Competencies of Early Childhood Teachers: A Scoping Review

Quality education relies on excellent teaching practices, which require continuous adaptation of curricular frameworks to evolving educational contexts. However, early childhood teaching competencies remain insufficiently explored in current literature. This systematic scoping review analyzes 58 studies, including both comprehensive competency frameworks and research focused on the development of single teaching competencies. The review reveals that psychopedagogical competencies are the most frequently addressed, followed by emotional support and reflective practice, while collaborative competencies are less commonly emphasized. The analysis highlights a growing interest in competencies aligned with the sustainable development goals, particularly inclusion and equity. These findings offer relevant insights for refining competency frameworks and improving initial teacher education. They also underscore the importance of integrating reflective, emotional, and context-responsive training approaches to better prepare future ECE teachers for the complex demands of their profession.