theobald
Edited by
Amelia Church  and
Amanda Bateman
Amelia Church
Affiliation:
University of Melbourne
Amanda Bateman
Affiliation:
Swansea University
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Summary

Responsive and respectful relationships are principal elements of early childhood curricula in many countries. Children seek to interact with peers, be included as part of a group, and make friends. Successful relationships in the early years lead to better communication skills, increased general knowledge, and feelings of wellbeing, all necessary for successful life and work outcomes. Making friends is often viewed as a ‘natural’ state of childhood, and consequently, assumes an individual’s social skills are the sole reason for a child’s ability to make friends or not. This chapter takes an interactional view to show that friendships are linked to ongoing and inter-dependent actions of the peer group. Seven examples of peer interactions highlight the ways in which children actively seek to participate and build friendships. It is these ‘implications for practice’ that demonstrate how early childhood educators might support children’s play and participation so as to develop responsive and respectful relationships. The chapter argues that when an interactional process approach, based on conversation analysis is adopted, educators can identify the criticality of the social context, and best support children’s opportunities to be included and make friends.

Keywords

friendshippeer cultureinteractionplaychildrenearly childhood educationwellbeingparticipationrelationships
Type
Chapter
Information
Talking with Children
A Handbook of Interaction in Early Childhood Education
 , pp. 368 - 387
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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