Máire Mhic Mhathúna

Dublin Institute of Technology

Introduction Concepts of culture and of cultural and linguistic

capital

Application to Early Childhood Education and Care in Ireland

Aim: To challenge a one-dimensional appreciation of the culture we wish to transmit to children in ECEC settings

To raise questions and to promote discussion

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Culture The way of life of a society, the collection of ideas

and habits that members of that society learn, share and transmit from generation to generation (Mesthrie 2009)

Children are socialised into their culture within the family, peer-group and wider society

There is no way out of the game of culture, there are no spectators (Bourdieu)

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Language and Culture Language is an integral part of culture (Fishman

1991)

A language indexes its culture: world view

A language symbolises its culture: status

Culture is partly created from its language: oral tradition, including children’s songs, rhymes and stories

Translation difficult as meaning is embedded in word play, associations and nuances

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Cultural and Linguistic Capital Cultural capital: form of symbolic capital , a non-

economic asset that is made visible in institutions (Bourdieu)

Linguistic capital: subset of cultural capital

Linguistic competence and control of linguistic resources

Acquired over time, socialisation

Habitus: attitudes and dispositions and ways in which they are made manifest, e.g. ways of behaving, rules of chess

Habitus is formed first within family and later within the institution of education, including ECEC

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Discussion Long-term impact of early childhood experiences

Children are socialised into cultural practices including language(s)

Attitudes and dispositions towards language(s) and more acquired over time within family and ECEC

Attitudes and dispositions acquired during early childhood are of great importance

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Role of Oral Language Oral language: Valuable part of Irish culture

More than precursor to literacy

Change of emphasis in recent documents

Aistear (NCCA 2009), Literacy and Numeracy for Learning and for Life (DES 2011) and Regulation 5of Child Care Act (2006) promote development of oral language skills through provision of rich and varied opportunities for babies and young children to learn language by interacting with others and through stories, songs, rhymes and language play

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Languages in Ireland Official languages of state: Irish and English

Irish: part of heritage of Ireland

Many options of how to include Irish in ECEC settings

Naíonraí: Language immersion education

Other options: part of session through Irish, e.g. songs, rhymes, greetings, roll call.

Widen children’s experience of languages

Accessible through “live” oral language from practitioners and CDs, DVDs

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Cultural Space Music: vocal and instrumental, folk and formal, in

both Irish and English

Children’s street rhymes and games

Connections to local area: local heritage and lore

Heritage and tradition: power to stifle or empower

Dynamic: keep us grounded in past and moving forward

Create a space in which we can draw on wider linguistic and cultural heritage of Ireland, including heritage of newcomer children and their families

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Home Languages of Newcomer Children Many newcomer children speak English as an

additional language

Important to provide support for Home Language for cognitive and emotional reasons (Cummins 2000)

Home language could be lost without support

Newcomer children’s cultural capital is a valuable resources for all children

These funds of knowledge should be included through embedded practices permeating whole curriculum

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Aistear and Síolta Frameworks Titles in Irish are significant: culturally marked

Several themes in both frameworks support development of culture and language, valuing both Irish and diverse cultures:

Well being (A) and Rights of Child (S)

Identity and Belonging (A) and (S)

Communicating (A) and Interactions (S)

Exploring and Thinking (A) and Curriculum (S)

Regulation 5: child’s cultural context

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20 Year Strategy for Irish Language ECE policy documents: Aister, Síolta, Regulation 5

20 Year Strategy for Irish (Pobal 2010) is also a government policy document

Key role of language in transmission of cultural heritage, especially oral traditions

Appropriate level of Irish language education should be offered to all preschool children, through naíonraí or through provision of some songs, rhymes, DVDs through Irish in English medium settings.

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Conclusion Time of great change in ECEC: increased regulation

and flexible frameworks

Increasing numbers of degree educated practitioners: positive contribution to lives of children

High quality care: continue process of reflection, including reflecting on the multiple parts of our own identity, who we are culturally and where we are advantaged or disadvantaged by our social institutions (Derman Sparks and Fite 2007).

Develop a shared sense of purpose that will enrich the lives of children and those who care for them.

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