Nineteenth International Conference on Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nations

Abstract

This study examines the concept of diversity and how it is perceived by kindergarten pupils. Heterogeneity characterizes the modern nursery classes so is essential to examine how preschool pupils view themselves in relation to others. Identity construction is a life-long process, but early childhood is the critical period for laying the foundation. Self-identity is changed and transformed through interactions with environment and diverse experiences. Personal narrative inquiry has been adopted to illustrates how embody “self” in the interaction to “others”. Narratives constitutes a means of organizing one`s self interpersonally. Research data showed that the representation of events in narrative discourse allows experience to become internalized and owned. The on-going stories that children created about themselves are embedded within the social, familiar, and cultural contexts within which transformation of perception occurs. Their stories serve not only as a venue for self-expression and communication with others, but also as a means of creating meaning out of lived experience. Auto-narration allows children to interpret own knowledge about oneself. Τhe use of narratives in the production of intercultural fairytale is proposed as a diversified teaching approach through which conquest of intercultural learning is achieved.