Why is school absenteeism continuing to surge? What kind of "views on learning" should adults reconsider, and what kind of "words of encouragement" should be used to foster a sense of self-acceptance in children? — Latest article now available on the special website "The Editorial Office of Questions".

We have published a new article, "Why is school absenteeism continuing to increase? What kind of 'views on learning' should adults reconsider, and what kind of 'words' can foster a sense of self-acceptance in children?" (Professor Taiki Toda, Faculty of Education), on our university's special website, "The Room for Editing Questions."

The article highlights the "should" mentality that underlies the surge in school absenteeism, as well as the unconscious "learning perspectives" of adults that diminish children's "self-acceptance." It also discusses the importance of accepting and empathetic communication, the development of educational materials that formalize communication techniques that tend to remain tacit knowledge, and the essence of education in the age of AI.

This magazine is a socially conscious web magazine that starts with the "why?" questions that arise from news and everyday events, and features easy-to-understand explanations based on the expertise of researchers at our university. Its aim is to open up university research beyond specialized fields and to share it as "knowledge" with society.

Table of Contents for this Article

1. "Verbal communication" during infancy fosters a sense of self-acceptance.
2. Reconsider the "views on learning" of childcare providers and teachers.
3. Aiming to "visualize" the "approach techniques" that previously relied on experience and intuition.

Lead paragraph of this article

"Studying is something you have to do," "Going to school is something you should do." Unconsciously, aren't we binding our children, and even ourselves, with such directive (commanding) words like "You must do this" and "You should do this"?

A 2024 survey by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology showed that the number of truant elementary, junior high, and high school students combined reached a record high of approximately 420,000. The background to this serious situation may not be limited to a problem of their "motivation," but may be the shackles known as "should thinking" that are deeply rooted in Japan's educational culture.

"No matter who you are, anytime, anywhere, no matter what happens, it's okay to be yourself." This kind of accepting and empathetic communication fosters a sense of self-acceptance, which forms the foundation of the resilient spirit that children need to overcome difficulties. So, how can adults change their daily communication to acknowledge children as they are and help them rediscover the joy of learning?

This time, we interviewed Professor Taiki Toda, who has been conducting research for many years on how active childcare workers communicate with infants and toddlers. We asked him about the blind spots in the "views on learning" that adults unconsciously fall into, "techniques for accepting and empathetic communication" that can be put into practice starting today, and the essence of education through "human warmth," which will become even more valuable in the age of AI.

Professor

Toda Daiki

​

Specialized Field

Childcare

Research theme

An empirical study on the use of language and vocabulary by caregivers towards infants and young children