Exploring New Directions for Preschool-Elementary Transition Education

The purpose of this study is to suggest a new direction for preschool-elementary transition education. Recently, there has been growing interest in preschool-elementary transition education, as the 2019 revised Nuri Curriculum and the 2022 revised Elementary Education Curriculum emphasize connectivity between educational institutions, and the number of pilot kindergartens implementing transition semesters is gradually increasing nationwide. In this context, this study analyzed the limitations of current transition education and explored ways to improve it. As a result of the study, it was confirmed that the target of preschool and elementary education should be expanded from 5 years old to all ages, and that the focus should be on improving the current quality of life of young children rather than preparing for elementary school. In addition, it was suggested that young children should be recognized as agents of action and that coexistence should be pursued while respecting the differences between early childhood education and elementary education. To this end, it is necessary to strengthen cooperative relationships in the educational community, and find ways to connect education that can be implemented at the level of early childhood education institutions even under realistic constraints. This study is significant in that it provides a theoretical foundation for a comprehensive and continuous child-centered approach to transition education and presents practical measures for implementation.