Practice of Silence and Empowerment of Young Children in Early Childhood Centres in Nunavik

Kativik Regional Government childcare service is in charge of managing daycare centres. In Nunavik, numerous children attend to these childcare centres. The analysis of communicational practices in these preschool institutions underlines silence specific functions. They can be related to Inuit educational practices allowing children to be conscious of their emotions, their actions and their effects on others and the environment. Through a moderating use of speech, young children progressively become responsible and mature. The presentation of three educative situations shows how interactional codes, childrearing practices and Inuit values are related. These observations are part of an ethnographic work held in 2013 and 2014 in Kuujjuaraapik and Kuujjuaq childcare centers. While underlining the value of silence which in context can guide children such as spoken words do, these situations bring insightful educative perspectives about child global development.