Early years practitioners' understanding of pedagogical effectiveness: Defining and managing effective pedagogy

Abstract

This papers sets out to consider the existing debates and evidence regarding effective pedagogy in the early years, i.e. the education of children from 3–5 years of age. Working from a grounded theory basis, the research explored with a group of nationally distributed practitioners, across a range of effective early years settings, the concepts of pedagogy and effectiveness. Through practitioners' reflections on viewing their own practice on video and delving in some depth into their perceptions of their own role and its attributes, we uncovered evidence of the significance and implications for practitioners of the changing role of practitioners, from one of mainly ‘provider’ of activities for children to that of ‘reflective and informed’ educator, who analyses, evaluates and challenges their own and others' practices.

The data on effective pedagogy was gathered in collaboration with 74 practitioners in 27 effective settings in 16 diverse geographical locations within England and was commissioned by the Department for Education and Skills. The research methods included interviews, reflective dialogues, parental questionnaire, video observation, documentary analysis and literature interrogation. The research used ‘layered’ fieldwork — nine settings were visited in each of three terms during 2000–2001. Findings suggest a vast and complex array of skills, attributes and characteristics are required of early years practitioners and these are developed in the context of sound underpinning management structures which systematically support the professional development of practitioners whose initial and continuing training opportunities may be either limited or ad hoc.