Join Clare Brumpton, Head of Research Centre, International School of London and Eleonora Teszenyi and Natalie Canning, The Open University as they discuss the different ways in which we hear children’s voices through innovative and stimulating projects with children at the heart of the research process.

In this second seminar of the year hosted by The Open University's Children's Research Centre we examine two different projects with children at the heart of the research process. We consider the opportunities involving children in research affords them in terms of their empowerment and voice. We look at the challenges involved, especially working with very young children and the different ways in which their views can be expressed. Finally, we consider the impact of children being involved in research, not just on their immediate community, but the implications for practice, learning, development and policy.

The seminar aims to inspire and inform, as well as provide a shared space for discussion.

Eleonora and Natalie will share insights into their project in partnership with the University of Debrecen, Faculty of Child Education and Special Education, Hungary on the ways in which children’s rights are explored and expressed in Hungarian kindergartens. The project considers the need to hear children’s voices and explore their understanding of what rights mean to them to better inform practice in Hungarian Early Childhood provision. The research uses a participatory, multi method and polyvocal approach, based upon the Mosaic approach (Clark and Moss, 2011) and in this first stage of the research engages with 9 Kindergartens who use a series of tools to listen to children aged between 3 and 6 years old. The tools include creative art, drawing, circle time, or story telling with puppets. Pedagogue’ views on what they have learnt about children’s rights through the research is an important aspect of the project. They share their initial reflections and ways of working to support children’s expression and engagement of understanding rights and we discuss why it is essential that children are at the centre of this practice.

Clare Brumpton will share the work of the International School of London (ISL) Research Institute which enables Middle Years students to conduct an entirely student-led, original research project. Each project focuses on languages and multilingualism, a key area of strength and expertise within our school community. Students work collaboratively on a Research Question of their choice, supported by Research Facilitators and a university-based Academic Mentor. The last cohort presented their findings on fluency and language loss to academics and researchers at the Educational Collaborative for International Schools’ Multilingual Learning International Education (ECIS MLIE) Conference in London, March 2019. The current cohort of young researchers are working on a project to find out how students are socialised into multilingualism at ISL.

The ISL Research Institute was a finalist in the International School Awards 2021 in the category “Initiative to support students as future-thinking innovators”.

The Children's Research Centre supports research with, about and led by children and young people. We respect and value the views of children and young people. We seek ways to support greater levels of child and youth engagement and the opportunity for children and young people to have a voice.