Narrative, Imaginary Play, Art, and Self:

Intersecting Worlds
Jiryung Ahn1,3 and Margot Filipenko2
This study documented the ways in which the spontaneous narratives of a focus group of
young children reflected the ways in which these children constructed meaning about their
world and their place in it. Participants were six kindergartners who engaged in extended
episodes of imaginary, dramatic play and produced complex descriptive narratives of their
visual texts (i.e., drawings, paintings and three-dimensional objects). Data collected included
transcripts of videotapes and audiotapes of childrens narrative talk, field notes, memos and
visual text artefacts. Three themes emerged from the qualitative analysis of the data: (1)
Engendering emerged from observations of the ways in which childrens narratives focused on
self or I and revealed the ways in which children construct (engender) their identities as moral,
social, cultural and gendered beings; (2) Crossing texts and re-configuration emerged from the
ways in which children negotiate their roles (self) with others, that is, the children begin to see
themselves in relation to others (re-configuring the I to We); and, (3) Re-construction/
re-imagination emerged from the ways in which children use narrative to grapple with abstract
scientific, philosophical and moral questions, that is, through narrative interactions with
others, children build hypothesis about themselves and their world which, during subsequent
narrative interactions, are challenged and re-formulated (re-imagined). The narratives created
by these children revealed the complex journey they take in the process of forming a selfidentity.
KEY WORDS: young children; narrative; representation; play; art.

INTRODUCTION
All humans are natural storytellers. We have
been telling stories since the beginning of time as a
way of passing down beliefs, traditions and history to
future generations (Hamilton & Weiss, 1990). However,
narrative is not only a vehicle for informing and
preserving cultural identity it is also a vehicle for
constituting reality and of conferring meaning on
experience. Sharing narratives and reflecting on what
such narratives mean, how they have affected and
continue to affect an individual, opens the possibility
for a much greater understanding of self (Bruner,
1991; Fivush & Haden, 2003; Ricoeur, 1984).
Childrens worlds are filled with diverse narratives
they both hear and tell. Childrens narratives not
only represent experience, as they know it to be, but
also represent experience, as they would like it to be.
Narrative is an essential form through which children
describe their own experiences and communicate
their views of the world. Through their narrative
activities, children are not only able to represent their
understanding of the world, but also to make sense of
it both factually and emotionally and to find their
place in it (Nicolopoulou, 1992, p. 157). Thus,
examining childrens narratives offers an important
way to understand how children construct meaning
about their worlds and their place in it (Kyratzis,
1Department

of Early Childhood Education, Faculty of Education,

Yeungnam University, 214-1 Dae-dong, Gyeongsan-Si Gyeongsangbukdo 712-149, Korea.
2Department of Language & Literacy Education, Faculty of Education,
University of British Columbia, 2125 Main Mall, Vancouver,
BC, CanadaV6T 1Z4.
3Correspondence should be directed to Jiryung Ahn, Department
of Early Childhood Education, Faculty of Education, Yeungnam
University, 214-1 Dae-dong, Gyeongsan-Si Gyeongsangbuk-do

712-149, Korea., e-mail: jraedu@yahoo.com

Early Childhood Education Journal, Vol. 34, No. 4, February 2007 (_ 2006)
DOI: 10.1007/s10643-006-0137-4

279

1082-3301/07/0200-0279/0 _ 2006 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

1999, 2000; Kyratzis & Green, 1997; Miller & Mehler,

1994; Miller, Potts, Fung, Hoogstra, & Mitz, 1990).
However, while there are some examples of research
on children and narrative in the overlapping disciplines
of psychology and linguistics, focusing on
narrative skills or functional aspects (Chang, 1998;
Heath, 1982; Kyratzis, 2000; Miller, Minz, Hoogsta,
Fung, & Potts, 1992), studies of spontaneous stories
composed by children during play activities are rare.
The intention of this study, therefore, was to fill this
gap by investigating the narratives of young children
and what these narratives might reveal about the
ways in which children construct meaning about their
worlds and their place in it.
Why is Narrative Important?
In telling, listening to, and reading stories, children
transform experiences into original compositions
by combining reality and fantasy. Personal
storytelling serves as a resource for young children as
they come to express and understand who they are. A
growing body of research suggests that young children
reconstruct their knowledge and understanding
of personal experiences and general events (Miller
et al., 1990), even if only in rudimentary forms, by
using narrative. Children encounter and use narrative
in diverse ways such as oral, written and visual contexts.
For instance, it happens through telling and
retelling personal experiences (Miller & Mehler,
1994), creating stories while playing with others
(Chang, 1998; Kyratzis, 1999), reading and listening
to literature (Bettelheim, 1976; Freedman, 1992;
Reese, 2001), and drawing and painting where narrative
is used to explain an event, idea, or some
phenomena (Kellman, 1995; Malchiodi, 1998). These
stories serve not only as a venue for self-expression
and communication with others, but also as a means
of meaning-making out of lived experience. Further,
conversational stories of personal experience provide
a site for the representation of self (Miller et al.,
1990). Stories from children can be useful, particularly
those that show us how they perceive themselves
in relationship to other people, their community,
their society, and culture.
Narrative in Childrens Play and Visual Arts
Play allows children to both explore emerging
ideas and to create possible roles in possible worlds
(Dyson, 1997, p. 14). Play is also the time during which
much fantasy and collaborative story-telling spontaneously
occurs. By using language during play to
describe other worlds, events and characters, children
begin to experiment with decontextualized language,

how to assume multiple perspectives, and how

to resolve the conflict between what was meant, what
was said and what was understood (Vygotsky, 1962).
In addition to dramatic play and oral story telling,
children show who they are through the visual
arts. These activities also play an integral part in
childrens self-representation. Childrens expression
through visual text is a reflection on their experiences,
their knowledge, and what they want to reveal about
themselves. Art expression is a modality that allows
children to communicate their experiences; it is a form
of personal externalization, an extension of oneself, a
visible projection of thoughts and feelings (Golomb,
1992; Owoki & Goodman, 2002). The importance of
narrative or story in childrens art is that these activities
not only provide an excellent example of childrens
coming to terms with life experience, but also
serve to both describe present events and invent future
possibilities. Drawing, painting and three-dimensional
art not only allow childrens narratives to
emerge naturally, but permit us to use these visual
narratives as a way to interact with children, thus
serving as a catalyst allowing children to communicate
thoughts and concerns (Kellman, 1995).
The purpose of this article is to present a discussion
of the narratives told by a group of children
aged 5 years in their classroom environment, both
individually and with their peers. Specifically, how
young children represent themselves, their relationships,
their experiences and their environment in the
narratives they create; the themes, issues or concerns
that emerge from childrens narratives; and, how
young children represent themselves and others in the
roles and scripts that they create in their imaginary
play and visual texts.
BACKGROUND
The basic features of narrative inquiry made it an
appropriate method for this study. Narrative inquiry
is a qualitative research method that offers an
understanding of experience as lived and told stories
(Clandinin & Connelly, 2000). It combines the use of
stories as a means of capturing individual experience
with a reflective process of inquiry. The purpose of
narrative inquiry is to try to understand how people
think and act in the contexts in which they live
through their stories. Narrative inquiry provides
the dynamic and interactive process needed to explore
the experiences of children. This approach articulates
280 Ahn and Filipenko
young childrens portrayals of themselves and others
in their imaginary play and visual texts through
analysis of childrens oral and visual narratives.
The subject and the emphasis of this study firmly
position it within a phenomenological framework.
Drawing on van Manens (1997) concept of phenomenological

understanding, the research aims to

draw out the essence of meaning of human experience
and to explore the reflection of living experience as
revealed through narrative texts. Phenomenology
addresses narrative as a significant tool for understanding
experiences and emphasizes openness to a
variety of meanings, the contexts in which meanings
are created and diverse ways of viewing the world.
Hermeneutic reflection informs narrative as a
research methodology in an important way. Hermeneutics
is based on the philosophical theory that, as
researchers, we cannot obtain objective knowledge
through research, but can only come to a greater
understanding of a phenomenon through our
engagement with a context, be it text or dialogue.
Hermeneutics searches for questions and meanings
that remain open-ended (Bontekoe, 1996).
According to Gadamers (1989) idea of the hermeneutic
circle of understanding, we require old
understandings in order to have new ones, and just as
our remembered old understandings are revised with
new knowledge, our interpretations exist in an endless
circle of mutual specification and elaboration. So
the process of interpretation is made up of an everevolving
hermeneutic circle of understanding.
Through reflection we revisit the story, as well as our
interpretation of it in order to develop a new interpretation
based on our greater understanding, which
comes as a result of our conversing and reflecting.
Bontekoe (1996) describes this circular, hermeneutic
nature of human understanding:
All human understanding, by virtue of its occurring
in time, is hermeneutically circular. Because... we
are located always at some moment in space during
some moment in time, information becomes available
to us only serially... Understanding occurs
only when we recognize the significance of the various
items that we noticewhich is to say, when we
recognize the way in which those items relate to
each other. Understanding, then, is essentially an
integrative activity. (p. 2)

Individuals, including children, are active constructors

of the social reality in which they find
themselves. Narratives reveal how people experience
their world. Using a narrative inquiry lens, I will
focus on the narratives of young children in two
different settings in a kindergarten environment:
imaginary play and the visual texts created by the
children. These two settings are selected as being the
most common locations in which children create
narratives. These narratives will be used to explore
how children come to represent connections between
their lives in relationships with others, their environments
and their experiences.
METHOD
Setting and Participants
The kindergarten classroom was in an early

childhood education center attached to a large

Canadian university. The majority of children
enrolled in the program came from upper-middle
class families and represented a mix of cultural, ethnic,
and religious backgrounds. The children in the
focus classroom were in a half-day program, attending
the Centre for 3 h a day. The program at the
Centre supported a child-centred philosophy founded
on the notion that learning occurs through the childs
self-directed explorations. Participants were six 5year-old children (a mixed group of three boys and
three girls). The participants remained stable
throughout the 3-month period of the study.
Procedures
Collection of data occurred through videotaping
and audio taping the children as they engaged in
narrative talk. The researcher attended the kindergarten
classroom every day as a participant observer
for a period of 3-months. During that time, 30 narratives
were recorded.
During the previous term, the researcher had
spent two mornings a week for 2 months in the classroom
conducting a pilot study and, as a result, was
quickly accepted as a member of the classroom community.
Because of the researchers previous pilot
study, the children were used to the video and audio
recording equipment and paid little heed to its presence.
Narratives were collected in two different categories:
child descriptions of her/his visual texts, and,
episodes of imaginary play. During the duration of the
study, the researcher went to the kindergarten classroom
every day and listened to what narrative themes
emerged during the childrens free choice time.1 The
Free choice time allowed the children to select from a number of
activities such as block play, table toys, sand table, art activities
and dramatic play.
1

Narrative, Imaginary Play, Art, and Self 281

childrens talk in these two contexts was video taped or
audio taped. Detailed field notes and memos were kept.
In addition all of the childrens visual texts (artifacts)
were collected and photographed (using a digital
camera).
Data Analysis
The narrative analysis of this study aimed to
uncover and reflect upon the particular meaning
making in the childs world. The study drew on
analytical approaches to identify emerging themes
embedded within storied texts and then used these
themes to interrogate the process of synthesizing,
ordering, and articulating meaning into a collective
narrative form. Analyzing data was an intricate
process of reducing raw data into concepts or themes.
It involved uncovering layers of meaning. The process
of analysis and interpretation, or the drawing of
meaning from analyzed data, involved synthesizing
and mining for meaning within the collected data,

then elaborating on this experience through ongoing

interpretation.
Data analysis began with the researcher selftranscribing
the video and audiotapes. The reasons
that informed the decision were that through selftranscription
the researcher could be re-familiarized
with these data; self-transcribing would provide the
opportunity to begin making interpretive observations;
and, a system of transcription that met the
needs of this particular study could be developed (see
Appendix 1). After the transcription was completed,
systematic coding and construction of themes and
interpretive analysis was conducted (Leggo, 2004,
submitted) as follows:
Step One: Read
Reading the childrens whole narratives (collected
from imaginative play activities and visual
texts with descriptive narratives) in order to obtain an
overall sense of the childrens narratives.
Example: Reading the transcription of each
narrative episode.
Step Two: Interrogate
Exploring the data to identify what issues emerge
from the childrens narratives and to develop the
framework for organizing the narratives into meaningful
units (e.g., using words or concepts within the
narratives).
Example: Identifying meaningful units such as,
I am a teacher, I am the boss, and I am the
mommy!
Step Three: Thematize
Teasing out the themes from the narratives and
the ways in which each narrative links to that theme,
while identifying possible links between key concepts.
Example: Initial identification of the theme of
engendering (i.e., developing notions of self).
Step Four: Expand
Develop and integrate emerging themes reflectively,
in order to identify connections and to offer
possible meanings.
Example: Linking back to notions of engendering.
Step Five: Summarize
Summarizing the themes in a statement that
clearly represents what is learned from the childrens
narratives (i.e., what we can learn by way of connections,
questions, and insights from the narratives
told by 5-year-old children).
Example: Development of commentaries for
each narrative that represent what is learned from
the childrens narratives (e.g., Kathy experiences
many different roles through her imaginary play.
These diverse roles allow her to build a concept of
herself, i.e., she tries on the mantles of a variety of
characters and experiences what it is to be a doctor,
a cashier, a mother or a daughter. These different

roles provide different perspectives on her social

world. Thus, through her narratives and imaginary
play Kathy constructs her understanding of her
social world and the ways in which she can position
herself within it).
Through narrative analysis of all thirty narratives
in the two contexts (imaginative play, and narratives
accompanying visual texts), three themes
emerged that provide a frame for understanding how
young children construct meaning about their worlds
and their place in it.
RESULTS
Three themes emerged from the childrens narratives:
(1) Engendering; (2) Crossing Texts and
Re-configuration; and, (3) Reconstruction and
Re-imagination.
282 Ahn and Filipenko
Theme 1: Engendering
The theme of engendering emerged from observations
of the ways in which childrens narratives
focused on self or I. In their narratives, children
illustrated that they construct (engender) and establish
their identities as moral, social, cultural and
gendered beings. The childrens narratives showed
that the children explored many different perspectives
for themselves as they positioned themselves in their
world. They create an image of self as a social and
moral human being through interactions with peers
both in imaginary play contexts and in their visual
texts.
The following episodes of imaginative play are
offered as examples. The play between Kathy and her
friends continued for several days. In these excerpts
(Narrative 1 scene #1 and #2), Kathy explores a
variety of social roles. She brings to each of these role
a remarkable understanding of the responsibilities
and expectations that each demands.
Narrative 1: Kathys story
Scene #1: Baby is coming out
[Girls (Jane, Kathy and Jessica) are in the house corner. They
are playing baby delivery.]
Kathy: I am a doctor.
Kathy: (to Jane) Youre a baby.
Jessica: I will be a mom.
[Then three girls are taking a pose like an operation room in
the hospital.]
Kathy: (to Jessica) push, push.
[Kathy makes sound of baby crying]
Jane: Holly, you are a sister.
We do not have a dad. He is dead.
We only have mommy and sister and doggy.

Scene #2: Lets pretend...

[Kathy and Cindy are in the house center. They are discussing
the setting up the store.]
Kathy: (to Cindy) Lets set up for store. We sell everything.
Cindy: (murmuring) But we need somebody to buy.
Kathy: First of all, we need money.
Kathy: (shouting) come, come.
Holly: (staring at Kathy and Cindy) Maybe nobody comes.

Kathy: No, get out of here.

Kathy: Lemonade?
Cindy: Kathy, I think you need to get more money.
Kathy: (to me) you can have money.
Then walk over there. We have a table for Lemonade.
Kathy: Do you wanna Lemonade?
We have many flavours.
Me: Do you? So what kinds of do you have?
Kathy: We have this (pointing to the peach can) peach and
fruit cocktail flavours.
Me: I like to have a peach flavours.
Thanks, how much is it?
Kathy: One dollar.

In the first scene, Kathy assumed the role of a

doctor. During this scene she participated in the
enactment of the birth of a baby and revealed her
knowledge of the ways in which a doctor would
participate in the birthing process. In the next scene
Kathy adopted the role of sales person, and positioned
herself in the world of commerce. Her role was
carefully and precisely executed. In the role of sales
person, she followed strict rules for determining what
would be sold and the price of each item to be sold. In
these examples and well as in her other imaginary
play narratives, Kathy disclosed her understanding of
authority, gender, dynamic family relationships, and
economics. Through the appropriation of a variety of
social roles she explores the social world from different
perspectives as well as exploring her identity in
terms of where she may fit into her social world.
The following are examples of the theme of
engendering in narratives describing the visual texts
created by Edward. Edward was a quiet boy who was
rarely involved with group activities. He generally
played by himself and spent much of his time in the
art centre, working on drawing and painting.
Visual Text 1: Wonderland (Figure 1)
Edward: Here is the world. There are trees and
flowers. See? Everybody is flying because this is the
wonderland.
Fig. 1. Wonderland.

Narrative, Imaginary Play, Art, and Self 283

Visual Text 2: Myself (Figure 2)
Edward: I am smiling. This is what I think about.
Yesterday, I read a book. I would like to be a king.
So I am wearing a crown.

Edwards image is at the centre of both of

these paintings. In the first wonderland picture,
Edward has depicted smiling people, the sun, trees
and flowers and has placed himself in the centre of
this perfect world. According to his description this
is the kind of world he wishes to inhabit. In the
second painting, Edward has done a self-portrait of
himself as a king. Given, that Edward is generally
quiet and unassuming and appears happiest when
he is involved in solitary episodes of play at the
easel or art table, his choice of depicting himself, as
a king is interesting. He has chosen an image that
represents power and authority an image that, at

first blush, seems at odds with this quiet and

unassuming boy. However, it can be argued, that
through his visual texts Edward is exploring different
perspectives for himself as he positions himself
in his world.
Theme 2: Crossing Texts and Re-configuration
This second theme (crossing texts and re-configuration)
is concerned with the ways in which children
negotiate their roles (self) with others. Such negotiations
may not go smoothly and, thus, during these
contested negotiations, the child must reconstruct
their notion of themselves, that is, the child must
begin to see themselves in relation to others (re-configuring
the I to We).
The following episodes of imaginative play are
offered as examples. In the first example, the children
are arguing about who will take the role of teacher.
The children clearly understand that the teacher is the
power figure in the classroom setting. Taking the role
of teacher in an imaginative play episode, therefore,
enables a child to experience what it is to wield
power. James clearly wants to experience this leadership
role but it is not smooth sailing!
Narrative 2: Lets play a teacher.
[Holly has suggested that the children take turns being the teacher]
James: No, that is so mean. I WILL SUGGEST THE WAY
OF DOING. Each for two turns, James, James, Holly, Holly
and Matthew, Mathew. Are you guys ok?
Holly: Why are you doing it all?
James: BECAUSE I AM THE TEACHER. YOU SEE, TEACHER
ALWAYS CAN ORDER. TEACHER CAN DO
WHATEVER.

In the above episode of imaginary play, it

appears that James is attempting to establish his
leadership of the group by appropriating the teachers
authority. It is clear that if he is to take on the role of
teacher James must have the cooperation of the rest
of the players, thus, he needs to see his role in relation
to others (re-configuring the I to We). In order to do
this, he first negotiates with the other players (i.e.,
Each for two turns) and when this does not seem to
work he exerts authority through the role of teacher
(i.e., Teacher can do whatever).
It is clear from the childrens imaginative play
episodes that they are developing clear understandings
of the hierarchical nature of social relations. The
narratives that underpin episodes of imaginary play
are rife with the childrens explorations of these
power relations particularly as they relate to family
relations. The following episode is offered as a further
example.
Narrative 3: I am the mommy!
[In the house centre,]
Holly: (with strong voice) I am the mother. Are you ok?
(pointing Amy) Amy is a daughter. Then, Jessica, you are a
dog.
Amy: I am a baby. Dont forget it.
Jessica: Holly, Im the doggy.

Amy: Kathy, you can be a sister.

Holly: Im the mommy.
Amy: Im the little baby you are a big sister.
Jessica: Im the littlest puppy.
Holly: (to Amy) Pretend to take care of a baby.
Amy: First Holly, and then take turns.
Kathy: (pretending she has returned from school). Mom, I did
not have good day.
Holly: Why? Does your boy friend make you feel bad?
Kathy: I did not smile at all. One of my friends always copies me.
Fig. 2. Myself.

284 Ahn and Filipenko

The three most common narrative topics that
focused on the hierarchical nature of social relationships
was: school, family and friends. These relationships
were also the focus of childrens visual texts.
The following two visual texts are offered as examples.
Visual Text 3: My Friends (Figure 3)
Holly: Me and my friends are playing outside in a
sunny day. I like the time of outside playing time.
Because I can run wherever I want to. And we can
play with bicycles.

Visual Text 4: My Family (Figure 4)

Edward: This is my family. When we went to the
Superstore my mommy wears training clothes. I
want my sister to grow quickly then she can play
with me. Now, she is too young to play with me.
She cannot speak so I am not interested in playing
with her.

Both these visual texts and the childrens narrative

descriptions are concerned with self (e.g., Me
... and My ...) but in both narratives; the self is
positioned either within friendship or family groupings
(i.e., in Hollys narrative she positions herself
within the friendship social group, while Edward
positions himself within the family social group). The
inclusion of smiling faces, hearts and sunshine suggest
that these relationships are satisfying and happy.
Thus, childrens meaning making is concerned
not only with what is possible for the individual
(engendering) but also with how the individual is
positioned in social relationships (re-configuring the I
to We). It is important to note, that much of childrens
narrative play is concerned with working out
these social relationships, that is, who will be the
leaders and who will be the followers.
Theme 3: Re-Construction/Re-Imagination
The third theme (re-construction/re-imagination)
is concerned with the ways in which children use narrative
(both in imaginary episodes of dramatic play
and in their visual texts) to grapple with abstract scientific,
philosophical and moral questions. That is,
through narrative interactions with others, children
build hypothesis about themselves and their world.
During subsequent narrative interactions these
hypothesis are challenged and re-formulated (reimagined).
The following episode of imaginary play
between James and Edward around the construction of
a three-dimensional visual text is offered as an example

of children constructing a scientific hypothesis about

electricity.
Visual Text 5: The power of electricity (Figures 5,
6, 7)
The following three-dimensional visual text was
a collaborative construction by James and Edward
Fig. 5. Electric station.
Fig. 3. My friends.
Fig. 4. My family.

Narrative, Imaginary Play, Art, and Self 285

that was made using connecting straws and wooden
sticks.
Edward: Its a power station. I made this big room here (pointing
to the bottom part of the construction).
James: Lets connect it. How about attaching it together?
Edward: Thats a good idea. We can make really big power
station, like a real one.
James: Whoa, its cool. Power station is a place of electricity.
Its flowing. Then we can use it everywhere.

By pooling their collective knowledge the two

boys were able to construct a model of how electricity
is generated and delivered to the consumer. This play
episode is based on the childrens fairly extensive
background knowledge of electricity (e.g., knowledge
of power stations, and that electricity flows). Using
this background knowledge they are able to formulate
a fairly logical hypothesis. Thus, through such
play episodes (negotiations during imaginary narrative
and, in this case, visual text play) the children are
able to use their acquired knowledge to develop new
understandings about their world (re-construct/reimagine).
The childrens narratives also revealed how they
were grappling with issues of relationship building
and, in particular, the meaning of friendship and the
responsibilities of being a good friend. The following
visual text and narrative description revealMatthews
understanding of friendship and the responsibilities
and joys it brings.
Visual Text 6: The Picture Book of Friendship
(Figures 8, 9, 10)
Matthew: These are two people. They like each
other.
Matthew: Both of them are playing on a sunny
day. They are enjoying.
Matthew: So they are happy.

Matthew goes on to provide the following

description of his visual text (Picture Book of
Friendship).
Matthew: I am holding my friends hand; friendship
is the love of friends. See? My heart. There is
a heart between my friend and me. Then we are
smiling.

In this visual text, Matthew represents his

understanding of friendship both by depicting how
to behave as a friend (holding hands and playing)
and also by using the North American cultural
symbols of affection: the colour red and a heart
drawn between the two friends. Thus, it can be argued,
that Matthew is grappling with notions of

moral and social behaviour particularly as it relates

to friendship within the cultural expectations of his
community.
Fig. 6. The flowing electricity.
Fig. 7. Linked electric station.
Fig. 8. The picture book of friendship: page 1.

286 Ahn and Filipenko

DISCUSSION
Narrative not only provides a blueprint for
making sense of the world; it also guides action
within that world. In other words, while narrative is a
mode of representation, it is, at the same time, a
mode of action. We use narrative to guide and shape
the way we experience our daily lives, to communicate
with other people, and to develop relationships
with them. This is also true for young children who
use narrative to experience and re-experience self in
relation to others. Thus, through their narrative
activities, children are not only able to represent their
understanding of the world, but also to make sense of
it both factually and emotionally and to find their
place in it (Nicolopoulou, 1992, p. 157). This study
focused on how young children represent themselves
and others in the narrative roles and scripts that they
create in their imaginary play and visual texts.
The narratives created by these children revealed
the complex journey they take in the process of
forming a self-identity. There appear to be three
different facets to this process: engendering or
awareness/focusing on self (Kathys story and
Edwards visual texts); re-configuration or viewing self
in relation to others (James and Hollys imaginary
play episodes and Hollys and Edwards visual texts);
and, re-construction/re-imagination or developing
and revising (re-imagining) ideas/hypothesis around
abstract scientific, philosophical and moral questions
(James, Edward and Matthews visual texts).
Based on these childrens narratives, it appears
that children use cultural themes to construct meaning
about themselves as individuals and about
themselves as social beings (See the example: Narrative
2). Boys, especially, demonstrate their strength
and act out physically and verbally what it is like to
be big and strong while girls spend much time
negotiating roles. It can be argued, that this behaviour
is related to theories about power and resistance
(Foucault, 1977/1987). It is clear from these childrens
narratives that they are already keenly aware
of power structures or social hierarchies and are
exploring/testing/positioning themselves in relation
to others in their narrative play (See the example:
Narrative 2 & 3). It is in this way that they begin to
conceptualize themselves as social beings within
power relationships. Gaining power and putting
ones self in the appropriate ranked position is the
means by which a social being is shaped and

re-shaped (configured and re-configured). For example,

Jessicas role as a very subservient little puppy
positions her very differently from her role as restaurant
owner. As a puppy, Jessica was subservient,
licking and snuggling others in an attempt to placate
and ingratiate herself with the social group (other
players). As the restaurant owner she was more
forceful, taking charge and ordering the actions of
others. In her narratives (imaginary play), therefore,
Jessica conceptualized (engendered) self in a variety
of power relationships (i.e., from the lowly puppy to
the higher status restaurant owner). Thus, she configured
and re-configured her position within power
relationships and re-constructed and re-imagined
appropriate behaviour within a variety of social
relationships.
Narrative is a portrait drawn by children interweaving
many functions and attitudes and incorporating
a number of voices. It is a dynamic meeting
space between the childrens inner lives (emotions and
thoughts) and their external world, as these two
spheres converge and reflect reality. In constructing
stories by making an oral or visual connection,
Fig. 9. The picture book of friendship: page 2.
Fig. 10. The picture book of friendship: page 3.

Narrative, Imaginary Play, Art, and Self 287

children draw on images and other elements that are
presented to them by their cultural environment and
that shape their imagination and sensibility in profound
and subtle ways (Nicolopoulou, Scales, &
Weintraub, 1994, p. 108). Their narratives tell us
about their ways of seeing and thinking and can offer
insight into their meaning-making processes.
This research was presented to try to tease out
the effects of early formation of self and the world on
subsequent narrative. This research study is significant
in addressing childrens narrative in different
contexts and revealing what children tell and how
they formulate the concept of self and world. Furthermore,
this study shows childrens narratives created
by themselves in natural settings. Through
narrative, the meaning of experience is reorganized
and reconstructed, both for an individual child and in
relationship to other children. By encouraging the
telling of their stories, we encourage reflection on
experience, and refraction of significant parts so that
it can be better understood, remembered and shared.
The stories we tell are who we are and what we will
become.
This study includes several implications for
research practice and further educational practice. In
terms of research practice, this study has utilized
childrens play and drawings, partly on the basis that
children often choose to draw and seem to enjoy the
act of drawing, and it ensures that the interpretation
of data, such as drawing, is based on the childrens

perceptions. In the aspect of educational practice,

understanding childrens perceptions of themselves
and celebrating their feelings are important ways that
adults can concentrate on the importance of the here
and now for children, rather than constantly trying
to prepare children for the future. In the last comments,
if follow-up research might be conducted for
an even longer period and over broader contexts of
childrens lives, it could become another valuable
inquiry. This research study is a sort of snapshot of
childrens whole development reflecting on their
narrative within a small group. It is a glimpse that
serves to present one aspect of childrens transformation
of self and their construction of worlds.
Future research needs to look more closely at what
children contribute to the narrative and how childrens
contributions influence their way of constructing
the world. I hope that this study will
become a starting point to explore how adults use
and perceive childrens narrative; moreover, it could
lead to more research on how teachers use childrens
narrative or how they incorporate childrens narrative
into the classroom.
APPENDIX: TRANSCRIPTION CONVENTIONS
? rising intonation
. Falling intonation
, pause or breath without marked intonation
... segment quieter than surrounding talk, time transition
[ ] Observation, transcriber comment

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Narrative, Imaginary Play, Art, and Self 289

Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited

without permission.
TERJEMAHAN

Narasi, Main Imajiner, Seni, dan Self: Worlds berpotongan

Jiryung Ahn1, 3, dan Margot Filipenko2
Kajian ini mendokumentasikan cara-cara di mana narasi spontan kumpulan fokus
anak-anak mencerminkan cara-cara di mana anak-anak ini dibina makna tentang mereka
dunia dan tempat mereka di dalamnya. Peserta enam kindergartners yang terlibat dalam
diperpanjang
episod khayalan, bermain drama dan dihasilkan narasi deskriptif kompleks mereka

visual teks (misalnya, gambar, lukisan dan benda tiga dimensi). Data yang dikumpul termasuk
transkrip rakaman video dan kaset audio bicara narasi anak-anak, nota lapangan, memo dan
teks visual artifak. Tiga tema muncul dari analisis kualitatif data: (1)
Melahirkan muncul dari pengamatan cara di mana anak-anak narasi terfokus pada
diri sendiri atau saya dan mendedahkan cara-cara di mana anak membina (menimbulkan)
identiti mereka sebagai moral,
sosial, makhluk budaya dan gender, (2) teks Penyeberangan dan re-konfigurasi muncul dari
cara-cara di mana anak-anak menegosiasikan peranan mereka (diri) dengan orang lain, iaitu
anak-anak mula melihat
diri mereka dalam hubungan dengan orang lain (re-konfigurasi saya untuk Kami), dan, (3) Repembinaan /
kembali imajinasi muncul dari cara-cara di mana anak-anak menggunakan narasi untuk
bergulat dengan abstrak
sains, falsafah dan moral soalan, iaitu, melalui interaksi naratif dengan
lain, anak-anak membina hipotesis tentang diri mereka sendiri dan dunia mereka yang selama
seterusnya
narasi interaksi, ditentang dan dirumuskan kembali (re-bayangkan). Narasi dibuat
oleh anak-anak ini mendedahkan perjalanan kompleks yang mereka ambil dalam proses
pembentukan sebuah selfidentity.
KATA KUNCI: anak-anak muda; narasi, perwakilan, bermain; seni.
PENDAHULUAN
Semua manusia adalah pendongeng alam. Kami telah
menjadi pengantar cerita sejak awal waktu sebagai
cara mewariskan kepercayaan, tradisi dan sejarah untuk
generasi masa depan (Hamilton & Weiss, 1990). Namun,
narasi tidak hanya kenderaan untuk memberitahu dan
memelihara identiti budaya itu juga merupakan wahana
merupakan kenyataan dan berunding Arti
pengalaman. Berkongsi narasi dan merefleksikan pada apa
narasi seperti Maksudku, bagaimana mereka telah mempengaruhi dan
terus mempengaruhi individu, membuka kemungkinan
untuk pemahaman yang jauh lebih besar dari diri (Bruner,
1991; Fivush & Haden, 2003; Ricoeur, 1984).
dunia anak-anak diisi dengan narasi yang pelbagai
mereka berdua mendengar dan mengatakan. Anak-anak tidak narasi
hanya mewakili pengalaman, kerana mereka tahu hal itu terjadi, namun
juga merupakan pengalaman, kerana mereka ingin untuk menjadi.
Narasi adalah bentuk penting melalui mana anak-anak
menggambarkan pengalaman mereka sendiri dan berkomunikasi
mereka pandangan dunia. Melalui narasi mereka
kegiatan, anak-anak tidak hanya mampu mewakili mereka
memahami dunia, tetapi juga untuk memahami
itu baik faktual dan emosional dan mendapati mereka
tempat di dalamnya (Nicolopoulou, 1992, hal 157). Dengan demikian,

narasi menyemak anak-anak menawarkan penting

cara untuk memahami bagaimana anak-anak membina makna
tentang dunia mereka dan tempat mereka di dalamnya (Kyratzis,
1Department Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini, Fakulti Pendidikan,
Yeungnam University, 214-1 Dae-dong, Gyeongsan-Si Gyeongsangbukmelakukan 712-149, Korea.
2Department Bahasa & Pendidikan Melek, Fakulti Pendidikan,
Universiti British Columbia, 2125 Main Mall, Vancouver,
SM, 1Z4 CanadaV6T.
3Correspondence harus diarahkan untuk Jiryung Ahn, Jabatan
Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini, Fakulti Pendidikan, Yeungnam
Universiti, 214-1 Dae-dong, Gyeongsan-Si Gyeongsangbuk-do
712-149, Korea, e-mail:. Jraedu@yahoo.com
Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini Journal, Vol. 34, No 4, February 2007 (_ 2006)
DOI: 10.1007/s10643-006-0137-4
279
1082-3301/07/0200-0279/0 _ 2006 Springer Science + Business Media, LLC
1999, 2000; Kyratzis & Green, 1997; Miller & Mehler,
1994; Miller, Potts, Fung, Hoogstra, & Mitz, 1990).
Namun, sementara ada beberapa contoh kajian
pada anak-anak dan narasi dalam disiplin tumpang tindih
psikologi dan linguistik, dengan fokus pada
narasi kemahiran atau aspek fungsional (Chang, 1998;
Heath, 1982; Kyratzis, 2000; Miller, Minz, Hoogsta,
Fung, & Potts, 1992), kajian cerita spontan
disusun oleh anak-anak selama kegiatan bermain yang langka.
Tujuan dari penelitian ini, kerana itu, adalah untuk mengisi
jurang dengan menyiasat kisah-kisah anak kecil
dan apa mungkin kisah ini mengungkapkan tentang
cara-cara di mana anak-anak membina makna tentang mereka
dunia dan tempat mereka di dalamnya.
Mengapa Narasi Penting?
Dalam bercerita, mendengar, dan membaca cerita, anak-anak
menukar pengalaman menjadi komposisi asli
dengan menggabungkan realiti dan fantasi. Peribadi
mendongeng berfungsi sebagai sumber kuasa untuk anak-anak muda sebagai
mereka datang untuk mengekspresikan dan memahami siapa mereka. A
pertumbuhan badan kajian menunjukkan bahawa anak-anak kecil
merekonstruksi pengetahuan dan pemahaman
pengalaman peribadi dan kejadian umum (Miller
et al, 1990.), bahkan jika hanya dalam bentuk sempurna, oleh
menggunakan narasi. Anak-anak bertemu dan narasi menggunakan
dengan pelbagai cara seperti konteks lisan, bertulis dan visual.
Misalnya, hal itu terjadi melalui telling dan

menceritakan kembali pengalaman peribadi (Miller & Mehler,

1994), mencipta cerita sambil bermain dengan orang lain
(Chang, 1998; Kyratzis, 1999), membaca dan mendengar
untuk sastera (Bettelheim, 1976; Freedman, 1992;
Reese, 2001), dan menggambar dan melukis di mana narasi
digunakan untuk menjelaskan suatu peristiwa, idea, atau beberapa
fenomena (Kellman, 1995; Malchiodi, 1998). Ini
cerita berfungsi tidak hanya sebagai tempat untuk mengekspresikan diri
dan komunikasi dengan orang lain, tetapi juga sebagai sarana
makna-membuat keluar dari pengalaman hidup. Selanjutnya,
perbualan cerita pengalaman peribadi memberikan
sebuah halaman untuk perwakilan diri al (et Miller.,
1990). Cerita dari anak-anak dapat bermanfaat, terutama
yang menunjukkan kepada kita bagaimana mereka memandang diri mereka sendiri
dalam hubungan dengan orang lain, komuniti mereka,
mereka masyarakat, dan budaya.
Narasi di Play anak-anak dan Seni Visual
Play membolehkan anak-anak untuk mengeksplorasi kedua muncul
idea-idea dan untuk membuat 'mungkin peranan di dunia mungkin'
(Dyson, 1997, hal 14). Bermain adalah juga masa selama
banyak fantasi dan gotong-royong bercerita spontan
berlaku. Dengan menggunakan bahasa ketika bermain untuk
menggambarkan dunia lain, peristiwa dan watak, anak-anak
mula untuk bereksperimen dengan''bahasa''decontextualized,
bagaimana menganggap pelbagai perspektif, dan bagaimana
untuk menyelesaikan konflik antara apa yang dimaksudkan, apa yang
dikatakan dan apa yang difahami (Vygotsky, 1962).
Selain bermain drama dan cerita lisan mengatakan,
anak-anak menunjukkan siapa mereka melalui visual
seni. Kegiatan ini juga memainkan bahagian yang integral dalam
anak-anak perwakilan diri. Anak-anak ekspresi
melalui teks visual adalah refleksi tentang pengalaman mereka,
mereka pengetahuan, dan apa yang mereka ingin mengungkapkan tentang
sendiri. ekspresi seni adalah modalitas yang membolehkan
anak-anak untuk menyampaikan pengalaman mereka, melainkan membentuk
dari eksternalisasi peribadi, pembaharuan diri sendiri, sebuah
terlihat unjuran fikiran dan perasaan (Golomb,
1992; Owoki & Goodman, 2002). Pentingnya
narasi atau cerita dalam seni anak-anak adalah bahawa kegiatan tersebut
tidak hanya memberikan contoh yang sangat baik anak-anak
datang untuk berdamai dengan pengalaman hidup, tetapi juga
melayani untuk kedua-dua menggambarkan kejadian sekarang dan mencipta masa depan
kemungkinan. Menggambar, melukis dan tiga dimensi
seni tidak hanya membenarkan narasi anak-anak untuk

muncul secara alami, tapi membolehkan kita untuk menggunakan visual

narasi sebagai cara untuk berinteraksi dengan anak-anak-anak, sehingga
bertugas sebagai mangkin yang membolehkan anak-anak untuk berkomunikasi
fikiran dan kebimbangan (Kellman, 1995).
Tujuan artikel ini adalah untuk menyajikan sebuah perbincangan
dari narasi diceritakan oleh sekumpulan anak-anak
berusia 5 tahun di persekitaran kelas mereka, baik
individu dan dengan rakan-rakan mereka. Secara khusus, bagaimana
anak-anak mewakili diri mereka, hubungan mereka,
mereka pengalaman dan persekitaran mereka dalam
narasi mereka mencipta, tema, isu atau masalah
yang muncul dari narasi anak-anak, dan, bagaimana
anak-anak mewakili diri mereka sendiri dan orang lain dalam
peranan dan script yang mereka ciptakan dalam khayalan mereka
bermain dan teks visual.
LATAR BELAKANG
Ciri-ciri asas penyelidikan narasi membuatnya menjadi salah satu
kaedah yang tepat untuk kajian ini. Narasi penyelidikan
adalah kaedah kajian kualitatif yang menawarkan
pemahaman pengalaman sebagai hidup dan bercerita
(Clandinin & Connelly, 2000). Ini menggabungkan penggunaan
cerita sebagai alat menangkap pengalaman individu
dengan proses reflektif penyelidikan. Objektif
penyelidikan narasi adalah cuba untuk memahami bagaimana orang-orang
berfikir dan bertindak dalam konteks di mana mereka tinggal
melalui cerita mereka. penyelidikan Narasi menyediakan
proses yang dinamik dan interaktif yang diperlukan untuk menjelajah
pengalaman anak-anak. Pendekatan ini mengartikulasikan
280 Ahn dan Filipenko
anak-anak muda penggambaran diri mereka sendiri dan orang lain
dalam bermain khayalan mereka dan teks visual melalui
analisis narasi anak-anak lisan dan visual.
Subjek dan penekanan dari kajian ini tegas
kedudukan itu dalam rangka fenomenologis.
Menggambar di (1997) Konsep van Mnen tentang fenomenologi
pemahaman, kajian ini bertujuan untuk
menarik keluar esensi makna pengalaman manusia
dan untuk menjelajah refleksi hidup pengalaman sebagai
mendedahkan melalui teks naratif. Fenomenologi
alamat narasi sebagai alat penting untuk memahami
pengalaman dan menekankan keterbukaan ke
pelbagai makna, konteks di mana makna
cara dibuat dan pelbagai melihat dunia.
refleksi hermeneutik memberitahu narasi sebagai

metodologi penyelidikan dalam cara penting. Hermeneutika

didasarkan pada teori falsafah yang, sebagai
penyelidik, kita tidak boleh mendapatkan pengetahuan objektif
melalui kajian, tetapi hanya boleh datang untuk lebih besar
pemahaman tentang fenomena melalui kami
penglibatan dengan konteks, baik itu teks atau dialog.
Hermeneutika mencari soalan dan makna
yang tetap terbuka (Bontekoe, 1996).
Menurut (1989) idea Gadamer tentang hermeneutika
lingkaran pemahaman, kita memerlukan tua
pemahaman dalam rangka untuk memiliki yang baru, dan hanya sebagai
pemahaman ingat kita lama disemak dengan
pengetahuan baru, tafsiran kita ada dalam tak berujung
lingkaran saling spesifikasi dan elaborasi. Jadi
proses interpretasi terdiri daripada sebuah everevolving
lingkaran hermeneutik pemahaman.
Melalui refleksi kita kembali cerita, serta kita
penafsiran itu dalam rangka untuk mengembangkan penafsiran baru
berdasarkan pemahaman kita yang lebih besar, yang
datang sebagai hasil dari kami berbicara dan refleksi.
Bontekoe (1996) menggambarkan ini melingkar, hermeneutika
sifat pemahaman manusia:
Semua pemahaman manusia, berdasarkan yang terjadi
waktu, adalah hermeneutik melingkar. Kerana ... kita
terletak selalu pada beberapa ketika di angkasa selama
beberapa saat di masa, maklumat menjadi sedia
kepada kita hanya siri ... Memahami terjadi
hanya ketika kita menyedari pentingnya pelbagai
item yang kita perhatikan-yang mengatakan, ketika kita
mengenali cara di mana barang-barang berkaitan dengan
satu sama lain. Memahami, maka, pada dasarnya adalah
integratif kegiatan. (Hal. 2)
Individu, termasuk anak-anak, adalah pengeluar aktif
''''Dari realiti sosial di mana mereka mendapati
sendiri. Narasi mendedahkan bagaimana manusia
dunia mereka. Menggunakan lensa penyelidikan narasi, saya akan
fokus pada kisah-kisah anak-anak muda di dua
tatacara yang berbeza dalam persekitaran taman kanak-kanak:
khayalan bermain dan teks-teks visual yang dicipta oleh
anak-anak. Kedua-dua tatacara dipilih sebagai yang
paling umum lokasi di mana anak-anak mencipta
narasi. Narasi ini akan digunakan untuk menjelajah
bagaimana anak-anak datang untuk mewakili hubungan antara
mereka tinggal dalam hubungan dengan orang lain, persekitaran mereka

dan pengalaman mereka.

METODE
Setting dan Peserta
Ruang kelas TK di awal
pusat pendidikan anak usia melekat pada yang besar
Universiti Kanada. Majoriti anak-anak
berdaftar dalam program ini berasal dari menengah-atas
kelas dan mewakili keluarga campuran budaya, etnik,
dan agama latar belakang. Anak-anak di
kelas fokus berada di sebuah program setengah hari, menghadiri
Pusat selama 3 jam sehari. Program di
Pusat menyokong falsafah berpusat pada anak ditubuhkan
pada pemikiran bahawa pembelajaran berlaku melalui anak
self-directed eksplorasi. Peserta enam 5 tahun anak-anak (kumpulan campuran dari tiga anak laki-laki dan
tiga perempuan). Para peserta tetap stabil
selama tempoh 3 bulan kajian.
Prosedur
Pengumpulan data terjadi melalui rakaman video
dan audio merakam anak-anak apabila mereka terlibat dalam
narasi bicara. Peneliti menghadiri TK
kelas setiap hari sebagai pemerhati peserta
selama 3-bulan. Selama waktu itu, 30 narasi
direkodkan.
Selama masa dahulu, penyelidik telah
menghabiskan dua kali seminggu selama 2 bulan di kelas
melakukan kajian pilot dan, sebagai akibatnya, adalah
cepat diterima sebagai ahli masyarakat kelas.
Kerana pilot dahulu penyelidik
belajar, anak-anak digunakan untuk video dan audio
Alat perakam dan dibayar sedikit mengindahkan kehadirannya.
Narasi dikumpulkan dalam dua kategori yang berbeza:
anak keterangan / nya itu teks visual, dan,
episod bermain khayalan. Selama durasi
kajian, penyelidik pergi ke kelas TK
setiap hari dan mendengar tema cerita apa
muncul selama pilihan bebas anak-anak time.1 The
1 kali pilihan Percuma membolehkan anak-anak untuk memilih daripada sejumlah
kegiatan seperti bermain angka, mainan meja, meja pasir, kegiatan seni
dan dramatik bermain.
Narasi, Main Imajiner, Seni, dan 281 Self
bicara anak-anak dalam dua konteks ini video dirakam atau
audio ditampal. nota lapangan terperinci dan memo yang disimpan.
Selain semua teks visual anak-anak (artifak)

dikumpul dan difoto (dengan menggunakan digital

kamera).
Analisis Data
Analisis naratif dari kajian ini bertujuan untuk
mengungkap dan merenungkan makna tertentu
keputusan dalam dunia anak. Penyelidikan menarik pada
pendekatan analitis untuk mengenalpasti tema yang muncul
tertanam di dalam teks bertingkat dan kemudian digunakan ini
tema untuk menyoal proses sintesis,
tempahan, dan mengartikulasikan makna menjadi kolektif
bentuk narasi. Analisis data adalah rumit
proses untuk mengurangkan data mentah ke dalam konsep atau tema.
Ini melibatkan mengungkap lapisan makna. Proses
analisis dan interpretasi, atau gambar
arti dari data dianalisis, terlibat sintesis
dan perlombongan untuk makna dalam data yang dikumpul,
kemudian menghuraikan pengalaman ini melalui berterusan
tafsiran.
Analisis data dimulai dengan penyelidik selftranscribing
video dan kaset audio. Alasan
yang memberitahu keputusan adalah bahawa melalui selftranscription
penyelidik boleh kembali akrab
dengan data tersebut; diri menuliskannya akan memberikan
kesempatan untuk mula membuat pemerhatian interpretif;
dan, sistem transkripsi yang memenuhi
keperluan khas kajian ini dapat dikembangkan (lihat
Lampiran 1). Setelah transkripsi itu selesai,
sistematik coding dan pembinaan tema dan
interpretif Analisis dilakukan (Leggo, 2004,
diajukan) sebagai berikut:
Langkah Satu: Baca
Membaca keseluruhan cerita anak-anak (yang dikumpulkan
dari kegiatan bermain imajinatif dan visual
teks dengan narasi deskriptif) untuk mendapatkan
rasa keseluruhan narasi anak-anak.
Contoh: Membaca transkripsi dari masing-masing
narasi episod.
Langkah Dua: menginterogasi
Melayari data untuk mengenalpasti isu-isu apa yang muncul
dari narasi anak-anak dan untuk membangunkan
rangka kerja untuk menetapkan narasi menjadi bermakna
unit (contohnya, menggunakan kata-kata atau konsep dalam
narasi).
Contoh: Mengidentifikasi unit bermakna seperti,

''Saya seorang guru ,'''' Saya bos,''dan''Akulah

mommy!''
Langkah Tiga: Thematize
Menggoda keluar tema dari narasi dan
cara-cara yang menghubungkan narasi masing-masing untuk tema itu,
sementara mengenalpasti kemungkinan kaitan antara konsep-konsep kunci.
Contoh: pengenalan awal tema
melahirkan (yakni, idea mengembangkan diri).
Langkah Empat: Kembangkan
Mengembangkan dan mengintegrasikan tema yang muncul merenung,
dalam rangka untuk mengenalpasti sambungan dan untuk menawarkan
mungkin makna.
Contoh: Menyambung kembali ke pengertian tentang melahirkan.
Langkah Lima: Ringkaskan
Meringkaskan tema dalam sebuah kenyataan yang
jelas mewakili apa yang dipelajari dari anak-anak
narasi (misalnya, apa yang kita dapat belajar dengan cara Sambungan,
pertanyaan, dan wawasan dari narasi
diberitahu oleh anak-anak 5 tahun).
Contoh: Pembangunan komentar untuk
setiap narasi yang mewakili apa yang dipelajari dari
narasi anak-anak (contohnya, Kathy pengalaman
banyak berbeza peranan melalui bermain khayalannya.
Hebat ini membolehkan dia untuk membina konsep
dirinya sendiri, iaitu, dia cuba di kaos dari berbagai
watak dan pengalaman apa yang menjadi doktor,
seorang kasir, seorang ibu atau perempuan. Ini berbeza
peranan memberikan perspektif yang berbeza pada sosialnya
dunia. Dengan demikian, melalui narasi dan khayalan
bermain Kathy pembinaan pemahamannya tentang dirinya
sosial dunia dan cara-cara di mana ia dapat kedudukan
sendiri di dalamnya).
Melalui analisis naratif dari semua tiga puluh narasi
dalam dua konteks (bermain imajinatif, dan narasi
atas teks visual), tiga tema
muncul yang menyediakan rangka untuk memahami bagaimana
anak-anak membina makna tentang dunia mereka
dan tempat mereka di dalamnya.
HASIL
Tiga tema muncul dari narasi anak-anak:
(1) melahirkan, (2) Mesej Crossing dan
Re-tatarajah, dan, (3) Rekonstruksi dan
Re-imajinasi.
282 Ahn dan Filipenko

Tema 1: melahirkan
Tema memunculkan muncul dari pengamatan
cara di mana anak-anak narasi
tertumpu pada diri atau I. Dalam cerita mereka, anak-anak
digambarkan bahawa mereka membina (menimbulkan) dan menetapkan
identiti mereka sebagai moral, sosial, budaya dan
gender makhluk. narasi yang menunjukkan anak-anak
bahawa anak-anak menjelajahi berbagai perspektif
untuk diri mereka sendiri kerana mereka memposisikan diri dalam mereka
dunia. Mereka mencipta sebuah citra diri sebagai sosial dan
moral manusia melalui interaksi dengan rakan-rakan sebaya
baik dalam konteks bermain khayalan dan dalam visual
teks.
Episode seterusnya bermain imajinatif adalah
ditawarkan sebagai contoh. Bermain antara Kathy dan dia
rakan-rakan terus selama beberapa hari. Dalam kutipan
(Narasi 1 adegan # 1 dan # 2), Kathy menggali
pelbagai peranan sosial. Dia membawa untuk masing-masing peranan tersebut
pemahaman yang luar biasa dari tanggung jawab
dan harapan bahawa setiap tuntutan.
Narasi 1: cerita Kathy
Scene # 1:''Bayi yang keluar''
[Girls (Jane, Kathy dan Jessica) berada di sudut rumah. Mereka
sedang bermain melahirkan bayi.]
Kathy: Saya doktor.
Kathy: (untuk Jane) anda sedang bayi.
Jessica: Aku akan menjadi seorang ibu.
[Lalu tiga gadis yang mengambil pose seperti ruangan operasi di
rumah sakit.]
Kathy: (untuk Jessica) push, push.
[Kathy membuat suara bayi menangis]
Jane: Holly, anda adalah saudara perempuan.
Kami tidak mempunyai seorang ayah. Dia sudah mati.
Kami hanya mempunyai ibu dan saudara perempuan dan anjing.
Adegan # 2:''Mari kita berpura-pura ...''
[Kathy dan Cindy berada di pusat rumah. Mereka membahas
pembentukan kedai.]
Kathy: (untuk Cindy) Mari kita ditetapkan untuk kedai. Kami menjual semuanya.
Cindy: (bergumam) Tapi kita perlu seseorang untuk membeli.
Kathy: Pertama-tama, kita perlu wang.
Kathy: (berteriak) datang, datang.
Holly: (sambil menatap Kathy dan Cindy) Mungkin tidak ada yang datang.
Kathy: Tidak, keluar dari sini.
Kathy: Lemonade?

Cindy: Kathy, saya fikir anda perlu mendapatkan lebih banyak wang.
Kathy: (untuk saya) anda boleh mempunyai wang.
Kemudian berjalan di sana. Kami mempunyai meja untuk Lemonade.
Kathy: Adakah anda ingin Lemonade?
Kami mempunyai banyak rasa.
Me: Adakah anda? Jadi apa jenis yang anda miliki?
Kathy: Kami mempunyai persik (menunjuk ke persik bisa) dan
rasa koktel buah.
Saya: Saya ingin memiliki rasa peach.
Terima kasih, berapa harganya?
Kathy: Satu dolar.
Dalam adegan pertama, Kathy diandaikan peranan
doktor. Selama adegan ini ia mengambil bahagian dalam
berlakunya kelahiran bayi dan mendedahkan nya
pengetahuan tentang cara di mana doktor akan
menyertai dalam proses melahirkan. Dalam adegan berikutnya
Kathy mengadopsi peranan orang jualan, dan diposisikan
dirinya dalam dunia perdagangan. Peranannya adalah
hati-hati dan tepat dilaksanakan. Dalam peranan jualan
orang, ia mengikuti peraturan yang ketat untuk menentukan apa
akan dijual dan harga setiap item yang akan dijual. Dalam
contoh-contoh ini dan juga di khayalan yang lain
narasi bermain, Kathy diungkapkan pemahamannya tentang
kuasa, jenis kelamin, hubungan keluarga yang dinamik, dan
ekonomi. Melalui penggunaan pelbagai
peranan sosial dia menjelajah dunia sosial dari berbagai
perspektif serta melayari jati dirinya dalam
segi mana dia mungkin masuk ke dalam dunia sosialnya.
Berikut ini adalah contoh dari tema
melahirkan dalam narasi teks-teks visual menggambarkan
dibuat oleh Edward. Edward adalah anak yang pendiam yang
jarang terlibat dengan kegiatan kumpulan. Dia umumnya
dimainkan oleh dirinya sendiri dan menghabiskan banyak waktunya di
pusat seni, bekerja pada gambar dan melukis.
Visual Mesej 1: Wonderland (Gambar 1)
Edward: Ini adalah dunia. Ada pohon dan
bunga. Lihat? Semua orang terbang kerana ini adalah
ajaib.
Gambar. 1. Wonderland.
Narasi, Main Imajiner, Seni, dan 283 Self
Visual Mesej 2: Myself (Gambar 2)
Edward: Saya tersenyum. Ini adalah apa yang saya fikirkan.
Semalam, saya membaca buku. Saya ingin menjadi raja.
Jadi saya memakai mahkota.

citra Edward berada di pusat kedua-dua

lukisan-lukisan ini. Pada gambar wonderland pertama,
Edward telah digambarkan tersenyum orang, matahari, pokok-pokok
dan bunga dan telah meletakkan dirinya di tengah-tengah
ini dunia yang sempurna. Menurut keterangan nya ini
adalah jenis dunia dia ingin tinggal. Dalam
lukisan kedua, Edward telah melakukan potret diri
dirinya sebagai seorang raja. Memandangkan, bahawa Edward umumnya
tenang dan rendah hati dan muncul paling senang jika
ia terlibat dalam episod soliter bermain di
kuda-kuda atau seni meja, pilihannya yang menggambarkan dirinya sendiri, sebagai
raja menarik. Dia telah memilih gambar yang
merupakan citra kekuasaan dan pihak berkuasa yang, di
blush pertama, tampaknya bertentangan dengan tenang dan
sederhana anak. Namun, boleh dikatakan, bahawa
melalui teks visual Edward adalah menjelajahi berbeza
perspektif untuk dirinya sendiri saat ia kedudukan sendiri
di dunianya.
Tema 2: Crossing Teks dan Re-tatarajah
Tema kedua (teks persimpangan dan re-konfigurasi)
berkaitan dengan cara-cara di mana anak-anak
menegosiasikan peranan mereka (diri) dengan orang lain. Perundingan tersebut
mungkin tidak berjalan lancar dan, dengan demikian, selama
perundingan diperebutkan, anak harus merekonstruksi
idea mereka sendiri, iaitu, anak harus
mula melihat diri mereka dalam hubungannya dengan orang lain (re-configure
I untuk Kita).
Episode seterusnya bermain imajinatif adalah
ditawarkan sebagai contoh. Dalam contoh pertama, anak-anak
yang berdebat tentang siapa yang akan mengambil peranan guru.
Anak-anak dengan jelas memahami bahawa guru adalah
kuasa tokoh dalam tatacara kelas. Mengambil peranan
guru dalam sebuah episod bermain imajinatif, kerana itu,
membolehkan seorang anak untuk mengalami apa itu untuk memegang
kuasa. James jelas ingin pengalaman kepimpinan ini
peranan tetapi tidak belayar mulus!
Narasi 2: Mari bermain guru.
[Holly telah menyarankan bahawa anak-anak bergiliran menjadi guru]
James: Tidak, yang begitu bererti. Saya akan menyarankan JALAN ATAS
DARI MELAKUKAN. Masing-masing untuk dua pusingan, James, James, Holly, Holly
dan Matius, Mathew. Adakah kamu ok?
Holly: Mengapa kamu lakukan itu semua?
James: KARENA AKU GURU ATAS. ANDA LIHAT, GURU
SELALU BISA ORDER. GURU BISA DO

APAPUN.
Dalam episod di atas bermain khayalan, itu
Nampaknya James berupaya membuat nya
pimpinan kumpulan dengan merampas guru
kuasa. Jelas bahawa jika ia mengambil peranan
James guru harus mempunyai kerjasama sisanya
para pemain, dengan demikian, ia perlu melihat peranannya dalam hubungan
kepada orang lain (re-configure I Kami). Dalam rangka melakukan
ini, ia pertama kali melakukan perundingan dengan para pemain lain (iaitu,
''Masing-masing untuk dua pusingan'') dan saat ini nampaknya tidak
pekerjaan yang exerts kuasa melalui peranan guru
(Iaitu,''Guru boleh melakukan apa pun'').
Hal ini jelas dari bermain imajinatif anak-anak
episod bahawa mereka mengembangkan pemahaman yang jelas
sifat hirarki dari hubungan sosial. The
narasi yang menyokong episod bermain khayalan
yang penuh dengan eksplorasi anak-anak ini
hubungan kuasa terutama kerana mereka berkaitan dengan keluarga
hubungan. Episode berikut ini ditawarkan sebagai lebih lanjut
contoh.
Narasi 3:''Saya ibu yang''!
[Di tengah rumah,]
Holly: (dengan suara kuat) Saya ibu. Adakah anda ok?
(Tunjuk Amy) Amy adalah seorang anak perempuan. Kemudian, Jessica, anda adalah
anjing.
Amy: Saya bayi. Jangan lupa itu.
Jessica: Holly, aku doggy itu.
Amy: Kathy, anda boleh kakak.
Holly: Aku ibu itu.
Amy: Aku si bayi kecil anda adalah seorang kakak besar.
Jessica: Aku terkecil anjing.
Holly: (untuk Amy) Berpura-pura untuk mengurus bayi.
Amy: Pertama Holly, dan kemudian bergiliran.
Kathy: (pura-pura dia telah kembali dari sekolah). Mom, aku
tidak memiliki hari yang baik.
Holly: Mengapa? Apakah teman anak anda membuat anda merasa buruk?
Kathy: Aku tidak tersenyum sama sekali. Salah satu teman saya selalu salinan saya.
Gambar. 2. Myself.
284 Ahn dan Filipenko
Tiga topik narasi yang paling umum yang
difokuskan pada sifat hirarki dari hubungan sosial
adalah: sekolah, keluarga dan teman. Hubungan ini
juga fokus dari teks-teks visual anak-anak.
Dua berikut teks visual yang ditawarkan sebagai contoh.

Visual Mesej 3: Rakan Saya (Gambar 3)

Holly: Aku dan teman-teman saya sedang bermain di luar dalam
cerah hari. Saya suka saat waktu bermain di luar.
Kerana aku boleh lari ke mana pun aku mau. Dan kita boleh
bermain dengan basikal.
Visual Teks 4: Keluarga saya (Gambar 4)
Edward: Ini adalah keluarga saya. Ketika kami pergi ke
Superstore ibu saya memakai pakaian latihan. Aku
ingin adikku tumbuh dengan cepat maka ia boleh bermain
dengan saya. Sekarang, dia terlalu muda untuk bermain dengan saya.
Dia tidak boleh bercakap jadi saya tidak tertarik bermain
dengan dia.
Kedua-dua teks dan narasi visual anak-anak
keterangan prihatin dengan diri sendiri (misalnya,''Me
...'' Dan''...'') saya tetapi pada kedua-dua narasi, sedangkan diri
diposisikan baik di dalam kumpulan persahabatan atau keluarga
(Iaitu, dalam narasi Holly dia kedudukan dirinya sendiri
dalam kumpulan persahabatan sosial, sementara Edward
kedudukan dirinya dalam kumpulan sosial keluarga). The
dimasukkannya wajah tersenyum, hati dan sinar matahari menyarankan
bahawa hubungan ini puas dan bahagia.
Dengan demikian, membuat anak-anak berarti yang bersangkutan
tidak hanya dengan apa yang mungkin bagi individu
(Melahirkan) tetapi juga dengan bagaimana individu
diposisikan dalam hubungan sosial (kembali menyediakan I
untuk Kami). Hal ini penting untuk dicatat, bahawa banyak anak-anak
bermain narasi berkaitan dengan bekerja keluar
hubungan sosial ini, iaitu, siapa yang akan menjadi
pemimpin dan siapa yang akan menjadi pengikut.
Tema 3: Re-Construction/Re-Imagination
Tema ketiga (re-construction/re-imagination)
berkaitan dengan cara-cara di mana anak-anak menggunakan narasi
(Baik dalam khayalan episod bermain drama
dan dalam teks-teks visual mereka) untuk bergulat dengan ilmiah abstrak,
soalan falsafah dan moral. Ertinya,
naratif melalui interaksi dengan orang lain, anak-anak
membina hipotesis tentang diri mereka sendiri dan dunia mereka.
Selama ini interaksi narasi berikutnya
hipotesis ditentang dan dirumuskan kembali (konsep semula).
Episode seterusnya bermain khayalan
antara James dan Edward di sekitar pembangunan
teks visual tiga dimensi yang ditawarkan adalah sebagai contoh
anak-anak membina hipotesis saintifik tentang
kuasa.

Visual Mesej 5: Kekuatan kuasa (Gambar 5,

6, 7)
Mesej visual berikut tiga-dimensi
pembinaan gotong-royong oleh James dan Edward
Gambar. 5. Listrik stesen.
Gambar. 3. Teman-temanku.
Gambar. 4. Keluarga saya.
Narasi, Main Imajiner, Seni, dan 285 Self
yang dibuat menggunakan sedotan menyambung dan kayu
tongkat.
Edward: Ini adalah pembangkit listrik. Saya membuat bilik ini besar di sini (menunjuk
ke bahagian bawah pembinaan).
James: Mari kita terhubung itu. Bagaimana melampirkan bersama-sama?
Edward: Itu idea yang bagus. Kita boleh membuat tenaga sangat besar
stesen, seperti yang nyata.
James: Wah, itu keren. Power stesen adalah tempat kuasa.
Ini mengalir. Kemudian kita boleh menggunakannya di mana-mana.
Dengan menyatukan pengetahuan kolektif mereka dua
anak laki-laki mampu membina model elektrik bagaimana
dihasilkan dan dihantar ke pelanggan. Bermain ini
episod didasarkan pada anak-anak cukup luas
latar belakang pengetahuan tentang elektrik (misalnya, pengetahuan
penjanaan elektrik, dan arus elektrik). Menggunakan
pengetahuan latar belakang mereka mampu merumuskan
sebuah hipotesis yang cukup logik. Dengan demikian, melalui seperti
memainkan episod (perundingan selama narasi khayalan
dan, dalam kes ini, bermain teks visual) anak-anak
mampu menggunakan pengetahuan mereka yang diperolehi untuk membangunkan baru
pemahaman tentang dunia mereka (re-construct/reimagine).
narasi Anak-anak juga mendedahkan bagaimana mereka
telah bergulat dengan isu-isu pembangunan hubungan
dan, khususnya, erti persahabatan dan
tanggung jawab menjadi seorang teman baik. Ini
visual teks narasi dan keterangan revealMatthew
pemahaman tentang persahabatan dan tanggung jawab
dan membawa sukacita.
Visual Mesej 6: Arahan Gambar Persahabatan
(Angka 8, 9, 10)
Matius: Ini adalah dua orang. Mereka saling menyukai
lain.
Matius: Kedua-duanya bermain di sebuah cerah
hari. Mereka menikmati.
Matius: Jadi mereka bahagia.
Matius meneruskan dengan memberikan yang berikut

keterangan teks visual (Gambar Kitab

Persahabatan).
Matius: Saya memegang tangan teman saya; persahabatan
adalah cinta dari teman-teman. Lihat? Saya jantung. Ada
hati antara rakan saya dan saya. Kemudian kita
tersenyum.
Dalam teks ini visual, Matius mewakili nya
pemahaman tentang persahabatan baik dengan menggambarkan bagaimana
untuk berperilaku sebagai rakan (tangan memegang dan bermain)
dan juga dengan menggunakan budaya Amerika Utara
simbol kasih sayang: warna merah dan hati
ditarik antara dua teman. Dengan demikian, boleh dikatakan,
bahawa Matius bergulat dengan pengertian tentang
perilaku moral dan sosial khususnya berkaitan
untuk persahabatan dalam harapan budaya-nya
masyarakat.
Gambar. 6. Elektrik yang mengalir.
Gambar. 7. Linked stesen kuasa.
Gambar. 8. Buku gambar persahabatan: Laman 1.
286 Ahn dan Filipenko
DISKUSI
Narasi tidak hanya menyediakan sebuah cetak biru untuk
masuk akal di dunia, tetapi juga tindakan panduan
dalam dunia itu. Dengan kata lain, sementara narasi adalah
cara perwakilan, itu, pada masa yang sama,
cara kerja. Kami menggunakan narasi untuk memandu dan bentuk
cara kita mengalami kehidupan sehari-hari kita, untuk berkomunikasi
dengan orang lain, dan mengembangkan hubungan
dengan mereka. Hal ini juga berlaku untuk anak-anak muda yang
menggunakan cerita untuk pengalaman dan kembali pengalaman diri
hubungan dengan orang lain. Dengan demikian, melalui cerita mereka
kegiatan, anak-anak tidak hanya mampu mewakili mereka
memahami dunia, tetapi juga untuk memahami
itu baik faktual dan emosional dan mendapati mereka
tempat di dalamnya (Nicolopoulou, 1992, hal 157). Kajian ini
tertumpu pada bagaimana anak-anak mewakili diri mereka
dan orang lain dalam peranan naratif dan script yang mereka
membuat dalam bermain khayalan mereka dan teks visual.
Narasi dibuat oleh anak-anak ini mendedahkan
perjalanan kompleks yang mereka ambil dalam proses
membentuk identiti diri. Nampaknya ada tiga
aspek yang berbeza untuk proses ini: melahirkan atau
kesedaran / menumpukan pada diri (cerita Kathy dan
Edward visual teks); kembali tatarajah atau melihat diri sendiri

berhubung dengan orang lain (Yakobus dan Holly khayalan's

memainkan episod dan Holly dan teks visual Edward);
dan, re-construction/re-imagination atau mengembangkan
dan menyemak semula (re-membayangkan) idea / hipotesis sekitar
abstrak ilmiah, falsafah dan moral soalan
(James, Edward dan teks visual Matius).
Berdasarkan narasi anak-anak ini, nampaknya
bahawa anak-anak menggunakan tema budaya untuk membina makna

2).