Peer-reviewed article
Participation in communities in ECEC expressed in child–educator interactions
Marianne Ree, Anette Emilson ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examines how educators and children communicate in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings in Norway and Sweden, and how different communication patterns affect children's ability to participate in their communities. The researchers observed interactions in three ECEC institutions and identified three types of communication: controlling (which limits participation), supportive (which allows passive participation), and co-operative (which enables mutual participation). The study found that ECEC practice often prioritises individual development over community participation, with educators controlling communication and shaping children's experiences.
Key points
- Three distinct communication patterns were identified: controlling communication, supportive communication, and co-operative communication
- Controlling communication limits children's participation opportunities in the ECEC community
- Co-operative communication enables mutual participation between educators and children
- ECEC practice prioritises individual child development with goal-oriented practices
- Educator control of communication affects children's lifeworlds and participation opportunities
Limitations
The study was conducted in only three Norwegian ECEC institutions and focuses on observed interactions without exploring broader contextual factors such as institutional policies, educator training, or family backgrounds that might influence communication patterns.
Abstract
The aim of this study is to contribute to knowledge about children’s opportunities to participate in early childhood education and care (ECEC) communities. The study focuses on the communication between educators and children in ECEC settings and how the communication forms condition children’s opportunities to participate in the community. The research questions are: What kind of communication patterns occur in educator and child interactions and how do these influence children’s opportunities to participate in the ECEC community? How can the communication patterns and the opportunities for participation in a community be understood from a lifeworld and a system perspective? Theoretically, the study is based on Habermas’s (1995) social philosophical perspective and the way he views the world from both a lifeworld and a system perspective. His concepts of communicative and strategic action guide the study in the purpose to identify and interpret communication patterns. The data consist of video observations of educators and children in everyday interactions in three Norwegian ECEC institutions. The analysis generated three main categories representing different communication patterns and participation opportunities in the community: (a) controlling communication – limited participation, (b) supportive communication – passive participation, and (c) co-operative communication – mutual participation. The findings show a priority in early childhood education on the individual child and a goal-oriented practice where the educator controls the communication and, by that, the children’s lifeworlds.