Preface 3

Part 1: The Need for and Improvement Plan for Linked Education between Early Childhood Education Institutions and Elementary Schools

Chapter 1: The Concept and Necessity of Linked Education between Early Childhood Education Institutions and Elementary Schools 13
01.
Concept of Connectivity 13
02.
The necessity and effectiveness of linked education 15
1) Aspects of child developmental suitability 17
2) Curriculum Efficiency Aspect 19
3) Aspects of elementary school adaptation 20
4) Expected effects of desirable linked education 21

Chapter 2: Current Status and Improvement Plans for Early Childhood Education Institutions and Elementary Schools
01.
Current Status of Linked Education in Korea 25
02.
Current Status of Joint Education between Foreign Early Childhood Education Institutions and Elementary Schools 32
1) United States 32
2) UK 35
3) France 39
4) Japan 42
5) Implications 45
03.
46 Improvement Plans for Desirable Linkages Between Early Childhood and Elementary Education in Korea
1) Curriculum Aspects 46
2) Educational system and administrative aspects 47
3) Practical aspects of education 52
4) Aspects of teacher and parent perception 54

Part 2: Children's Developmental Characteristics and Integrated Curriculum

Chapter 3 Developmentally Appropriate Education and Play 59
01.
The Concept of Developmentally Appropriate Education 59
02.
Characteristics of a Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum 60
03.
Play as a Developmentally Appropriate Education 61
1) Play with Toddlers 61
2) 'Play' as a developmentally appropriate education 64
3) 2019 Nuri Curriculum and Play 65
4) 2022 Elementary School Curriculum and Play 70

Chapter 4 Developmental Characteristics of Toddlers and Early Elementary School Children 73
01.
Physical Development 73
02.
Social and Emotional Development 74
03.
Cognitive and Linguistic Development 76

Chapter 5: Integrated Curriculum for Early Childhood Education Institutions and Lower Elementary Schools 78
01.
The Meaning and Value of Inclusive Education 79
02.
The Need for an Integrated Curriculum for Early Childhood Education Institutions and Lower Elementary Schools 83
1) Age and developmental aspects 83
2) Aspects of educational efficiency 84
3) Aspects of the connection between early childhood education and elementary education 85
4) Aspects of connection with the family 86
03.
Teaching and Learning Principles of the Integrated Curriculum 86

Part 3: Understanding the Early Childhood Education Curriculum and the Lower Elementary School Curriculum

Chapter 6: Composition and Operation of the 2019 Nuri Curriculum and the 2022 Elementary School Curriculum (93)
01.
Comparison of the 2019 Nuri Curriculum and the 2022 Elementary School Curriculum 94
02.
Comparison of the Human Nature and Structure of the 2019 Nuri Curriculum and the 2022 Elementary School Curriculum 98
1) Comparison of the human image pursued by the Nuri Curriculum and the elementary school curriculum 98
2) Comparison of the focus of the Nuri Curriculum and the elementary school curriculum 100
03.
Comparison of the 2019 Nuri Curriculum and the 2022 Elementary School Curriculum's Purposes and Objectives 103
04.
Comparison of the 2019 Nuri Curriculum and the 2022 Elementary School Curriculum: 105
1) Comparison of the Nuri Curriculum and the Elementary School Curriculum 105
2) Comparison of the composition and operation of the Nuri Curriculum and the elementary school curriculum 110

Chapter 7: Linking the 2019 Nuri Curriculum with the 2022 Lower Elementary School Curriculum (114)
01.
2019 Nuri Curriculum Areas and 2022 Elementary Lower Grade Curriculum Objectives and Contents 115
1) Nuri Curriculum Physical Exercise and Health Area and Elementary School Healthy Living and Enjoyable Life Goals and Contents 115
2) The social relations area of ​​the Nuri curriculum and the goals and contents of the elementary school's Good Life, Wise Life, and Happy Life 119
3) The Art Experience Area of ​​the Nuri Curriculum and the Goals and Contents of Elementary School Enjoyable Life 122
4) Comparison of the communication area of ​​the Nuri Curriculum and the goals and content of elementary school Korean language 124
5) The goals and contents of the Nuri Curriculum's Nature Exploration Area, Elementary School Mathematics, Wise Living, and Right Living 128
02.
Teaching and Learning Methods for the 2019 Nuri Curriculum and the 2022 Lower Elementary Curriculum 134
1) Teaching and Learning Methods of the Nuri Curriculum 134
2) Teaching and Learning Methods in Elementary School Curriculum 135
3) Teaching and Learning Methods for Elementary Integrated Curriculum 136
4) Teaching and Learning Methods for Korean Language in Lower Elementary Schools 142
5) Teaching and Learning Methods for Mathematics in Lower Elementary Schools 150
03.
Evaluation Methods for the 2019 Nuri Curriculum and the 2022 Lower Elementary School Curriculum 154
1) Evaluation of the Nuri Curriculum 155
2) Evaluation of the elementary school curriculum 155

Chapter 8: Creative Experience Activities in Elementary Schools and Early Adaptation Activities for First Graders 163
01.
Creative Experience Activity 163
1) Definition and educational significance of creative experiential activities 163
2) The nature of creative experiential activities 165
3) Goals and areas of creative experiential activities 166
4) Designing Creative Experiential Activities 169
5) Operation and Evaluation of Creative Experience Activities 170
02.
First Grade Elementary School Early Adaptation Activities 171
1) Definition of early adjustment activities upon admission 172
2) Operation and guidance of early adjustment activities upon admission 172
3) Institutional efforts for early adjustment activities upon admission 173

Part 4: The Practice of Early Childhood Education and Lower Elementary School Education

Chapter 9: Integrated Curriculum Operation for Early Childhood Education Institutions and Lower Elementary Schools 185
01.
185 Operation of a Play-Centered Integrated Curriculum in Early Childhood Education Institutions
02.
Operation of the Integrated Curriculum for Lower Elementary School Students 186
1) Purpose of the integrated curriculum for lower grades 187
2) Characteristics of the integrated curriculum for lower grades 187
3) Content system of the integrated curriculum for lower grades 188
4) Development and operation of topics for the integrated curriculum for lower grades 190
5) Lower grades subject-specific textbooks 193
03.
Integrated Teaching and Learning Methods for Early Childhood Education and Early Elementary Schools 195
1) Utilizing integrated educational methods centered on play, activity, life, and subject matter 195
2) Flexible operation of class time length and class content 199
3) Creating a classroom environment that can enhance the effectiveness of integrated education 200

Chapter 10: Teaching Methods and Environments for Early Childhood Education Institutions and Lower Elementary Schools 203
01.
Comparison of Common Teaching and Learning Methods in Early Childhood Education and Early Elementary Schools 203
1) Teaching and Learning Methods in Early Childhood Education Institutions 203
2) Teaching and Learning Methods for Lower Elementary School Students 208
02.
Comparison of educational evaluations between early childhood education institutions and lower elementary school grades 220
1) Educational Evaluation of Early Childhood Education Institutions 220
2) Educational evaluation of elementary school students 222
03.
Comparison of educational planning and operation between early childhood education institutions and lower elementary school students 226
1) Educational planning and operation of early childhood education institutions 226
2) Elementary school lower grades' daily schedule planning and operation 241
04.
Comparison of the educational environments of early childhood education institutions and elementary school students 250
1) Educational environment of early childhood education institutions 250
2) Educational environment for lower elementary school students 261

Chapter 11: Application of Various Integrated Education Programs to Early Childhood Education Institutions and Lower Elementary Schools 269
01.
Project Approach 270
1) Definition of project approach 270
2) Characteristics of the project approach 271
3) Implementation phase of the project approach 274
4) Project Approach Case 278
02.
Reggio Emilia Approach 296
1) Historical Background of the Reggio Emilia Approach 296
2) Educational Principles of the Reggio Emilia Approach 297
3) Characteristics of the Reggio Emilia Approach 301
4) The Reggio Emilia Approach Process 302
5) Case Study 307 of the Reggio Emilia Approach
03.
Montessori Early Childhood Education 316
1) Basic concepts and assumptions 317
2) Educational Purpose 319
3) Teaching Method 319
4) Educational content 320
5) The teacher's role 322
6) Case Study of Montessori Early Childhood Education Institutions in Korea 324
7) Application of Montessori Early Childhood Education to Elementary Education 329
04.
Naturalistic Education Approach 330
1) Nature-Friendly Education in Waldorf Kindergartens 332
2) Forest Kindergarten 335
3) Application of naturalistic education in elementary schools 339
05.
343 Various integrated educational activities linked to other early childhood education
1) Education through play 343
2) Education using educational theater 345
3) Storytelling program 350

Reference 353

Appendix 363

About the Author 430