A Comparative Study on Dialogic Communication Strategies of Preschoolers in Greece and Rwanda

Abstract

The present research aimed to delve into the communicative profile of children in early childhood education in Greece and Rwanda. More specifically, the study was designed and implemented with the aspiration to examine the communication strategies employed by young children and to explore the potential influence of gender, culture and age on the variation of these strategies among children in Larissa (a city in Greece) and in Kigali (a city in Rwanda, Africa). In the study, 120 children were observed in an attempt to document the communication strategies and further look for differentiations on the basis of their gender, age and cultural background. The study findings indicated that children's communicative repertoire is highly affected by their age and country of origin, while, concerning gender, no statistically significant associations were detected. The results of the research indicate the importance of acknowledging the diverse communication strategies employed by children and implementing a dialogic approach to teaching that accommodates the unique communication requirements of each child.