Looking For Trouble: Can Educators Facilitate Learners' Social Development During Conflicts Between Peers? Making Use of Teachable Moments in an Early Years Setting.

This small-scale qualitative study concerned an analysis of educator responses to conflicts occurring in a cohort of 3 to 5 year olds in one particular setting. The design of the learning environment at the setting was informed by a social constructivist perspective and mediation strategies were routinely used to assist children in managing their own disputes. The study was designed to establish whether there was evidence to show that educator responses to conflicts between peers facilitated the learner’s social development. Over a period of a week, all conflicts between peers were recorded together with any educator responses. The recordings were transcribed and analysed for evidence of learning opportunities in the social domain.

The results showed that mediation strategies were employed routinely by educators in supporting learners involved in conflict events. There was evidence that the strategies used were beneficial to learners in that they enabled them to practise skills conducive to social development. The conclusions drawn were that mediation strategies are compatible with the principles of empowerment and inclusion of learners. Further research over a longer period could help establish whether such benefits are evidenced over time as well as in the moment and help promote mediation strategies as a valuable tool for the educator.