Creating Continuity Through Children’s Participation: Evidence from Two Preschool Contexts

Abstract

In many countries, there is an ongoing debate about the education of children as they move from preschool to primary school. With the aim of informing this discussion, internationally and nationally, this chapter explores children’s participation and learning processes in the year before they start primary school. The study was conducted in two Icelandic preschools with very different early childhood curricular contexts. In both contexts, consideration was given to the way children’s participation repertoires can support continuity as children move from preschool to primary school. The findings highlighted the importance of children’s opportunities for free play and pedagogies that enable children to have input to their play and learning. Implications for policy decisions related to transition to school pedagogy include a strong claim for child-centred and play-based learning experience. Moreover, the findings suggested that a focus on children’s participation repertoires would facilitate continuity as children move between preschool and school.