Pedagogical approaches:

Under learning and developmental theories, I propose a layer of approaches, strategies and supports to nurture children's learning and development. In essence, some are grounded and should always be practised, but others could be considered as a ‘pick and mix’ selection of ways to introduce a topic, support a specific developmental need, challenge children’s thinking, or extend learning and interests. These offer considered approaches to implementing and enacting pedagogy.

Grounded strategies/ approaches -

Slow relational pedagogy - Early childhood is a time of being, of enjoying and of learning from experiences as they unfold. Slow relational pedagogy is about slowing down, taking time, being present in that moment with the baby, toddler and young child. Each baby, toddler and young child develops at their own pace and in their own way. The educator tailors their interactions and practice to support this special period of human development. Slow pedagogy prioritises time for play, learning, and relationships. It is relevant to a range of pedagogies that emphasise an unhurried approach to the relationship between children and adults, valuing care and creativity (NCCA, 2024).

The key person approach assigns a specific adult to each child in an early years setting to:

· Build strong, secure attachments

· Be a consistent caregiver

· Understand the child’s needs, preferences, and development

· Support emotional well-being and social development

This approach underpins how children are emotionally and developmentally supported, which directly affects their learning. It’s relationship-centred pedagogy.

Listening – See Blog on listening.

Reflective practice – done on a continuous loop. Always consider what went well; What would you do differently? Children's level of engagement? Did you learn anything new about the child/ren and what will you do next? This practice is undertaken both as self-reflection and group reflection and is essential for gaining a deep understanding of your children, your practice, and your ability to plan effectively.

Play - There are various types of play, including sensory play, risky and adventurous play, pretend play, creative play, imaginative play, messy play, language play, construction and block play, small world play, and rough and tumble play. Additionally, there is artistic and musical play, language play (play with words and other features of language, such as rhyme), and outdoor play (Bruce, 2012).

Play can also be categorised in relation to the relative amount of freedom and agency afforded to the children:

· Free play is child-initiated and child-directed. Children choose their activities and focus, enabling unconstrained freedom of expression and open-ended interactions with their environment.

· Guided play is child-led but goal-focused. It encourages exploration and active engagement while gently steering play toward specific learning outcomes.

· Teacher-directed play involves structured, teacher-led activities with clear goals and rules. While playful and enjoyable, the teacher controls the content, process, and outcomes, guiding how children engage to achieve specific learning objectives.

Intentional teaching - defined as a deliberate, purposeful, and thoughtful approach to education, emphasising the active role of educators in facilitating learning experiences (Grieshaber et al., 2021).

Variable (pick and mix) depending on needs and interests -

Environments – change and alter materials in response to emergent interest or developmental need.

Provocations – presenting as an invitation to engage; this can be something as simple as placing the dinosaurs in the construction area. Images of towers and bridges on the walls (or made into books) can inspire and offer ideas for the children.

Setting the scene in the construction area

Present an item to create with paint, pastels, threads, and wool.

Still life - nurturing individual perception and representation

Questioning - Open-ended questioning to support children’s thought processes and reasoning. Questions that start with – who, what, why, where, when and how.

Commenting

“I like the way you, I can see that…”

Noting actions – “you’re reaching up high…”; as the child is splashing the toy frogs in the water – “splash splash splash”; or “bang, bang, bang”, when hitting the pot lids together.

Suggesting

“Could you try it another way…”

“Maybe if you look at it from this angle…”

Thinking aloud

“I wonder what would happen if… or I’m thinking that ….”

Sustained shared thinking - Formally, it is defined as:

An episode in which two or more individuals work together in an intellectual way to solve a problem, clarify a concept, evaluate activities, extend a narrative, etc. Both parties must contribute to the thinking, and it must develop and extend. (Sylva et al, 2004: 36)

Demonstrating and Instructing – showing the children how to use the microscope or how to hold the scissors/ knife/ vegetable peeler, etc.

Books are a wonderful way to introduce issues for discussion, deliver a message to support particular needs, present a message to inspire and ignite curiosity or offer an opportunity to answer children’s questions and inquiries, to name a few.

Other strategies that could be considered include (not limited to)-

Drama

Music and movement

Use of puppets

Sign language

Singing

A Case from Practice…

Supporting Emotional Development

Recently, Mammy explained to us that you were a little sad at school sometimes, but didn’t know how to tell your teachers, so you held this feeling inside you. We know that we all feel sad sometimes, and it's good to be able to name our feelings. We suggested you borrow a special book called ‘The Colour Monster’ and read it at home with your Mammy and Daddy. This book helps young children to recognise, identify and express basic emotions, a key aspect of emotional intelligence.

As a family, you developed a great idea for extending the content of the book. You put a print-out of a little boy (this was you) on your fridge and coloured in lots of monsters (according to the colours of the emotions in the book) to display. You even chose purple to represent kindness, as this emotion was not in the book. Whenever you needed to, you could place the appropriate monster next to your cut-out. This told your family how you were feeling and supported you in identifying and naming your emotions.

This activity was so successful in your home that we invited you to share with your friends what you did. We read the story as a group and showed photos of the printout on your fridge. You explained to your friends how colours could help them express and tell others how they were feeling.

As your friends began excitedly linking colours to their feelings, we decided to create a cutout for everyone to display in the room. Everyone made themselves by choosing wool for hair, buttons for eyes, and different pre-cut outfits for their clothes. We printed lots of monsters for everyone to colour (according to the colours in the book), and then you and your friends could attach a colour to their cutouts whenever they needed to show others how they were feeling. We also invited everyone to think of other colours for different emotions.

Linking to Learning Theories and Everyday Pedagogical Practice

This story about supporting emotional development closely aligns with key concepts in child development and teaching practice.

1. Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Systems Theory
This theory reminds us that a child’s learning and wellbeing are shaped by many layers of their world—family, school, community, and even wider society. In this case, the emotional learning started at home, with the child using The Colour Monster book and fridge display to show how they felt. Because this was then shared and supported at school, it shows how learning is strongest when home and school work together. That connection between settings helps children feel safe, understood, and supported in their growth.

2. Bandura’s Social Learning Theory
Bandura believed that children learn by watching others. When this child showed their classmates how they used the coloured monsters to share emotions, the other children started doing it too. This illustrates the power of children learning from one another, especially when one child models a positive behaviour. It helps build confidence and a sense of belonging across the group.

Linking to Pedagogical Approaches

Use of Books
Reading The Colour Monster provided the child and their family with a visual and straightforward way to discuss feelings. Books like this can help children learn the names of emotions and how to discuss them, which are important aspects of emotional development.

Intentional Teaching
The educators didn’t leave this to chance—they planned and extended the learning. They built on what was happening at home, supported the child to share with the group, and created new classroom activities around it. This is what intentional teaching looks like: noticing opportunities and guiding children’s learning with purpose.

Slow, Relational Pedagogy
The educators listened carefully to the child and family and responded in a gentle, respectful way. They didn’t rush or push. This slow and caring approach helps children feel emotionally safe and builds strong relationships, which are the foundation for all learning.

Reflective Practice
The whole experience shows how educators reflected on the child’s needs and adapted their teaching to support emotional development. When they saw how well the home activity worked, they brought it into the classroom and made it part of group learning. Reflecting like this helps educators stay responsive and thoughtful in their work.

Learning Together
When the child shared their idea with the group, it turned into something that everyone could join in with. This kind of peer learning helps children feel valued, included, and proud of their ideas.

This experience supported emotional development by combining thoughtful teaching, strong relationships, and links between home and school. It demonstrates how utilising books, listening attentively, providing children with time, and building on their interests can make a significant difference. It also demonstrates how children learn not only from adults but also from one another.

References

Bruce, T., (2012) Learning through play, for babies, toddlers and young children. Hodder Education.

Grieshaber, S., Krieg, S., McArdle, F. and Sumsion, J., (2021) Intentional teaching in early childhood education: A scoping review. Review of Education, 9(3), p.e3309.

National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) (2024) Aistear: The Early Childhood Curriculum Framework. Dublin: NCCA

Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., Taggart, B., Smees, R. and Morahan, M., (2004) The effective provision of pre-school education (EPPE) project. Children, 29(30), p.31.

Pedagogy in Action

Developmental Learning Theories That Underpin Pedagogy