運用正念呼吸練習支援兒童專注力發展之行動研究

本研究旨在如何在幼稚園運用正念呼吸練習以支援兒童專注力發展。研究對象為澳門一所實施融合教育幼稚園幼高班教師(研究者)及班內二十四名學生。本研究採用行動研究法,嘗試運用正念呼吸練習進行介入,來觀察研究對象在課堂上不專心過動與對立的情況,探討如何有效支援兒童課堂專注力的發展。本研究實施時長共九週,具體的行動計劃包括每天上午和下午時段於主題課前進行正念呼吸練習,以及以遊戲化體驗式為特徵的正念呼吸課堂教學。本研究採用定量與定性相結合的方式來收集數據和研究資料,量化數據主要使用中文版SNAP-IV 兒童注意力量表來獲得,用於輔助說明行動研究實施後的效果,質性資料包括研究者(教師)的觀察記錄表及反思札記,以及主班教師(研究者)和配班教師的交談。
研究結果顯示經過九週的正念呼吸練習後,兒童的專注力有所提升,正念呼吸練習融入在幼稚園日常教學中能夠有效改善兒童在課堂上不專心過動和對立的情況,同時提升自我控制的能力。本研究也提出了將正念呼吸練習融入幼稚園課程的設想與架構,並提供了一些相關的教學案例。冀望此研究能與從事幼兒教育的同工分享將正念教學融入本澳幼稚園的做法,豐富幼稚園課程內容,支援兒童專注力發展。需要指出的是,本研究作爲行動研究而非實驗研究,未嚴格控制無關變量,量化數據或許不能直接用於説明正念呼吸練習的效果,但也能作爲行動研究效果的輔助資料之一,同時也能為未來研究提供探索的方向。

This study aimed to investigate how to use mindfulness breathing exercises in kindergartens to support the development of young children's concentration. The subjects of the study was the teacher (researchers) of a kindergarten K3 class in Macau that implemented integrated education and 24 students in the class. This study used the action research method. The mindfulness breathing exercises were used to observe the study participants' inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and antagonism in the classroom. The study explored how to support the concentration of young children in the classroom effectively. The duration of implementation was nine weeks in total. The specific action plan consisted of the daily sessions of mindfulness breathing exercises in every morning and afternoon before thematic lessons, and the mindfulness breathing classroom instruction characterized by playfulness and experience. This study used quantitative and qualitative methods to collect data and research information, with quantitative data being the primary focus and qualitative information being the secondary focus. The quantitative data were obtained using the Chinese version of the SNAP-IV Child Attention Scale, used to test the effect of the implementation of the action research. The qualitative data included the researcher's (teacher's) observation log sheet, reflective journal, and conversations between the primary teacher (researcher) and the classroom teacher.
The results of the study showed that the mindfulness breathing exercises improved the concentration of young children through the nine-weeks exercise. The incorporation of mindfulness breathing exercises into daily kindergarten teaching effectively reduced inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and oppositional behavior in the classroom and improved their self-control. This research also puts forward the idea and framework of integrating mindful breathing exercises into kindergarten curriculum, and provides some related teaching cases. It is hoped that this study will provide teachers in early childhood education with a pedagogical approach that can be extended to other schools in Macau.It should be pointed out that this study, as an action study rather than an experimental study, does not strictly control irrelevant variables, the quantitative results might not be used to make the conclusion, but it could be used to provide supporting evidences, as well as a direction for future research.