ABSTRACT
It is not enough to simply know that what we do is right; we need to be able to explain to ourselves and others why what we do is right. In order to be able to talk about early years practice at this deeper level it is necessary to recognise the complexity of the process which is guided by adult expertise and understandings of learning and development. When referring to those working with young children the term ‘educator’ is used to capture the unique professional expertise required. This chapter explores the impact of early childhood practice and how it contributes to children’s early learning and development. It reviews research findings from a range of disciplines including developmental psychology, education and neuroscience which highlight the connectedness between various experience of young children in different developmental domains such as the physical, linguistic, cognitive, emotional and social. It makes the case that the pedagogy of early childhood is unique and introduces the idea of an integrating nurturing pedagogy, a practice which weaves early care and early education together, responsive to what we know about the way in which young children learn.
