This study investigates whether or not children and mothers differ reading
behaviors on texts for the art appreciation according to the age of children.
Also. this research focused on who is the one that leads the art appreciation
and who is the one that begins interaction between children and mothers.
Furthermore. we want to know about family members' interactions by
observing mothers verbal interactive behaviors on children.
Subjects of this research were 160 children and 158 mothers who visited
participatory exhibitions for art appreciation in Samsung Children' s Museum.
In detail. there were three groups of children(52 preschoolers of 5-6 year olds.
55 lower elementary graders of 7-9 year olds. and 53 higher elementary
graders of 10-12 year olds) and three groups of mothers(52 mothers of
preschoolers. 52 mothers of lower elementary graders. and 54 mothers of
higher elementary graders).
For this research. texts which are explaining art exhibits and artists
including participatory exhibits were exhibited. Furthermore, the passages and
graphics as well as expository writings for motivating art appreciation were
presented in texts. Timing and tracking observation was used to document.
and the contents of timing and tracking observation were children s and
mothers' reading behaviors on texts and interactions between children and
mothers . Mothers verbal interaction features on children were categorized into
three as texts. hands-on exhibits. and knowledge.
The findings are as follows.
First, we expected an increase of children's reading behaviors on texts by
presenting expository writings. passages. and graphs in art exhibitions for children. but there was no increase in children and mothers reading
behaviors on texts comparing with the former research.
Second, there were no statistical difference between children and mothers
reading behaviors .
Third, we couldn' t find the difference on the time spent on texts according to
children' s age. but on the number of texts chosen. The higher elementary
graders read more texts than preschoolers.
Fourth, the time spent on texts by mothers was similar according to the age
of children. but the number of texts chosen by the lower elementary graders
mothers were higher than that of the preschoolers mothers. Therefore. the
lower elementary graders mothers read texts more.
Fifth, 45.5 percent of children and 35.9 percent of mothers led the art
appreciation. so overall. children were more leading appreciators than mothers.
Sixth, the frequency of the first verbal interaction between mothers and
children was counted to 857 numbers. 80 percent of mothers and 20 percent of
children initiated the verbal interaction. so mothers began more verbal
interaction than children.
Last, we found out that mothers interact with children talking about
participatory exhibits the most. then texts. and finally. the knowledge having
already.