An Analysis of Communication with Kindergarten and Nursery School Teachers on Parenting Difficulties among Parents from Foreign Countries

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K02793
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Japanese language education
• Research Institution: Yamagata University
• Principal Investigator: UTSUMI Yumiko 山形大学, 学士課程基盤教育機構, 教授 (20292708)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 澤 恩嬉 東北文教大学短期大学部, その他部局等, 准教授 (50389699)
• Research Collaborator: USUI Hiromi ; SUNAMI Hokuto
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 外国人保護者 / 子育て / やりとり / 幼稚園・保育園

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Communication between parents and their child’s kindergarten, preschool, nursery school or daycare are quite important. Through such communication, parents are able to have a good and close relationship with schoolteachers, and work together on their child's upbringing/education. This research focused on communication about parenting difficulties and clarified the difficulties which Japanese parents have and their behavior patterns to discuss them with schoolteachers or not. Then we conducted a questionnaire with parents from foreign countries to reveal common and different points with Japanese parents.
We also have totally revised the site 「幼稚園・保育園の連絡帳を書こう！」: Writing in renrakucho - the parent-teacher notebook」http://renrakucho.net/ based on the opinion from users.

Free Research Field

日本語教育学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、育児に関する悩み事を抱えて孤立しがちな外国出身保護者に対し、園と連携して問題解決を目指すための日本語コミュニケーションの方策を提示できる。それを、無料で閲覧できるサイトで公開し、日本語教室に通えない保護者であってもスマートフォンやタブレットで手軽に参照できるようにしている。保護者が日本語使用に自信を深め、主体的に園とやりとりでき、自分の手で子育てしているという実感が持てれば、保護者の精神的な安定が得られる。これは外国につながる子どもの生活・学習環境を整える という点でも大きな意味を持つものと思われる。