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Child Development & Early Education vocabulary · Nursery Practice and Routines

Early childhood education

Meaning in child development & early education, with examples

nounCore term

In child development & early education, early childhood education means: Education and care for young children before they start primary school, and the profession and academic field connected with it.

In Turkish: erken çocukluk eğitimi, okul öncesi eğitim

How it is used

The usual international and American term, often shortened to ECE. OECD and EU documents use ECEC (early childhood education and care). In the UK people more often say early years education.

Example sentences

  1. She has a master's degree in early childhood education.

  2. Many countries have increased their spending on early childhood education.

Common collocations

  • early childhood education and care (ECEC)
  • early childhood educator
  • a degree in early childhood education
  • high-quality early childhood education
  • early yearsThe first years of a child's life, usually from birth to about five, and the services and profession that care for and educate children of this age.
  • EYFSShort for Early Years Foundation Stage, the statutory framework in England that sets standards for the learning, development and care of children from birth to five.
  • nurseryA place where children under school age are cared for and learn during the day, sometimes from a few months old; also a baby's bedroom at home.
  • learning through playAn approach to early education in which children learn skills and ideas mainly by playing, exploring and experimenting, with adults supporting them.

More terms: Nursery Practice and Routines

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