Presentation, representation and e-presentation in early childhood

This article analyses and discusses eight seconds of a video film recorded by 5-year-old Claire in a Singapore nursery and kindergarten. On her own initiative, Claire video-recorded her friend Faith drawing and playing. A careful study of this short film sequence reveals seamless movement between play and non-play modes and sheds light on the nature and development of representation and expression. The article is a continuation of ongoing research conducted in London and Singapore into representation and expression in infancy and early childhood. It identifies key modes of representational thought as they emerge in the actions the very young child performs upon a range of media, including ordinary objects, art media and electronic and lens media. The intention is to locate the formation of children's expressive and representational thought within cognitive and affective development as a whole. The article also suggests ways in which adults might support the growth of representational thinking, for only certain conditions encourage the kind of free-flow play that enables its development.