The Same... or Different? 'Comparing Early Years Practice in China and England'

Harvell, Janet (2014) The Same... or Different? 'Comparing Early Years Practice in China and England'. In: 24th EECERA Annual Conference - Us, Them and Me: Universal, Targeted or Individualised Early Childhood Programmes, 7th - 10th September 2014, Crete, Greece. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

This paper looks at similarities and difference in early years policy and practices in China and England. The work of Tobin et al (1989; 2009) is the most significant study into early years provision in China. My research is more recent and the result of several visits over four years; the range and time scale of the research resulting in greater confidence in reviewing the consistency of practice. Campbell-Barr has researched extensively into the impact of human capital and neo-liberal policy on the early years. An anthropological framework is used to explore the response of two very different cultures to the emerging early years market. An ethno-methodological approach is adopted resulting from a phenomenological/interpretist perspective. It is significantly based on observed practice; semi-structured interviews and informal discussions explored through discourse analysis. Data was collected during 25 separate visits to 18 different Chinese settings. The resulting Case Study provided a detailed comparison of two settings of a similar size; one from the UK and one from China. It was important to ensure that informed consent was gained from all participants/gatekeepers and translation of data was accurate/fair. Written permission was gained from staff; parents received information sheets with the right to withdraw being articulated. ‘Happy’ and ‘Sad’ posters were used to reflect children’s consent/voice for filming/photographs. Confidentiality protocols were followed and early years practitioners translated written documents/interview transcripts into Chinese/English. Possible implications of this research will be; the effect of changing demographics and parental expectations as a result of China’s one child policy, challenges facing both countries in developing a well-trained early years workforce; The effectiveness of different practices on children’s long-term achievement.

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