Abstract

The purpose of this study was two fold. One was to investigate the preschoolers's ability to discriminate the animate-inanimate things, and the level of children's logical explanation for their judgement. And the other was to developed the instructional program to facilitate the ability to discriminate the animate-inanimate things in preschoolers. Twenty-eight 4-year-olds(M age=4.6 years),twenty-eight 5-year-olds(M age=5.5 years) and twenty-eight 6-year-olds(M age=6.4 years) participated in this study. And three teachers in Kindergarten was participated in the experimental instruction. Materials for this study consisted of a set of 2Q color pictures mooned on 18 X 12(Cm) pieces of board. The ability of children was judged by them. The set was chosen to allow wxamination of distictions between (1)animates and never living inanimates, (2)mobile and immobile objects, (3) man-made and naturally occurring objects, and (4)animates and animate-appearing inanimates. The findings of the study reavealed that : (1)33% of 4-year-olds, 56% of 5-year-olds and 84% of 6-year-olds could achieved the animate-nonanimated distinction ability. They not only answered correctly but also justified their answers reasonably. (2)4-year-olds were less likely to respond animistically than 5-year-olds. Overall children showed some biological knowledge,implicitly grouping plants and animals together and differentiation them from artifacts. (3)The ability to discriminate the inmates-nonanimates things, and childrens justification on their judgement could be increased by the instructional programs.