INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR PRACTITIONERS [INTERVIEW 1]
Questions for head/ manager of setting OR the contact person in setting
1. Can you tell me why you wanted your setting to be involved in Stage 2
of this project?
2. What do you hope to gain from your involvement in the project?
3. How far are all staff interested in the project?
4. What were the reactions of the staff to Stage 1 of the study?
5. What were the reactions of parents/carers to Stage 1 of the study?
6. What sorts of literacy experiences do the children you work with have
at home and in their communities?
7. How prominent is popular culture (i.e. popular TV programmes/films/
toys) in the children’s home and community experiences?
8. Which particular popular cultural titles/names (in relation to television
programmes, movies, videos, magazines, music, computer software
and websites) have you noticed that the children are interested in?
9. Have you observed children’s play, talk, writing or drawing being
influenced in any way by popular culture characters or narratives? If so,
can you provide some examples?
10. Do you ever plan activities which draw on children’s interests in popular
culture?
(a) If the answer is ‘yes’:
- could you give me some examples?
- how did the children react to these activities?
- were you surprised in any way by these responses?
- why did you decide to use children’s popular culture in this way?
- how often do you plan these kinds of activities?
- what were the parents’ reactions to this work?
(b) If the answer is ‘no’:
Why not?
11. Do you have any books in the setting which reflect children’s popular
cultural interests?
(c) If the answer is ‘yes’:
- what titles do you have?
- why did you decide to include those?
- where did you get the books from?
- what are the children’s reactions to these texts (eg do they choose
them/ look at them more often than other books?)
(b) If the answer is ‘no’:
Why not?
12. Do you think that children’s popular culture can promote interest in
reading and writing, or not? Why do you say that?
13. Do you ever use children’s comics in the setting?
a. If the answer is ‘yes’:
- what do you use?
- why did you decide to use these?
- where did you get them from?
- what kinds of activities do you do with them?
- what are the children’s reactions to the toys?
b. If the answer is ‘no’:
Why not?
14. Are there any aspects of children’s popular culture which concern you?
If so, what are these?
15. Are there any aspects of popular culture you would never use on the
curriculum? Why?
16. What would you like to know about children’s use of popular culture, if
anything?
17. Do you ever draw on aspects of media in the curriculum e.g. radio,
newspapers, TV?
a. If the answer is ‘yes’:
- could you give me some examples?
- how did the children react to these activities?
- why did you decide to use media in this way?
- how often do you plan these kinds of activities?
b. If the answer is ‘no’:
Why not?
18. What does the term ‘media literacy’ mean to you?
19. How far should children in the foundation stage be introduced to
aspects of media education e.g. the way films are made, the use of
lighting/props etc., the way adverts are constructed and the messages
they give, and so on?
20. What prior knowledge do you think children bring to the setting in
relation to media?
21. Do you feel sufficiently knowledgeable about media education in order
to teach it? (If ‘yes’, how did you develop this knowledge?)
22. Was media education a feature of your early years training at all? (If
so, give details.)
23. What do you feel are the general attitudes in society towards young
children’s use of media?
24. Have you ever used digital video cameras with the children? (If so,
please give details.)
25. What training needs do you feel you have in relation to media
education?
26. Do you have any concerns about using children’s media in the
curriculum? If so, what is the nature of these concerns?
27. How do you use computers in the setting?
28. What programmes do you use most often, and why?
29. How do you approach the teaching of computer skills to children?
30. What prior knowledge and skills do children bring to the setting in
relation to computers?
31. Do you ever use computers in role play areas? If so, how?
32. Do the computers the children use have internet access? If not, why
not? If yes, how do you use it?
33. Do you ever use computers at group time? If so, how?
34. Do you ever draw on children’s interests in popular computer games
e.g. PlayStation? If yes, how? If not – why not?
35. Do you use digital still cameras in the curriculum? If yes, how? If not –
why not?
36. Do you have an interactive whiteboard in the setting? If so, how do you
use it?
37. Do you use any form of new technologies in role play areas? If yes,
how? If not – why not?
38. Is there any other type of technological equipment you use in the
setting that we haven’t talked about?
39. Is there any other type of technological equipment that you would like
to use that you haven’t got?
40. How confident are you using a range of hardware and software?
41. What training have you had in relation to the use of ICT? What further
training would you like?
42. What are parents’ reactions to new technologies in the setting? Do they
take any interest?
43. Can I ask about your own use of new technologies at home? For
example, do you use a mobile phone, do you text etc? Do you use the
WWW at home/digital camera etc?
44. How far do you feel society is changing because of new technologies?
45. How far do you feel education has kept up with the changes?
46. How well do you think the curriculum in this setting meets the needs of
the 21st century?
47. Do you have any other comments/questions about the use of popular
culture/media and new technologies in the early years?
Questions for any other staff in the setting that you interview
1. What sorts of literacy experiences do the children you work with have
at home and in their communities?
2. How prominent is popular culture (i.e. popular TV programmes/films/
toys) in the children’s home and community experiences?
3. Which particular popular cultural titles/names (in relation to television
programmes, movies, videos, magazines, music, computer software
and websites) have you noticed that the children are interested in?
4. Have you observed children’s play, talk, writing or drawing being
influenced in any way by popular culture characters or narratives? If so,
can you provide some examples?
5. Do you think that children’s popular culture can promote interest in
reading and writing, or not? Why do you say that?
6. Are there any aspects of children’s popular culture which concern you?
If so, what are these?
7. Are there any aspects of popular culture you would never use on the
curriculum? Why?
8. What does the term ‘media literacy’ mean to you?
9. What prior knowledge do you think children bring to the setting in
relation to media?
10. Do you feel sufficiently knowledgeable about media education in order
to teach it? (If ‘yes’, how did you develop this knowledge?)
11. Was media education a feature of your early years training at all? (If
so, give details.)
12. What do you feel are the general attitudes in society towards young
children’s use of media?
13. What training needs do you feel you have in relation to media
education?
14. Do you have any concerns about using children’s media in the
curriculum? If so, what is the nature of these concerns?
15. What prior knowledge and skills do children bring to the setting in
relation to computers?
16. How confident are you using a range of hardware and software?
17. What training have you had in relation to the use of ICT? What further
training would you like?
18. Can I ask about your own use of new technologies at home? For
example, do you use a mobile phone, do you text etc? Do you use the
WWW at home/digital camera etc?
19. How far do you feel society is changing because of new technologies?
20. How far do you feel education has kept up with the changes?
21. How well do you think the curriculum in this setting meets the needs of
the 21st century?
22. Do you have any other comments/questions about the use of popular
culture/media and new technologies in the early years?