Declared Practices of Language Facilitation in Early Childhood Education and Care with Children Younger than Two Years

Early reciprocal language experiences are crucial for children's language development. Early childhood education and care (ECEC) has the potential to facilitate language development. However, knowledge on ECEC educators' actions in implementing early language facilitation is scarce. This study surveyed educators' declared practices of early language facilitation and its relationship with their educational background. Open-ended responses gathered from 644 Finnish ECEC educators were categorized by content and analyzed in relation to the educators' qualifications and work experience. The findings showed that when reporting on their practices, the educators typically did not focus on the child's communicative initiatives and reciprocal language. However, the responses of educators with a qualification in ECEC special education contained more focused content on child-led reciprocity. Moreover, both ECEC special education teachers and educators with experience in infant-toddler ECEC underlined the importance of interaction. The findings indicate a need to increase educators' awareness of their actions in facilitating children's early language skills. To achieve the educational and preventive rehabilitative potential of ECEC, it is crucial that centers both include ECEC special educators in their teaching staff and invest in educator training.