This study aims to reveal the status of cultural heritage in early childhood education and its content through a systematic literature review. A search of major databases (Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar) was performed to identify related articles. Eighteen articles were identified and analysed, considering their topics, countries, methods, techniques, pedagogical practices, and suggestions. The articles highlighted the types or dimensions of cultural heritage commonly developed in preschools and the relevant pedagogical practices in the early childhood context. Though not many studies were found, the topics, countries, methods, techniques, pedagogical practices, and suggestions of cultural heritage studies in early childhood vary. Furthermore, a research agenda was provided for future studies on the subject.
Yasemin Yücesan, Gabriela Portugal, Maria Figueirêdo
Talking with children: A Handbook of interaction in early childhood education Edited by Amelia Church and Amanda Bateman (Cambridge University Press, 2022)
Nowadays, the introduction of the latest means of development of early childhood education institutions is connected with the general trends of innovation processes in the economy and new social standards. The publication of new textbooks, and manuals, as well as equipping higher pedagogical education institutions with computer technology should meet the requirements of the development of new material bases and the challenges of professional development of early childhood teachers. Under such requirements, the goals, content, conditions, and expected consequences of the innovative development of the educational process in early childhood education institutions are being developed. The article aims to characterize the main directions and features of scientific research in the field of innovative development of the educational process carried out in early childhood education institutions. In the course of organizing and conducting both theoretical and practical components of this study, the analytical and bibliographic method was applied to study the scientific literature on the educational process in early childhood education institutions. Analysis, synthesis, induction, and deduction were employed in the processing of scientific information. System-structural, comparative, logical, and linguistic methods, abstraction, and idealization were used to study and process data. Moreover, the questionnaire survey served in the practical establishment of certain aspects of innovative processes in the field of education in preschool institutions. Based on the results of the study, the theoretical aspects of innovating the process of upbringing in preschool education have been studied. Moreover, the most essential factors, stages, and components of this process from the standpoint of its subjects have been clarified.
Iryna Danylchenko, Ореста Карпенко, Marija Czepil et al.
Early childhood education in Romania has undergone dynamic development over the past two decades, supported by legislative reforms that have regulated the functioning of institutions providing early childhood education. In this context, the present paper aims to examine several innovative approaches in early educational practices. One such approach is the integrated content model, framed as a curricular necessity arising from the child’s naturalneed to explore, understand, and master the surrounding physical and social environment. This approach focuses on bringing together diverse knowledge, skills, and abilities around themes that spark children’s interest in learning or that emerge from everyday life. Another innovative approach is CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning), which can be applied in both preschool and primary education to support the integrated acquisition of a foreign language alongside educational content. The document highlights the importance of early introduction of foreign languages, emphasizing the cognitive,linguistic, and socio-emotional benefits of this approach for young learners. It also underscores the teacher’s role as a facilitator of active and communicative learning, capable of creating natural contexts for foreign language use throughplay, exploration, and interdisciplinary activities adapted to the preschool developmental stage.
Claudiu Langa, Sofia Loredana Tudor, Adriana Nicoleta Lazăr
Abstract Background Early childhood education (ECE) involves motivational, behavioral, theoretical, curriculum, parental, development, mathematical, professional, social, and health tendencies. Critical milestones of development occur physically, cognitively, language, social, and emotionally, with a special focus on cognitive milestones and the role of play in child cognitive development. This systematic review takes into consideration evidence from the literature to look for patterns in ECE. Objectives Re-organizing, synthesizing various literature on ECE trends, milestones, cognitive milestones, and the role of play in cognitive development. Methods ScienceDirect was used to search for the data using questions such as “What are the tendencies in early education?”, “What are the important milestones for development in early childhood education?”, “What are the cognitive milestones of development for children in early childhood?”, and “How does play contribute to cognitive development in young children?” Inclusion criteria were articles reviewed by peers that were between 1985-2025, targeting children from 0-6 years. Exclusion criteria included any study that is non-empirical or non-related to Early Childhood Education. Data abstraction was for themes, findings, or citations. A basic criteria for the data selected was study type or number of study samples. Results More than 50 studies were retrieved to inform the review. Some of the major themes that were covered include stable profiles of motivation, socio-cultural transformations in theory, over schooling in the curriculum, parental factors, milestones in various areas, spontaneous mathematical focusing tendencies (SFON) in math, obstacles to professionalization, using music for promoting sociability, as well as play and executive functioning or academic skills. Conclusion ECE trends establish the significance of intervention and play-based learning for children. Stages of development reveal the need for monitoring, whereas play contributes significantly to cognitive development.
The key questions this study seeks to answer is what adequate digital competence is and how preschool teachers characterise young children’s adequate digital competence. A variety of frameworks and models have been developed to exemplify and characterise teacher’s digital competences. However, to date, there is hardly any study examining young children’s digital competencies in early childhood education. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 13 preschool teachers at seven preschools in the centre of Sweden and analysed using qualitative content analysis. The findings of the study show that children’s digital competence in early education is an increasingly complex notion which can be characterised by seven key aspects: To get better understanding and be familiar with digital technologies, To use digital technologies, To have a critical approach toward digital technologies, To have ethical media competences, To have problem-solving skills, To be producers, not just consumers, of digital technologies, and To dare trying digital technologies. This study, further, portrayed the digitally competent preschool teacher’s qualifications in order to fulfil preschool teachers’ complex task (i.e. educare) in children’s learning and development.
The aim of this article is to create and present the one scientific upper title over the concepts of early childhood education and care, early childhood education, early education, and variable meanings and views of the already noticed today´s concepts of pedagogy, and other varying concepts that matters for focused discussion.The difference must be found especially between the fundamental concepts of education and pedagogy.Another basic task is to solve the connection between thinking and acting, and language and practice.The data consists of central literature focused on the mentioned main concepts.Methodologically, the study presents objective-hermeneutics.Both the reality with human´s activities, and language, texts, expressions and thinking, have been embraced to be constructive to form active multisystems.Methods belong to qualitative content and concept analyses of language and practice, thinking and acting, and systems thinking.Härkönen pedagogical systems theory has its part to do with this study but also it will be presented under scrutiny, earning new complements through this study.The context is mostly Finnish but at the same time international.
The Sámi is the only indigenous people in the EU. The Sámi live in the Arctic region in Finland, Norway Sweden, and Russia. Nature and natural lifestyles, respect for the nature and sustainability make an important part of the Sámi culture. Today’s rapid environmental, economic, and political developments pose a threat to the continuity of traditional values. Early childhood education (ECE) has a strong supportive role in the maintenance, transmitting, and strengthening of the Sámi cultures and languages. This research describes the implementation of Sámi ECE by the narratives of Sámi early childhood educators. Special focus is on the pedagogy educators use to strengthen children’s connectedness to nature, respecting nature and living in nature. The theoretical foundation is the eco-cultural theory. The Sámi Parliament has composed a core curriculum and a guide for the daily practices of the Sámi ECE. The research participants (N=23) represent various educational professions. The data comprised personal interviews. The data was analysed with qualitative content analysis. The significance of the nature appeared at many levels of ECE. The research provided grounds for early education which is culturally sustainable as it leans on the cultural tradition and the strong relationship with the nature. Article visualizations:
Current foreign language education policies advocate plurilingual approaches to learning and teaching languages and call into question the ‘ideal native speaker’ as the ultimate model. Observations within a teacher training context indicate that this ideal still holds considerable weight among pre-service teachers. A study was carried out with students enrolled on the degree programme in Early Childhood Education at a university in Catalonia to explore the extent to which the ‘ideal native speaker’ model prevails within this community. The study analysed data from different instruments applied within the context of a core module which includes an innovative approach to embedding English as a foreign language in the early years. Findings confirm the prevalence of the model and reveal beliefs and assumptions which not only perpetuate the ideal itself, but also reinforce disempowering and discriminatory attitudes which are incongruent with current policies regarding language education. Changes reported in post-intervention findings highlight the need to develop reflective skills alongside linguistic and didactic competences in Early Childhood EFL Education. One of the main contributions of the study is its identification of deficit views of non-specialist teachers and its call for collaborative practice in which all linguistic abilities have a place.
Im Folgenden werden zentrale Informationen und aktuelle Zahlen zum Bereich der non-formalen Bildung in Luxemburg dargestellt. Zugleich wird die Entstehung und Entwicklung des Feldes seit 2009 sowohl über den zeitlichen Verlauf als auch über die Darstellung einiger zentraler transformativer Momente skizziert. Ein besonderes Augenmerk liegt auf dem Altersbereich der frühen Kindheit und den darauf bezogenen Bildungs- und Betreuungsinstitutionen.
