An analysis of current developments in education and care during early childhood in Germany, and a critical compilation of materials and didactic methods for elementary education.
In recent years young children’s learning potential has increasingly been attracting public attention in Germany. Stimulated by debates surrounding Germany’s PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) results, an awareness of early childhood as a particularly intense learning period and a phase that lays the foundations for later educational biographies has continuously grown. One response to this was to begin a reform of day-care facilities to put more emphasis on education alongside care. Among other things, the promotion of education in day care is regarded here as a means of counteracting social inequalities and their impact on later educational success. As a consequence, providing the necessary qualifications for day-care practitioners has become a topic of debate, along with a discussion of the quality standards, subject matter and structure of the training provided for them. In particular, competence in supporting and fostering young children’s educational processes is a major focus here.