Adult–child pedagogical interactions in the home and in preschool: what commonalities can pre-schoolers experience in the context of cognitive development?

Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) research emphasises the importance of adult-child pedagogical interactions at home and in ECEC settings for children’s cognitive development. Meanwhile, recent developments in statistics offer the opportunity to challenge gaps in ECEC knowledge fostered by traditional statistical methods.<br/><br/>Aim: using contemporary statistical mixture modelling procedures: What commonalities exist across the home and preschool in the adult child pedagogical interactions that children can experience in the context of cognitive development?<br/>Methods: secondary analysis of data from the Effective Provision of Preschool Education study: 2,857 children and families using 141 ECEC settings across England. <br/><br/>Results: commonalities are found that vary by pre-schoolers’ verbal and nonverbal reasoning. These commonalities reveal the importance of different home learning environments plus opportunities for more equitable and inclusive ECEC. Contemporary statistical methods can reveal new and important ways in which adult-child pedagogical interactions at home and in ECEC settings may shape children’s development.