ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on some everyday practices that can be used strategically to better support all children, including those with additional educational needs. All practices are well supported in the literature and are substantiated by either research findings or strong, socially determined values. Information about the child’s demonstrated patterns and approaches to learning facilitates the selection of appropriate teaching pedagogies to support the child’s learning. Taken together, child-specific information of this kind enables teaching to focus on individual difference and learning to proceed along different trajectories. Differentiation is a critical element of inclusive pedagogy that enables early childhood educators to effectively support children with diverse learning needs. In addition, differentiated instruction allows an educator to provide activities that safeguard against children becoming frustrated or overwhelmed while ensuring that learning experiences are engaging and challenging. Differentiated instruction allows for the planning and delivery of carefully tailored learning experiences to suit the learning needs of a particular child.
