육아지원기관에서의 다문화가정 영유아 지원 방안

Abstract

Although it can be convincingly argued that infants and preschool children of multicultural families are in need of support, the education support for their adaptation and measures to improve their levels of achievement are currently insufficient. In particular, the preschool age is a crucial development stage where the difficulties that children might experience in elementary and middle school can be prevented. This study analyzed the actual conditions and demands of multicultural education in childcare support institutes, and investigated which support measures could be adopted to provide more systematic, stable future support for children of multicultural families.

The content of the research is as follows: 1) a review of multicultural children support policies at national and local government level; 2) a review of multicultural education and program management for children of multicultural families in childcare support institutes; 3) teachers knowledge, attitudes, abilities and perceptions of multicultural education and the needs for multicultural education; 4) a case analysis of education and the adaptations of children from multicultural family in childcare support institutes; 5) the design of a mid-term master plan for multicultural family child support, and investigating a childcare institute support policy for these children.

The research methods were based on a review of related policies and previous studies on multicultural family children support programs, as well as a survey undertaken with 1,200 teachers in childcare support institutes, in-depth interviews with 6 teachers, and case study analysis of observations of 10 children from multicultural families. The in-depth interviews with teachers and observations of children were conducted to better understand the contexts of the survey results.

Previous studies were divided into four parts, namely, an analysis of the childcare and education situations of the children of multicultural families, the adaptation of multicultural children in childcare support institutes, program implementation in childcare support institutes, teachers and parents' perceptions of and attitudes towards childcare support institutes. These past research exercises were helpful in understanding the issues facing children of multicultural families and organizing the contents of the survey for the teachers. In addition, reviews of policies on infants within multicultural families at the national and local government levels provided implications for research directions.

According to the analysis of the education situations and demands of the children of multicultural families in childcare support institutes, the highest percentage of teachers (45.8%) viewed multicultural education as education for children's adaptation into Korean society. When asked about the elements comprising multicultural education and teaching methods, 50.4% of teachers answered 'little', and 39.6% answered 'not very much.' In terms of their attitudes, around 90% of the teachers rated themselves positively on accepting other cultures and expressed curiosity in new cultures. In terms of their competence, those teachers with longer career experience or with multi-cultural training showed a tendency to evaluate themselves positively regarding their teaching methods. 70.3% of the teachers believed that the teaching/learning materials for multicultural education are 'not enough' and 31.2% viewed 'communications with the parents' as the main area of difficulty in multicultural education. Teachers agreed on the need for multicultural education training but only 16.5% have experience participating in such training. This indicates a need for administrative support for teachers to enable them to participate in training or provide more varied training opportunities for teachers to participate in.

Observing the children of multicultural families, one case exhibited slightly low language development and 4 cases exhibited slightly low social ability, but none were critical problems in terms of adaptation. There were no differences between institutes or regions either. Teacher's multi-cultural experience had no effect on infants' levels of adaptation, and there were cases when a teacher's active involvement was difficult because parents did not wish to let others know that their children are from multicultural families.

During the in-depth interviews, teachers indicated that they believed the ability to adapt into the school environment is not hampered simply by the fact that a child is from a multicultural family. Rather, the socioeconomic circumstances, the child's Korean language proficiency and cognitive ability, ethnic background, and variables related to mothers such as the mother's Korean language proficiency level, educational level, attitudes toward nurturing, are more critical as the elements affecting children's adaptation. Many teachers did not participate in relevant training; however, those with training felt the need for resolving prejudice surrounding multiculturalism, improved understanding of multicultural families, spreading multicultural education, upon completion of their training.

In terms of childcare institutes' support for the children of multicultural families, the following points are suggested: 1) improving teachers' perception of children of the multicultural families; 2) a change in perception of children of multicultural families and adaptation support; 3) development and dissemination support for the childcare support institute's multicultural education program of childcare support institutes; 4) promote active parental education in childcare support institutes and induce the participation of the parents of multicultural families; and 5) comprehensive, integrated support for multicultural family parents.