This study aims to investigate in-depth the perception, reading status, and difficulties of information picture books for Kindergarten teachers. In this study, 12 teachers of private preschools in A city were selected as subjects for the study and focus group interviews were conducted. As a result of the study, first, as a result of the teacher recognition survey, it was found that information picture books were limited to natural science books. It was found that preschool teachers set the primary purpose of reading information picture books to satisfy children's intellectual curiosity. Second, as a result of the survey on the actual condition of reading preschool information picture books, it was found that teachers read information picture books mainly to support children's curiosity and interest that arise during preschool science activities and experiential activities such as gardening. As a method of reading information picture books, many teachers actively interact with children, focusing on the pictures and texts of books, to increase their enjoyment. In addition, photos, pictures, and videos are prepared and provided to help young children understand vocabulary or information unfamiliar to them. As a post-activity, various play expansions such as role play, quizzes, and games are conducted with children based on the contents of the information picture book. Third, another difficulty of reading information picture books was that few books were suitable for children's various interests and language cognitive development levels. The results of this study suggest that it is necessary to improve the understanding of preschool teachers that information picture books deal with children's interests and useful information and knowledge in addition to natural science, and to develop and produce various information picture books that children can easily understand.
Ji et al. (Mon,) studied this question.