Aistear was initially published in 2009 and is now being updated by the NCCA. Access and read the publication entitled "Updating Aistear" which outlines the rationale and process behind the planned updates which will endeavour to align Aistear to changes and developments in the Irish context since 2009. Access the document here.

Useful document from the OECD outlining 5 different ECEC curricula including: Experiential Education, The High/Scope Curriculum, The Reggio Emilia Approach, Te Whariki and The Swedish Curriculum.  Access it here.

Article building upon research in relation to the funds of knowledge that children bring with them into their play and which are informed by their socio-cultural relationships and experiences in other aspects of their lives.  Research has shown that children's interests are informed by their funds of knowledge and that this reconstructed within their play.  Click here to read this article.

Case Study - Examining the implementation of an emergent curriculum in an Israeli setting which was very different to the traditional curriculum.  Access this case study here.

Research from the The Dept. of Early Childhood Education, Pretoria, South Africa.  "This study aims to explore the role of HLC through the experiences and views of the four ECE practitioners in the Gauteng province. Drawing on Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences, the author argues that ECE children possess different kinds of minds, and therefore they learn in different ways" (Mphahlele, 2019). You can access this research here.

Article on the influential Ukrainian educator Vasily Sukhomlinsky (1918-1970) whose approach to curriculum and pedagogy placed great value on compassion, nature and the outdoors, art and human relationships within the community.  His curriculum took on a whole school approach with mixed age groups engaging in peer learning and learning activities that included lots of practical hands on training.  Sukhomlinsky took a holisitic approach incorporating moral, emotional and aesthetic education (Cockerill, 2011). Click here to access this article.

Following research with indigenous Sámi children in an early childhood setting in based in northern Sweden.  This article discusses how the researcher followed the invitation of the children into their world of philosophising and storytelling.  You can read this article here.

Research from a Greek study exploring "how teachers conceptualize children's interests in early years curriculum and appropriate related curriculum guidelines in their practice".  Findings highlight the impact of practitioner knowledge and practitioner perceptions of what is considered "worthwhile knowledge for preschool children" (Birbili, 2018). Click here to access.

NCCA audit of Traveller culture in the early years, primary and secondary curriculum in Ireland focussing on Traveller culture and history, intercultural guidelines and resources and opportunities to incorporate Traveller culture and history into curriculum. Click here to access.

OECD Report - Play Create and Learn: What matters most for five-year-olds.  Access the report here.

"The first five years of a child’s life is a period of great opportunity, and risk. The cognitive and social-emotional skills that children develop in these early years have long-lasting impacts on their later outcomes throughout schooling and adulthood. The International Early Learning and Child Well-Being Study was designed to help countries assess their children’s skills and development, to understand how these relate to children’s early learning experiences and well-being. The study provides countries with comparative data on children’s early skills to assist countries to better identify factors that promote or hinder children’s early learning. Three countries participated in this study in 2018: England (United Kingdom), Estonia and the United States. The study directly assessed the emergent literacy and numeracy, self-regulation and social-emotional skills of a representative sample of five-year-old children in registered school and ECEC settings in each participating country. It also collected contextual and assessment information from the children’s parents and teachers" (OECD, 2021). Click here to access.

OECD Report - Caring, Sharing, Daring: Social-Emotional Development Age Five.  Access the report here.

Document describing what a Forest School is along with the core principles of Forest Schooling.  Access this document here.