Age responsive pedagogies: 'Preschool' ECE teachers interrogate their dialogues with and about two-year-olds

Ten experienced teachers from two mixed age early childhood education settings catering for two year-olds alongside their older peers engaged in a video-based inquiry that allowed a slowing down of their pedagogical processes. The purpose of their inquiry was to understand what two year-old dialogues ‘look like’ in ‘preschool’ settings traditionally oriented to older peers as a source of pedagogical insight. According to dialogic theory, dialogues are not only central to learning – they ARE learning – and this is no less true for two year-olds, who have unique ways of being and becoming in ECE spaces. Such dialogues allow for expression of multiple ideas and perspectives which can lead to shared meaning-making – allowing teachers to see learning potential.