Childhoods and Human Rights: Ethics and Respect in Additional Language Education in the 21st Century

Abstract

This study examines the complexity of conceptualizing childhood in the 21st century and considers how a reflective understanding of it—anchored in a Human Rights perspective—can decisively shape the development of socioemotional competencies, particularly ethics and respect, in prospective Early Childhood Education teachers. Drawing on an initial diagnostic assessment that underscores the limited robustness of participants’ prior knowledge about childhood, the study highlights the need for further engagement with the topic. To this end, semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore participants’ perceptions of whether an enhanced understanding of childhood fosters the development of their socioemotional skills in the context of additional language teaching, making use of the multimodal resource of picturebook. The findings indicate that participants developed a heightened awareness of the importance of a multidimensional approach to childhood in cultivating these competencies, which in turn positively influences the teaching of additional languages.