본 연구는 어린이집의 재원영아들의 새 학급 적응과정을 통해 재원영아들이 새 학급에서 경험하는 환경과의 관계를 분석하고, 이러한 관계 속에서 재원영아들이 보이는 행동상의 특징을 알아본 질적연구로서, 어린이집에서 만 2세 반 15명(재원 영아 7명, 신입 영아 8명)들을 대상으로 2004년 1월부터 2004년 9월까지 참여관찰을 통하여 이루어졌다. 본 연구결과 재원영아들은 진급 초기에는 새로운 교실을 탐색하고, 신입영아들의 울음과 진급 전의 교실과 달라진 교실상황으로 인해 축적된 긴장감을 표출한 후, 신입영아들의 행동에 동조함으로써 새로운 학급의 상황에 자신을 조절해나간 다음, 다시 교실에서의 규칙을 준수하며 또래들에게 언어로 의사소통을 할 것을 강조하는 ‘교실 탐색 → 긴장감 표출 → 새로운 학급 상황에 조절 → 규칙 준수와 언어적 의사소통의 강조’ 라는 적응과정의 흐름을 보여주었다. 그리고 재원영아들은 신입영아들이 보여주는 행동특성에 의한 인상에 따라 또래를 배척, 회피하였다. 초기에는 놀이가 위축되고 주로 다른 재원영아들과 단독놀이나 병행놀이를 했으나, 교실이 안정됨에 따라 다시 놀이를 주도했으며, 새학급 구성 초기에 하락했던 규칙이행 수준이 다시 회복되는 행동특징을 보였다

The purpose of this qualitative research is to investigate the special features of the adaptation process of toddlers who move up to a higher class in a child care center. The participants of this research are 15 toddlers aged 2-years old (8 newcomers and 7 re-enterers of a child care center). Data was collected by observation from January to September, 2004. Analysis showed that the flow of adaptation of returning toddlers is ‘investigating the physical environment→showing stressful behaviors → aligning with the new class → keeping a rule and putting a stress on the verbal communication’. The re-enterers looked withdrawn from the newcomers and their parents, and nervous about the new class while the newcomers' parents were staying in the class. They felt uneasiness and insecurity and showed stressful behaviors, and then they adjusted their play and actions to the newcomers who did not know the rules and played roughly. When the newcomers overcame their separation anxiety and were accustomed to the routines in the class (about June), the re-enterers leaded the play, put the rules into practices and put stresses on verbal communications.

The purpose of this qualitative research is to investigate the special features of the adaptation process of toddlers who move up to a higher class in a child care center. The participants of this research are 15 toddlers aged 2-years old (8 newcomers and 7 re-enterers of a child care center). Data was collected by observation from January to September, 2004. Analysis showed that the flow of adaptation of returning toddlers is ‘investigating the physical environment→showing stressful behaviors → aligning with the new class → keeping a rule and putting a stress on the verbal communication’. The re-enterers looked withdrawn from the newcomers and their parents, and nervous about the new class while the newcomers' parents were staying in the class. They felt uneasiness and insecurity and showed stressful behaviors, and then they adjusted their play and actions to the newcomers who did not know the rules and played roughly. When the newcomers overcame their separation anxiety and were accustomed to the routines in the class (about June), the re-enterers leaded the play, put the rules into practices and put stresses on verbal communications.

adaptation, reenterers, toddlers