The idea of ‘defamiliarising’ objects and events in order to use them as the topic or the focus for the project work is discussed by Katz as the aspects of the Reggio Emilia approach is based on the project work the topics for which are traditionally taken from the children’s daily experience and surroundings (Katz, 1998).
The process of ‘defamiliarising’ everyday objects can be defined as the process of ‘unpacking’ these objects, paying much attention to their qualities, particular features, characteristics, unexpected qualities, and all the levels of usability (Katz, 1998).
The main issue which is associated with the Reggio Emilia approach is the appropriateness of using the project work with references to the graphic languages for children of 3-6 years. These projects are presented as the extended in-depth investigations (Katz, 1998). They are controlled by teachers, but the work of children is organised in such a way to give them more independence.
Traditionally, the early children educators concentrate on the children’s verbal expressions of their feelings, ideas, and thoughts with references to the play (Rinaldi, Dahlberg, & Moss, 2006). However, the educators who support the Reggio Emilia approach pay attention to the fact that children are able to present their ideas using a lot of graphic languages and participating in the project work.
Children can rethink their real-life experiences with the help of drawing and painting, presenting their own interpretation of the objects from their environment and contributing to the development of their emotions and mental skills (Gandini, 1993).
The Reggio Emilia approach is discussed as the progressive approach the principles of which are not used in the educational practices widely. For instance, the project work with using hundreds of languages for representing the children’s ideas and feelings as the method of the early childhood education is not used in the education system of Saudi Arabia.
The context of the education of Saudi Arabia can be discussed as familiar for me. It is necessary to state that the early childhood education in the country is based on the custodial care.
Basing on my own experience, I can note that the educators pay much attention to the traditional development of children’s abilities to express their feelings and thoughts while playing and verbally. Moreover, it is important to focus on the differences in educational approaches according to the gender characteristics.
Nevertheless, the idea of ‘defamiliarising’ objects is used as the part of many educational techniques. However, the results of the usage of this method can be referred to the activities which differ from those ones typical for the Reggio Emilia approach significantly, especially for influencing the method of assessing activities (Hatherly & Richardson, 2007).
Thus, educators in Saudi Arabia pay much attention to children’s examining the objects of the world surround them, but the results of the observations are not used in the projects work as the part of the early childhood education. From this point, the Reggio Emilia approach is rather controversial to be followed in the Islamic society.
References
Gandini, L. (1993). Fundamentals of the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education. Young Children, 49(1), 4-8.
Hatherly, A., & Richardson, C. (2007). Building connections: Assessment and evaluation revisited. In L. Keesing-Styles & H. Hedges (Eds.), Theorizing early childhood practice: Emerging dialogues (pp. 51-70). Castle Hill, NSW: Pademelon Press.
Katz, L. (1998). What can we learn from Reggio Emilia? In C. Edwards, L. Gandini, & G. Forman (Eds.), The hundred languages of children: The Reggio Emilia approach – advanced reflections (pp. 27-50). New Jersey: Ablex Publishing.
Rinaldi, C., Dahlberg, G., & Moss, P. (2006). In dialogue with Carlina Rinaldi: A discussion between Carlina Rinaldi, Gunilla Dahlberg and Peter Moss. In C. Rinaldi (Ed.), In Dialogue with Reggio Emilia: Listening, researching and learning (pp. 134-160). Oxon: Routledge.