본 연구는 유아교실에서 교사들에 의해 사용되는 담론의 유형과 각 담론의 유형들을 통해 유아들이 형성하는 지식과의 관계를 고찰하고, 그것이 유아들의 학습과 발달에 대해 가지는 도덕적 함의를 고찰한다. 교실담론의 형식에 대한 교사의 통제, 즉 교사가 어떤 담론 형식을 사용하느냐 하는 것은 유아들로 하여금 상이한 인식론적 세계로 입문시킴으로써 유아들이 창조하고 획득하게 되는 지식의 유형에 영향을 미친다. 그리고 상이한 인식론적 세계관에 기초한 담론의 형식은 교수-학습 경험을 통한 지식탐구의 과정에서 충족되어야 할 일련의 도덕적 기준과 연결됨으로써 유아들의 학습과 발달에 있어서 심오한 도덕적 함의를 가진다. 교사-유아 담론이 도덕적 함의를 가진다는 것은 그것이 언제나 도덕적 맥락에 토대하여 이루어져야 하며, 따라서 교사-유아 담론이 단순한 지식전수의 수단이 아니라, 진정한 의미에서 새로운 지식구성을 위한 도덕적인 토의의 구조와 문화를 형성해야 한다는 것을 의미한다. 여기서 교수-학습 활동 중에 교사가 유아들을 담론에 참여시키는 방법들의 도덕적 함의를 고찰하기 위한 프레임워크를 제시한다. 그리고 교사-유아 담론의 도덕적 함의에 대한 인식이 유아교사들로 하여금 유아교육에 대한 연구와 실천, 그리고 유아 교사교육을 고찰하는 대 있어서 하나의 도덕적 렌즈로 기능해야 함을 주장한다.
The purpose of this study is to suggest the framework for considering the moral implications of the ways teachers engage children in discourse during teaching-learning activities in early childhood classroom. For this, I examined the relationship between two types of teacher-child discourse commonly used in early childhood classrooms, and how teachers' control over classroom discourse patterns during teaching-learning activities influences the types of knowledge children create and acquire, And then, I outlined the moral implications each type of teacher-child discourse has for children’s learning and development. There are two variations of the IRE(Initiation-Response-Evaluation) pattern common to early childhood classroom. In the first form, the teacher initiates with a question, to which a child responses, followed by either the teacher’s evaluative comment or another question. In a second form, the teacher’s E turn is used to expand the children’s response enabling an extended discussion among teacher and children. The different types of teacher-child discourse engage children in different types of activities from which they appropriate different types of mediational means, and ultimately lead to children’s creation of different types of knowledge and epistemological world. While providing insights into our understanding of different epistemological worlds, the nature of classroom discourse also reflects teachers' beliefs about teaching, learning, and children. The moral implications of classroom discourse concern with whether a teacher creates and supports "the moral culture of discussion" which created through the participants' shared commitment to a set of assumptions which serve as principles of conduct including among others "respect for persons, truthfulness, equality, reasonableness". Based upon these shared assumptions and communicative virtues, such as patience, tolerance, respect for differences, the willingness and ability to listen attentively, an openness to giving and receiving criticism, and honest and sincere self-expression, the discourses initiate children into a special way of acting together, cultivating dispositions and virtues of conduct. These virtues allow for authentic dialogue, and children develop these virtues in their relations with others who already possess them. The virtues are pertinent not only for how teachers and children engage one another as learners, but for how teachers and children as learners engage knowledge and its pursuit. They are fundamental to the creation of a context in the classroom in which children engage with their teacher and peers as active teachers and active learners in meaningful encounters with others. Ultimately, children’s experience in leaning activities have profound moral implications for children’s growth and development not only as learners, but more fundamentally, for the types of people they become. The recognition of the moral implications of classroom discourse also could serve as a moral lens through which early childhood educators can reflect on research, practice and reacher education.