Exploring the Multifaceted Roles of Social Robots in Early Childhood Literacy Lessons: Insights from a Maltese Classroom

Abstract

Abstract This study investigates the roles of social robots (SRs) in literacy lessons with 25 children aged 5–6, including five with special educational needs, in a Maltese early childhood classroom. Through thematic analysis and grounding in Mead’s symbolic interactionism and Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, we explored how SRs mediate interactions and influence children’s self-concept development. The NAO6 humanoid robot, programmed to recognize students and reference prior interactions, fostered familiarity and facilitated symbolic exchanges that supported social identity formation, consistent with the “looking-glass self” concept. Beyond the commonly cited “tutor” role, our findings reveal SRs’ dynamic contributions as mediators of reflective social interactions, offering cues that shaped children’s behaviors and self-awareness. These results highlight SRs’ potential to enhance inclusive education by engaging both typically developing children and those with disabilities, extending prior research on anthropomorphized technology and its impact on classroom dynamics.