The use of standardized assessment tools for the evaluation of quality in early childhood education and care (ECEC) is on the rise, yet a greater understanding of the applicability of these tools across contexts is still needed. This study investigates the factor structure of two assessment tools, the Classroom Assessment Scoring System Pre-K…

Within the context of literacy instruction, the process of becoming focuses on students' literate identities, or the identities that learners take on and construct in the social and cultural context of learning to read and write (Wagner et al., 2024). In this article, the author explores identity with the purpose of using it as an organizing…

In Early Childhood Education (ECE) stage there are different models of classroom organization and different teaching methodologies. The scientific literature highlights from no planning models to more organized styles. The relationship analysis between these two assumptions is a key. To investigate this starting point, it is proposed an…

As part of a longitudinal study focused on mathematical play, we (Melissa, Amy, and Anita) are often faced with questions about what counts as play and what mathematics (and other learning) we see in play, and whose play is most likely to be seen or dismissed. Rather than discuss our findings from classroom videos of kindergarten children engaged…

For many years, the Reggio Emilia approach has been in the spotlight of the international debate on early childhood education, attracting countless devoted followers in preschool centres all over the world and inspiring an ever-increasing amount of pedagogical research. At the heart of this educational philosophy, space is considered a 'third…

Internationally, standard observational measures of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) are used to assess the quality of provision. They are applied as research tools but, significantly, also guide policy decisions, distribution of resources and public opinion. Considerable faith is placed in such measures, yet their validity, reliability…

Verbal interactions between children and educators can support the language development of preschoolers when conversations are of high quality. Educators' conversations with preschoolers are known to be responsive, but they are not always sufficiently complex. Educators' talk and topics may be too simple to propel preschoolers' oral language…

Early childhood education builds the foundation for students' academic careers, but perhaps more importantly emphasizes developmentally appropriate practices that encourage social and emotional learning and prosocial behaviors. Similarly, humane education addresses students' capacity for empathy, compassion, and perspective-taking through…

In recent years, there has been a growth in the amount of literature and a resurgence of interest in what Jools Page identified as 'professional love'. This research builds upon and extends Page's work considering what love looks like in practice and describing a 'loving pedagogy'. Despite recent research, love is still seldom talked about in the…

Previous research suggests that the ways in which early childhood classrooms are organized may facilitate children's language learning. However, different measures of classroom organization often yield inconsistent findings regarding child outcomes. In this study, we investigated multiple aspects of classroom organization across two time points in…

Educators working in early childhood education play a critical role in enhancing outcomes for children and families through active leadership. However, there are persistent paradoxical perceptions regarding the practical implementation of followership alongside leadership. This article addresses this followership paradox, as a key finding drawn…

Quality early childhood care and education (ECCE) is important for young children's holistic healthy development. As ECCE scales, contextually relevant and feasible measurement is needed to inform policy and programs on strengths and areas for improvement. However, few measures have been designed for use across diverse contexts. Drawing on…

The purpose of this case study was to explore how the discourses and pedagogy of Mariana, an urban early childhood educator in the Northeastern United States, were informed by the construct of hope as an aspect of her professional practice. Like many of her students, Mariana was an immigrant and learned English as a second language. Data for this…

The aim of the study is to explore outdoor play activities and outdoor environment of early childhood education in Turkey by presenting findings from a qualitative metasynthesis of research. The data was derived from 20 studies done in Turkey. Content analysis was performed to examine how outdoor play and activities in Turkish preschools were…

This paper draws on data from an ongoing study on pre-service (PS) teachers' perceptions of early childhood/elementary classrooms, conducted during a university course on arts and creativity in early childhood education (ECE). The study focuses on PS teachers' perspectives on arts and material pedagogies in ECE classrooms via pre- and post-class…