The Dilemma of Reading, Writing, and Counting in Early Childhood Education: A Qualitative Descriptive Study

Abstract

Playing with children can optimize child development, provide life experience and is the fundamental right of children, however, pencil and paper have become a regular activity for children in this era. Although many studies have concluded that learning to read, write and count is not necessary for early childhood, there are many Early Childhood Education (ECE) still applying it. It happens because of a dilemma between the curriculum and the willingness of parents. This article is the result of qualitative descriptive research that discussed why it happened and how to overcome it. Data collected from ECEs in Karanganyar, Indonesia and Wat Donmuang School in Bangkok, Thailand. The results show that the desire to teach reading, writing and counting to children is not from the ECE, but from the parents who consider that the smart child is a child who can read, write and count. Beside it, several excellent primary schools require the prospective students able to read, write and count. The practical implication of this paper is to widen the perspective of ECE that they don't need academic achievement only but affection and maturation should be the foundation of education.