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Author

Angel Chan

Bio: Angel Chan is an academic researcher. The author has contributed to research in topics: Early childhood education & Early childhood. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 1 publications receiving 43 citations.

Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This article applied theoretical perspectives and research findings from literature relating to immigrant families' parental practices and expectations to problematise some of the dominant discourses that prevail in New Zealand early childhood education.
Abstract: As early childhood settings in many English speaking countries are becoming increasingly multi-ethnic due to global migration, this poses challenges for many early childhood teachers who work with diverse immigrant children and families. In an effort to include all families, curriculum developers and teachers often suggest and incorporate teaching strategies that are commonly considered as culturally inclusive. While these strategies may be well intended, they may be promoting and reinforcing essentialist views of immigrants and their ethnicities, and also perpetuating social inequity. This article applies theoretical perspectives and research findings from literature relating to immigrant families' parental practices and expectations to problematise some of the dominant discourses that prevail in New Zealand early childhood education. It discusses the possible application of some theoretical concepts from the domains of critical multiculturalism to assist early childhood teachers to develop better understandings of the needs of immigrant children and families, and to generate critical pedagogies that are culturally sensitive and equitable.International Research in Early Childhood Education, vol. 2, no. 1, p. 63-75

47 citations


Cited by
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Journal ArticleDOI
01 Nov 2011
TL;DR: Learning platforms have helped to increase parental engagement but schools still need to focus on providing data-rich and contextualised information for parents, says Martin Palfrey.
Abstract: Learning platforms have helped to increase parental engagement but schools still need to focus on providing data-rich and contextualised information for parents. Martin Palfrey looks at how they have approached this at his school.

28 citations

Dissertation
14 Jul 2016
TL;DR: The findings highlight how the dominant influence of Western theories in the curriculum caused confusion for teachers, and resulted in a programme developed out of teachers’ understanding rather than the children’s development and dispositions.
Abstract: Te Whāriki positions itself as New Zealand’s first ever Early Childhood Curriculum with an unique bicultural feature honouring the Treaty of Waitangi (signed in 1840), and the partnership between tangata whenua (Māori) and the Crown (Government). The Te Whāriki curriculum found its origins in a need to maintain consistency with the New Zealand Curriculum Framework as a result of major changes in the Education Department in the late 1980s. The establishment of the Te Whāriki involved a long consultative process from 1990 – 1996 with groups and professionals from diverse Early Childhood Education (ECE) backgrounds, with major influence from the two Māori representatives from the Kohanga Reo National Trust (Tamati and Tilly Reedy) and two European writers from Waikato University (Helen May and Margaret Carr) who led the consultation process. One of Te Whāriki’s special features is embedded in its philosophy of inclusivity represented in a metaphor of a whāriki (woven mat), on which all can stand. This inclusivity broke pedagogical boundaries and established new ‘norms’ of equal opportunity for children, their family/whānau and the ECE community. The whāriki is made strong by the interweaving of four principles, strands and goals through its nonprescriptive nature which some find to be useful, while others see it as a hindrance to the implementation of the curriculum, particularly where there is a lack of proper training on how to put the curriculum into practice. This was found as the biggest challenge facing Samoan teachers in ECE, especially the teachers in Mainstream services with a multicultural background. In addition, the findings highlight how the dominant influence of Western theories in the curriculum caused confusion for teachers, and resulted in a programme developed out of teachers’ understanding rather than the children’s development and dispositions.

27 citations

Dissertation
01 Jan 2017
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a Table of contents and a List of Figures for the first part of this article. But they do not discuss the second part of the article.
Abstract: ............................................................................................................. iii Acknowledgements .............................................................................................. v Table of contents ................................................................................................. vii List of Figures ...................................................................................................... ix Chapter 1 – Introduction ....................................................................................... 1 1.

26 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
Karen Guo1
TL;DR: The authors in this paper argue that a devotion to supporting children of minority cultures has persisted in the curriculum, but there is a reliance on mainstream pedagogy focused on children's learning within the centre environment and teachers' subjective knowledge about children's needs.
Abstract: Multicultural curricula/programs assume an important role within a cultural approach to learning and teaching in early childhood education in New Zealand. Te Wha-riki , the national early childhood curriculum framework of New Zealand, is an emancipatory and socially constructive document that emphasises equity, social justice and the important position of culture in children's learning and development. In practice this means developing early childhood programs that are sensitive and responsive to the needs and interests of children and families of minority cultures. Drawing on a critical social constructivist framework, this study of one early childhood centre in New Zealand identifies the features of its multicultural curriculum. The paper argues that a devotion to supporting children of minority cultures has persisted in the curriculum, but there is a reliance on mainstream pedagogy focused on children's learning within the centre environment and teachers' subjective knowledge about children's needs.

24 citations