Study on children's transition and support in mealtime experience from ECEC to primary school.

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K17378
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Education
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Yodogawa Yumi 東京大学, 大学院教育学研究科(教育学部), 特任講師 (60773158)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 食事の環境 / 子どもの認識 / 食事への関心 / 食事場所 / 配膳方法 / 子どもの主体的選択

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study focused on teachers’ role at mealtime in ECEC center and primary school. 36 5-year-old children and classroom teachers, parents, cooks from 3 centers participated in this study. The study continued until the children were in first grade at primary school. From analysis of children’s drawings, interview and teachers’ interview, it was revealed that children who had high interest in eating drew many contents including detail content of meal, meal place environment, procedure of mealtime, and their friends. In contrast, the children who had low interest in eating and/or those whom teachers recognized as they had some tasks related to mealtime did not draw much content. The trend in drawings and interviews of children was suggested to have relation with place, time of mealtime and how they serve meals. Also, the degree of children’s autonomous decision on what and how much they eat seemed to influence how much they recognize about the detail content of meal.

Free Research Field

保育学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、これまであまり明らかにされてこなかった子ども自身の声を通して、園や小学校における食事経験に関する子ども自身の認識を調査した。また、子どもたちの食事を日々支えている保育者、保護者、栄養士等への調査を行い、そこでの援助の課題について検討した。食事場面に関する子どもの認識には、食事場所、時間、配膳方法等が関係していると考えられることが示唆されたことから、実際の食事場面の環境設定を検討するための視点を提供した。また、何をどれだけ食べるかに関する子どもの主体的判断の余地が大きいことで子どもの食事そのものへの関心も高まると考えられ、食事提供のあり方への視座を提供したと言える。