Two teachers research the documentation, continuity and complexity of key competencies in their combined new entrant, Year 1 and Year 2 classroom. They wanted to find ways to make the continuity visible without losing the complex interconnection of three aspects: key competencies, subjects and topics of interest. They saw the ...

There seems to be an increase in children entering school with globally delayed development, including poor gross and fine motor skills. What ways are there to increase these students’ skills so they are able to access more activities?

In the last edition of Assessment News (Part 1 of this “quick guide”), we looked at how measurement error limits the precision of test scores. In this edition of Assessment News we examine how another source of error—sampling error—affects how we can use test results for a group. For example ...

The significance of experiences in nature for children’s learning and development has been expounded by philosophers and educationalists for centuries. In many contemporary early childhood education (ECE) settings, such experiences are highly valued. Nowadays, Froebel’s notion of kindergartens as “children’s gardens” is likely to be complemented by ideas from Steiner ...

This is one of a series about researchers whose work has made a difference in the area of early years education. Sarah Boyd interviews Geraldine McDonald.

This article examines findings from an action research project by three early childhood teachers and one researcher in an Early Learning Centre in a private school setting in Australia. Early in the project the teachers identified the presence of an “invisible barrier” between them and their school colleagues. Choosing ...

Children’s participation rights are articulated in articles 12 and 13 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. They are at the core of the theory that underpins the framework of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum framework for Aotearoa New Zealand, and its effective ...

"E kore au e ngaro; he kākano i ruiruia mai i Rangiātea." I will never be lost; the seed was sown in Rangiātea. This traditional Māori proverb emphasises that the speaker knows his or her whakapapa links to the Māori spiritual homeland of Rangiātea, so is confident and ...

The effects of teaching practice on parents’ participation in their child’s early education were studied by drawing on a “collective case” of five education and care centres with 100 percent qualified teachers and a “collective case” of centres employing 50–79 percent qualified teachers. The research found noticeable gaps between ...

This issue of Early Childhood Folio has a diverse range of articles focusing on highly relevant and current pedagogical issues. Several involve case studies, where in-depth analysis enables opportunities for learning and development afforded by pedagogy and the environment to be highlighted. Some offer new methodological approaches, including the ...