Cultural-historical genetic research methodology (GRM) in early childhood studies: What it is and how it works

The general model of cultural-historical genetic research methodology (GRM) will be presented. This methodology represents the system of interconnected theoretical and experimental research instruments/tools for refocusing the researcher’s lens on development by making visible processes that are ordinarily hidden beneath the surface, namely, changes in child’s behaviour. Main principles of genetic research methodology will be described and examined from the point of view of how they reflect main aspects of developmental as a complex process of the qualitative reorganisation of mental functions. This discussion will be followed by an empirical examples showing GRM in action. The first study investigated what would happen if teachers encouraged children, in the first six months of formal schooling, to continue visual text creation while teaching them to create written texts. Findings suggest that encouraging children to draw, while teaching them how to write, allows children to create meaningful texts of a complexity that they may not be able to create using conventional print forms alone. We also argue that the incorporation of drawing into the early writing curriculum is more important than ever given contemporary understandings of literacy.