Browsing by Author "Jauhiainen, Susanna"

Aims. Touching is vital for humans. Furthermore touch is a way of communicating in interaction. The aim of this study was to examine touching in kindergarten: what is the nature of touching and what is the interactional organization of touch between an adult and a child when a child is crying. Theoretically, the study draws upon conversational analysis approach of multimodal interaction and conception of corporeality. The research questions were: (1) what is the nature of touching between an adult and a child when a child is crying in kinder-garten, (2) how is a comforting touch organized between an adult and a child when a child is crying in kindergarten, and (3) what are the factors that affect the nature and the organization of touching? Methods. This reasearch was a qualitative study of interaction. The research data were 30 hours of videofootage filmed at 1-4-years old child’s kindergarten groups. Altogether, there were 21 different episodes of crying. These episodes were analysed by multimodal interaction analysis. Results and conclusions. The results illuminate the foundational touching have a important role of touch when child is crying in kindergarten. The study identified four different forms of touching: comforting, controlling, assisting and non-touching. The findings also advance understanding on the temporal organization of touch. Comforting touch appeared directly or with a delay. The reason of crying and how the child responsed to interaction by an adult were significant. These factors created the possibilities to different kind of touching. In conclusion, the study found that touch plays an important role in comforting when a child is cry-ing. Touch was also used to control a crying child action. This study points a different forms and ways of organization of touching in kindergarten. In general this study provides the opportunity for increasing awareness of meanings and possibilities of touch and to improve quality of interaction in early childhood education.