In Ireland, there is currently an unprecedented policy focus on education
and care for children in the years before compulsory schooling. This policy
focus is warranted. We know without question that high quality early childhood
education and care reaps measurable gains in thinking and social skills for
all children. In addition, studies have demonstrated that for those young
children living with the injustice of poverty those gains are even greater.
These benefits are primarily determined by early childhood educator
knowledge and understanding of child development and learning,
providing appropriate cognitive challenge; strategic planning for a wide
range of curriculum experiences; and the quality of educator-child verbal
interactions through open-ended questioning, meaningful conversations
and extension of children’s language and thoughts (Siraj-Blatchford, Sylva,
Muttock, Gilden, & Bell, 20021).