CC601904 Pre-school Education and Language

Hiroshima University Syllabus

Japanese

Academic Year 2026Year School/Graduate School School of Education

Lecture Code CC601904 Subject Classification Courses for Professional Teaching

Subject Name 幼児と言葉

Subject Name
（Katakana）ヨウジトコトバ

Subject Name in
English Pre-school Education and Language

Instructor NAKAI YUKA

Instructor
(Katakana) ナカイ　ユカ

Campus Higashi-Hiroshima Semester/Term 2nd-Year, First Semester, First Semester

Days, Periods, and Classrooms (1st) Fri3-4：EDU L207

Lesson Style Lecture Lesson Style
(More Details) Face-to-face

Credits 2.0 Class Hours/Week 2 Language of Instruction J : Japanese

Course Level 2 : Undergraduate Low-Intermediate

Course Area（Area） 24 : Social Sciences

Course Area（Discipline） 07 : Education

Eligible Students

Keywords

Special Subject for Teacher Education 　 Special Subject 　

Class Status
within Educational
Program
(Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)
Criterion referenced
Evaluation
(Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)

Class Objectives
/Class Outline Based on the “Language” field in the Course of Study for Kindergartens and the Nursery Childcare Guidelines, and grounded in the principle of “childcare conducted through the environment”, this course examines early childhood language development and the role of educators. Students will learn, through theory and practical cases, how to plan and implement childcare practices that foster language through group life and play, how early childhood practice connects with Japanese language education in primary school, and how children’s cultural resources can be understood and used. Focusing in particular on picture books, students will deepen their understanding of their characteristics and will create a picture book for young children and conduct a read aloud session. Through these experiences, students will explore the enjoyment of picture books for children and their significance in early childhood education, and will learn experientially how language supports making sense of the world and understanding others.

Class Schedule Session 1: Guidance: humans and language
Session 2: The aims and content of the “Language” field
Session 3: Development of language in infants and young children
Session 4: The environment that supports language and the role of educators
Session 5: Picture books as children’s cultural resources
Session 6: Foundations and methods of reading aloud picture books
Session 7: Word play as children’s cultural resources
Session 8: Theater as children’s cultural resources
Session 9: Picture book making 1: ideas for generating a story
Session 10: Picture book making 2: structure and character making
Session 11: Creating and revising a mini picture book: peer critique
Session 12: Linking with SEL: a workshop on nurturing emotions and language
Session 3: Mini picture book presentations: read aloud
Session 14: Connecting early childhood and primary education: narrative comprehension and dialogic read aloud
Session 15: Consolidation and reflection

Report

Text/Reference
Books,etc. Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Commentary on the Course of Study for Kindergartens (Froebel Kan, 2018).

PC or AV used in
Class,etc. Text, Handouts, Visual Materials

(More Details)

Learning techniques to be incorporated Discussions

Suggestions on
Preparation and
Review Sessions 1 to 2 Keep an overview of the course, reread the aims and content of the “Language” domain, and summarise key points.
Sessions 3 to 4 Organise your understanding of early childhood language development and how it relates to the environment and educators’ interactions.
Sessions 5 to 6 Read several picture books and summarise their features and read aloud techniques using the agreed viewpoints.
Sessions 7 to 8 Collect examples of word play and theatre, and organise their aims, activity flow, and educator support.
Sessions 9 to 10 Decide the theme and target age for your picture book, and articulate the story framework and main characters.
Sessions 11 to 12 Draft a mini picture book, revise its text and structure based on peer critique, and summarise points for improvement.
Session 13 Practise for the read aloud presentation, anticipate listeners’ responses, and prepare accordingly.
Session 14 Research cases of narrative comprehension and dialogic read aloud from the perspective of early childhood to primary transition, and organise your own ideas.
Session 15 Reflect on the course as a whole and organise your own achievements and remaining challenges.

Requirements

Grading Method Self evaluation report (60%), engagement in picture book making (30%), weekly reflection comments (10%).

Practical Experience Experienced

Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it The instructor, who has seven years of experience reading aloud picture books to infants, young children, and primary school pupils, will address how to select, read, and create picture books as children’s cultural resources that support the development of children’s language.

Message

Other

Please fill in the class improvement questionnaire which is carried out on all classes.
Instructors will reflect on your feedback and utilize the information for improving their teaching.

Academic Year	2026Year	School/Graduate School	School of Education
Lecture Code	CC601904	Subject Classification	Courses for Professional Teaching
Subject Name	幼児と言葉
Subject Name （Katakana）	ヨウジトコトバ
Subject Name in English	Pre-school Education and Language
Instructor	NAKAI YUKA
Instructor (Katakana)	ナカイ　ユカ
Campus	Higashi-Hiroshima	Semester/Term	2nd-Year, First Semester, First Semester
Days, Periods, and Classrooms	(1st) Fri3-4：EDU L207
Lesson Style	Lecture	Lesson Style (More Details)	Face-to-face

Credits	2.0	Class Hours/Week	2	Language of Instruction	J : Japanese
Course Level	2 : Undergraduate Low-Intermediate
Course Area（Area）	24 : Social Sciences
Course Area（Discipline）	07 : Education
Eligible Students
Keywords
Special Subject for Teacher Education		Special Subject
Class Status within Educational Program (Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)
Criterion referenced Evaluation (Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)
Class Objectives /Class Outline	Based on the “Language” field in the Course of Study for Kindergartens and the Nursery Childcare Guidelines, and grounded in the principle of “childcare conducted through the environment”, this course examines early childhood language development and the role of educators. Students will learn, through theory and practical cases, how to plan and implement childcare practices that foster language through group life and play, how early childhood practice connects with Japanese language education in primary school, and how children’s cultural resources can be understood and used. Focusing in particular on picture books, students will deepen their understanding of their characteristics and will create a picture book for young children and conduct a read aloud session. Through these experiences, students will explore the enjoyment of picture books for children and their significance in early childhood education, and will learn experientially how language supports making sense of the world and understanding others.
Class Schedule	Session 1: Guidance: humans and language Session 2: The aims and content of the “Language” field Session 3: Development of language in infants and young children Session 4: The environment that supports language and the role of educators Session 5: Picture books as children’s cultural resources Session 6: Foundations and methods of reading aloud picture books Session 7: Word play as children’s cultural resources Session 8: Theater as children’s cultural resources Session 9: Picture book making 1: ideas for generating a story Session 10: Picture book making 2: structure and character making Session 11: Creating and revising a mini picture book: peer critique Session 12: Linking with SEL: a workshop on nurturing emotions and language Session 3: Mini picture book presentations: read aloud Session 14: Connecting early childhood and primary education: narrative comprehension and dialogic read aloud Session 15: Consolidation and reflection Report
Text/Reference Books,etc.	Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Commentary on the Course of Study for Kindergartens (Froebel Kan, 2018).
PC or AV used in Class,etc.	Text, Handouts, Visual Materials
(More Details)
Learning techniques to be incorporated	Discussions
Suggestions on Preparation and Review	Sessions 1 to 2 Keep an overview of the course, reread the aims and content of the “Language” domain, and summarise key points. Sessions 3 to 4 Organise your understanding of early childhood language development and how it relates to the environment and educators’ interactions. Sessions 5 to 6 Read several picture books and summarise their features and read aloud techniques using the agreed viewpoints. Sessions 7 to 8 Collect examples of word play and theatre, and organise their aims, activity flow, and educator support. Sessions 9 to 10 Decide the theme and target age for your picture book, and articulate the story framework and main characters. Sessions 11 to 12 Draft a mini picture book, revise its text and structure based on peer critique, and summarise points for improvement. Session 13 Practise for the read aloud presentation, anticipate listeners’ responses, and prepare accordingly. Session 14 Research cases of narrative comprehension and dialogic read aloud from the perspective of early childhood to primary transition, and organise your own ideas. Session 15 Reflect on the course as a whole and organise your own achievements and remaining challenges.
Requirements
Grading Method	Self evaluation report (60%), engagement in picture book making (30%), weekly reflection comments (10%).
Practical Experience	Experienced
Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it	The instructor, who has seven years of experience reading aloud picture books to infants, young children, and primary school pupils, will address how to select, read, and create picture books as children’s cultural resources that support the development of children’s language.
Message
Other
Please fill in the class improvement questionnaire which is carried out on all classes. Instructors will reflect on your feedback and utilize the information for improving their teaching.

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