ABSTRACT
Listening in early childhood education is more than the act of hearing; it is a processing of hearing, understanding and acting upon what is heard. In early childhood, adults are considered to have authority or control over children; whether they are practitioners, researchers who are visiting the institution or parents and caregivers. Sensitive and responsive communication, particularly non-verbal communication, requires a deep-rooted relationship between adult and child. The marginalised voices of children are debated continuously and efforts to tackle barriers to including children in participatory projects are presented, and critiqued, with some highlighting that innovative methods are actually perpetuating the power divide. Creating a culture of listening is never perfect and therefore the people own approach may include a process of continual reflection as techniques perpetually evolve.
