Early Childhood Folio Vol. 15 No. 1 (2011)

The articles in this edition of Early Childhood Folio are likely to generate thinking that challenges taken-for-granted practice and beliefs. They all draw on research within early childhood settings.

This article examines the early childhood curriculum in action by looking at two oppositional forces that are at play: authoritative discourse (which is perceived as uncontestable) and internally persuasive discourse (which is open for debate). Unless challenged by knowledgeable teachers, authoritative discourse may dominate. When this occurs, there is little place for uncertainty (that is, “dust”)— significant parts of the curriculum may go underground (that is,… Read more

This article draws on recent research into early childhood teachers’ views on how they support children’s scientific learning. It identifies four strategies teachers used to increase their scientific knowledge base—learning from parents and children, learning from other teachers, learning with children and learning from outside sources such as books or the Web.

A real challenge children face is how to successfully enter collaborative play that is already in progress. Some children achieve this with little trouble, while others struggle to be included. Through case studies of four children, this study explores the nature of participation strategies, and offers strategies for teachers to develop the play-joining abilities of less socially literate children.

This article presents a fine-detail analysis of one observation from a wider ethnographic study of four-year-old children in a primary school in mid-Wales. The social interactions of the participating children show the multifaceted nature of children’s everyday social organisation. By investigating the complexities of children’s social interactions, their social competencies in everyday events are revealed. This raises the question of the role of early childhood teachers and whether they… Read more

This article explores teaching games of chase in the early childhood curriculum. It identifies three areas of teacher involvement: (1) developing a framework for playing games, which prompts the teacher to create teaching strategies that consider both the value of and issues with games in early childhood; (2) engaging with children to explore the games together; and (3) reflecting on and discussing the teaching strategies used. 

This article looks at the experiences of same-gender parents and their children when they encounter and challenge heteronormativity in early education settings. Drawing on a study that investigated how lesbians and gay men create and maintain family in contemporary New Zealand society, the article highlights the disparity between family experiences and inclusive legislation and policy and draws attention to practices that affirm these families’ diversity and protect their rights to full… Read more