<Article>A Comparative Analysis of Curricula in Early Childhood Education in Japan and Korea: Focusing on the National Curriculum Guidelines for Integrated-type Certified "Kodomo-en" School and the Nuri-Curriculum for 3-5 year olds.

This paper was performed to examine the characteristics of the national curricula in early childhood education in Japan and Korea by focusing on the National curriculum guidelines for integrated-type certified "Kodomo-en" school and the Nuri-curriculum for 3-5 year olds. First, to provide an analytical point of view for understanding the characteristics of the curricula, two types of approaches of early childhood education, and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's (OECD) suggestion for the curriculum composition, previous research about the implementation of curricula were examined. Second, the curricula in early childhood education in Japan and Korea were summarized separately. Third, the curricula were checked from the analytical point of view in both countries, and then characteristics of the national curricula in early childhood education in Japan and Korea were presented. Three conclusions were drawn from the comparison between Japan and Korea: (1) there tended to be no more clear distinction between a "readiness for school (academic)" approach and social pedagogy (holistic) approach of the curricula in both countries; (2) there was the learning area called "environment" in the national guideline for early childhood education in Japan that provided trans-disciplinary activities, while in Korea, there was no such area, but it was promoted as a result by setting interdisciplinary themes for classroom activities; (3) the curriculum enactment perspective was recognized in Japan, while in Korea, there was given little discretion and the standard provided from the government was expected to implement accurately at the institutional-level