Browsing by Author "Mäkinen, Leena"

The purpose of this study is to test the strengths of the task cards developed by my study partner and me to clarify whether through systematic task reviewing has an impact on the behavior of children who needs enhanced support. The task cards includes animal photo cards, where we go different strengths through stories and jingles/tales. We prepared the tasks cards together, she drew and I wrote the stories. Tales and strength tasks we brainstormed together. Cards are based on the Discover/Notice good! material and positive pedagogy. My material is published in the Discover/Notice good! Watching of Vahvuusvaris guide. I focus on supporting the two character strengths (self-regulation and fairness) for kindergarten-aged kids. The key questions in this thesis are: 1) How the material we developed is suitable for supporting self-regulation and fairness for kids in kindergarten? 2) How do the children themselves experience our material. 3) Does the usage of the strength cards affect the child’s self-control? The study was carried out as a qualitative action study. Research material was collected during three intervention weeks by observing four four-to-five-year-old children and by interviewing four teachers. Interviews were done twice: just before the start of intervention and straight after the intervention. The interview material was analyzed through qualitative content analysis. The notes from the observations were used to enrich the material. Two of the children in the target group are in need of enhanced support. The kindergarten teacher of the group filled out a questionnaire, called pikkuKesky, for 5-6 years old kids, which measures child’s self-regulation skills. The same questionnaire was also filled out before and after the strength intervention According to research results, children's’ self-regulation skills were developed slightly during the intervention period. Children liked the task cards and going through the strengths, but to make the results more convincing, the intervention should take longer. The group’s teacher and other grown-ups in the kindergarten also expressed the wish for a continuation of the strength-based intervention. Our work cards would be well suited to be used by special teachers. The kindergarten group had several children with foreign background whose finnish language was still very primitive. Our stories and tales were rich in vocabulary, but for S2 lessons they should be modified for much more plain language and more concrete.