In this study, critical discourse analysis was attempted on the meaning of the play-centered curriculum, which is valued in the field of early childhood education, focusing on the revised 2019 Nuri curriculum. The purpose of this thesis is to examine what the characteristics of the play-centered curriculum in early childhood education are, how the discourse on the play-centered curriculum is organized in early childhood education, what the connection between the social structure and ideology is, and how this is perceived in this society.
The following research questions are as follows.
1. What would be distinguished representations of the textual analysis on the play-centered curriculum in early childhood education?
2. How would be the text itself produced, distributed, and consumed on the discourse practice analysis of the play-centered curriculum in early childhood education?
3. What would be the social aspects of the play-centered curriculum in early childhood education?
As a research method, Fairclough''s critical discourse analysis(CDA) which is called three-step analysis frame was used as the main analysis frame.
The results of the analysis of the 2019 Nuri curriculum text are as follows.
First, the textual representation of the ‘play-centered curriculum’ emphasized that ‘play’ itself is a way of learning and life for children using related vocabulary, positive expressions about play, and patterns that show strong certainty. The text also includes visual images to help readers understand children’s play better. In addition to in-depth understanding of the goals and contents of each of the five areas, teachers can directly link the content of each area with the experience of children as a result of this thesis.
Second, the main body for creating the discourse on the ''play-centered curriculum'' can be defined as a government educational institution that exercises the basic policies and guiding principles of national activities, including the research and development, supported by the state power, mainly the researchers of the Childcare Policy Institute commissioned by the Ministry of Education. In addition, the main consumers of the discourse include the municipal and provincial education offices, kindergartens, daycare centers, educational institutions and researchers, teachers of kindergartens and day care centers, parents, our society, ordinary people, and civic groups. This means that it is the result of national and social needs, the national view of the compiler and author, and the ideology, and the text that best reveals the contents and direction of the play-centered education that we are currently aiming for.
Third, the social practices of the ‘play-centered curriculum’ showed that discourse on the ‘play-centered curriculum’ in early childhood education was actively conducted and created in the social and political contexts in which issues of previous curriculum have had.
Based on the analysis results, we wanted to return to the fundamental question of why and how the play-centered education is operated in early childhood education, diagnose the problems and issues and find new implications for the purpose and direction of the play-centered curriculum.