Dialogic Drawing: A Method for Researching Abstract Phenomenon in Early Childhood

This article explores the theoretical, ethical, and practical opportunities and constraints considered in the methodological design and use of Dialogic Drawing, a participatory method for accessing qualitative data with young children. The method was designed to gather data about abstract phenomena from young children, as part of a larger study investigating the impact of discursive affordances in the first year of compulsory school in Western Australia. Methodological findings are reported from the application of Dialogic Drawing with 28 five-year-old children from diverse school-based semiotic landscapes in the Perth metropolitan area in Western Australia. Three strands of analysis are described and critiqued: drawn product, drawing process, and approach to drawing. Thematic analysis of drawn visual schema, dialog and embodied behaviours highlights the potential reach of Dialogic Drawing for interdisciplinary research significant to early childhood. The participating children revealed they perceive drawing as the child’s domain, endorsing Dialogic Drawing as a relevant and accessible method with capacity to gain untapped information significant to qualitative researchers seeking to elicit the authentic perspectives of children.