GROWTH MINDSET INTERVENTIONS TO ENHANCE PHONICS LEARNING IN EARLY YEARS EDUCATION: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY

This study explores the efficacy of a growth mindset intervention in early years education, aiming to assess its impact on phonics learning.Using an interpretative ethnographic approach, the researcher worked with twelve learners to gain an understanding of their experiences participating in the intervention.This study gathered qualitative data through art-based approaches, focus groups, and participant observation to assess the effectiveness of the intervention and gain insights into learners' perceptions, attitudes, and experiences.Firstly, this study explored the impact that the growth mindset intervention had on achievement in phonics learning focusing on specific groups of learners including low-achieving, middle-achieving and high-achieving cohorts to determine if a growth mindset intervention benefits all groups or only some.It presented a significant finding in relation to the impact of achievement in phonics learning following a growth mindset intervention on the group of learners with Special Educational Needs (SEN).Secondly, the results of this study highlighted many other benefits to learning including the areas of "learning how to learn", increased effort, motivation, resilience in response to challenges and mistakes and learner autonomy.It also provided useful insights into the importance of establishing the correct learning environment in order to help learners adopt a growth mindset effectively.This study seeks to contribute valuable insights and evidence-based recommendations for educators, policymakers and stakeholders, in the hope that readers will view the implementation of growth mindset interventions as a fundamental approach in early years education, ultimately leading to more supportive and conducive early learning environments.