ABSTRACT
The field of International research on early childhood transition to school suggests further integration of children’s perspectives into policy and practice discussion. This chapter draws on a study carried out in Chile with children aged five to seven transitioning from kindergarten to first grade. The aim was to understand and reveal children’s experiences as agents within early childhood and primary school pedagogical practices. The study reported on personal transition experiences by employing a multidisciplinary research framework inclusive of cultural-historical, self-regulation and social learning theories to understand children as learner agents. Core elements to the research design were the visual participatory methodologies employed with emphasis on the listening and rights methodological approach. Children’s meaning making was evidenced through the multiple ways they engaged with the transition experience revealed during the visual (photo-elicited) interviews. Findings suggest self, social and shared regulation, as well as self-awareness, are interrelated elements of children’s developing sense of agency during the challenging first grade transition experience. Conclusions advocate the inclusion of child perspectives to policy and pedagogy for early childhood education and primary schools in order to promote better transition experiences.
