Exploring teachers’ understandings of implementing child participation in early childhood education in Spain

This research examined how Spanish early childhood education teachers understand and implement child participation in schools. Teachers were interviewed about their views of childhood and the opportunities they give children to participate in school activities. The study found that teachers rarely promote authentic participation, and that their beliefs about children as either competent or incompetent directly shape how much freedom and influence children actually have in school decisions and activities.

Key points

• Teachers are far from promoting authentic participation by children in school
• Teachers who view children as competent and capable offer more opportunities for participation
• The image of childhood held by teachers determines the types of activities proposed, the degree of freedom offered, and the influence participation has on children's lives
• Adult-centered approaches dominate schools, with teachers designing and controlling most activities
• Participatory activities depend heavily on oral language skills, which can limit participation

Limitations

This study captures teacher perspectives through interviews rather than observing actual classroom practice, so the real level of child participation may differ from what teachers report. The findings are specific to Spain and may not generalise to other contexts with different educational systems or cultural approaches to childhood.