Early Childhood Folio vol. 30 no. 1 (2026)

In this issue we bring attention to the multifaceted experiences of early childhood education (ECE) kaiako and leaders who support diverse learners in Aotearoa New Zealand. Against the backdrop of proposed educational policy changes, including ECE regulatory reforms explored in Early Childhood Folio 2025, 29(2), articles in this issue highlight the complex roles and responsibilities of educational practitioners who continue to provide quality education and care for all tamariki,… Read more

New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) is an official language of Aotearoa New Zealand, yet in education it is often positioned as relevant only for Deaf and hard-of-hearing learners. The NZSL Board highlights the importance of ensuring tamariki have access to language during the key language learning years. This article explores how and why early childhood education (ECE) kaiako use NZSL to support inclusion, enhance communication for tamariki with speech and expressive language impairment, and… Read more

The uses of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and large language models (LLMs) is of increasing interest in early childhood education (ECE). However, a recent step-change in the uptake of such technologies is giving rise to ever-more questions of the ethics and professional consequences of using all kinds of technologies in ECE. Furthermore, new possibilities and implications for teachers’ work are emerging, including in assessment. This article poses questions about the uses of… Read more

This article presents the hybridisation model of leadership (HMOL), a resource to support culturally relevant leadership practice for early childhood education (ECE) centre managers. The model draws on data from a PhD research study involving 20 early ECE centre managers in two geographical areas of England. Semistructured interviews were analysed with thematic analysis, revealing the complexities of interwoven issues relating to leadership roles in ECE centres. Inspired by the weaving of Te… Read more

This study offers insights to support kaiako to work alongside autistic children in ways that honour each learner’s identity and foreground their sensory experiences within the curriculum. Guided by a socio-relational model of disability, a literature review was conducted to examine research on the sensory dimensions of autistic children’s experiences. A total of 164 articles (2010–23) were analysed for their relevance to everyday practice. Three key themes are discussed: neuromotor… Read more

With concerns of the potential push-down of academic school readiness pedagogies following revisions of the New Zealand Curriculum for schools, this research team sought to make apparent to others how early childhood kaiako of infants and toddlers are already weaving together diverse pedagogies to support tamariki learning dispositions and learning of language literacies and mathematics. In response, the research team engaged in collaborative video-stimulated research conversations to… Read more

This case study explores inclusive education through the experience of Daisy, a Deaf child in a New Zealand kindergarten, highlighting that true inclusion extends beyond access and into equity in experience and in outcome. Guided by the Aotearoa Deaf Community’s social model of disability, the study illustrates how kaiako, whānau, peers, and support services collaboratively removed barriers to participation. Using the five guiding questions aligned to Te Whāriki, the team creates a… Read more