This study used an ethological approach to explore the baby-caregiver dyadic exchanges (Attempted interactions, Triggers, Interactions) of nineteen infants during their first weeks in Residential Care (RC), or a Foster Family (FF) or an Infant-Mother Centre (IMC). Direct observations were conducted at feeding time. Observed behaviours were: baby…

Prior research has demonstrated that teacher-student relationships characterized by high levels of closeness and low levels of conflict are associated with higher levels of academic achievement among children. At the same time: (a) some research suggests that the quality of teacher-student relationships in part reflects the quality of early…

In language learning, aided language modeling refers to the method by which communication partners provide models of the communication system used by individuals with complex communication repertoires that involving both symbols and speech. Providing aided language models creates opportunities for individuals with complex communication repertoires…

Linguistic input in multi-lingual/-cultural contexts is highly variable. We examined the production of English and Malay laterals by fourteen early bilingual preschoolers in Singapore who were exposed to several allophones of coda laterals: Malay caregivers use predominantly clear-l in English and Malay, but their English coda laterals can also be…

Building on the author's previous research on sustained shared thinking (SST) in early years' settings, this study investigates challenges for nannies of fostering quality interactions (Qi) within a family home. Data were collected through a focus group and semi-structured interviews with London-based nannies. Analysis of the rich, qualitative…

As work practices and living arrangements change, many mothers, who are often primary child caregivers, have to make some decisions as they try to balance childcare with paid work. Increasingly, childcare is shared between parents and other caregivers. However, little is known, especially in Ghana, about the childcare practices of mothers and…

There has been limited research on interventions with young children encompassing "interoceptive awareness," the awareness and perception of sensations from inside the body. The information in this phenomenological study examines how participants experienced a bidirectional, reflective, online intervention program on interoceptive…

Background and aims: Caregiver-delivered programs are a recommended best practice to support young autistic children. While research has extensively explored children's outcomes quantitatively, minimal qualitative research has been conducted to understand caregivers' perspectives of program outcomes for themselves and their children. Hearing…

Socio-economic status (SES) impacts the amount and type of input children hear in ways that have developmental consequences. Here, we examine the effect of SES on the use of variation sets (successive utterances with partial self-repetitions) in child-directed speech (CDS). Variation sets have been found to facilitate language learning, but have…

In languages with evidential marking, utterances consist of an informational content and a specification of the mode of access to that information. In this first longitudinal study investigating the acquisition of the Turkish evidential marker "-mIs" in naturalistic child-caregiver interactions, we examined six children between 8 and 36…

Playful Learning Landscapes seeks to transform everyday spaces into playful learning opportunities to maximize "the other 80 percent" of time that children spend outside school. It lies at the intersection of the growing Child Friendly City movement and a global development agenda that calls for access to high-quality early childhood…

An adapted alternating treatments design was used to evaluate the effect of context on the acquisition of intraverbals for three young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) when utilizing instructive feedback (IF). All participants acquired secondary targets when presented in an instructional setting along with primary targets. Two…

Scent matters in the lives of humans (and other living creatures). However, thus far, it is largely unexplored in ethnographic work in education. Drawing on and adding to the literature on 'smellscapes' as a way of conceptualising space, this paper adds new insights into early childhood education and care (ECEC) by reporting on the differentials…

Multimodal communication may facilitate attention in infants. This study examined the presentation of caregiver touch-only and touch + speech input to 12-month-olds at high (HRA) and low risk for ASD. Findings indicated that, although both groups received a greater number of touch + speech bouts compared to touch-only bouts, the duration of…

Vocabulary checklists completed by caregivers are a common way of measuring children's vocabulary knowledge. We provide evidence from checklist data from 31 children with and without autism spectrum disorder. When asked to report twice about whether or not their child produces a particular word, caregivers are largely consistent in their…