Quality in Early Childhood Education: The Contribution of Developmental Psychology

Abstract

Historically, there has been a strong contribution of Western European thought to high quality in early childhood education (ECE). Nevertheless, the pow- erfully child-centred approach running through the contributions of Steiner, Montessori, Isaacs and many others has in recent years been increasingly chal- lenged. This chapter introduces the issues addressed in the Western European sec- tion, which reflect the current state of flux arising from the rapidly changing political, professional and research scenarios in which ECE provision is evolving within this region. Chapters address the impact of neuroscience research, the debate concerning school readiness and the ‘schoolification’ of ECE, the responses to the increases in migrant and other disadvantaged children and the current trends towards the professionalisation of the ECE workforce. In the second half of this chapter, culturally varying approaches to the issue of quality in ECE across Western Europe are reviewed, and the potential contribution of developmental psychology is out- lined. The evidence of the individual and mutually supportive contributions of play, oral language and self-regulation to positive outcomes for young children is out- lined, alongside the findings of studies concerned with pedagogies which support these key aspects of development. As much of this research has been conducted with school-aged children, the chapter concludes with a plea for more research focused on how these early developing abilities can be nurtured during the very early years of children’s lives.