Toddlers, Tech and Talk: 0-3-year-old children’s language and literacy learning at home in the UK.

Gillen, Julia and Flewitt, Rosie and El Gemayel, Sandra and Winter, Karen and McLaughlin, Katrina and Arnott, Lorna and Mevawalla, Zinnia and Goodall, Janet (2023) Toddlers, Tech and Talk: 0-3-year-old children’s language and literacy learning at home in the UK. In: European Early Childhood Education Research Association Annual Conference, 2023-08-30 - 2023-09-02, Estoril Congress Centre.

Abstract

Toddlers, Tech and Talk (2022-2024) aims to investigate behaviours and attitudes towards digital media at home across diverse communities in the UK. Here, we focus on parental reports of their 0-3 year-old children's participation in digital practices at home; curiosity and agentic use of diverse devices. First, we relate to previous and ongoing studies of young children’s interactions with digital media in the home learning environment, e.g. Chaudron et al (2018), Kumpulainen et al (2022), DigiLitEY COST Action, and ARC Centre for the Digital Child, identifying a need for research in this dynamic area. Second, we draw on a rich vein of investigations of the significance of agency, participation and curiosity to children’s play, learning and holistic wellbeing. Concepts such as the post-digital and sociomaterialism enable us to work towards novel understandings of the very young child’s participation in a “togetherness in an entangled moment” Kuby & Rucker, 2016: 17). Our mixed method research is constructed in three phases: 1) Survey of 1000+ parents and guardians 2) Interviewing 40 parents and 20 ECEC-related professionals 3) 40 Case studies with a "methods palette” Our detailed ethical framework is constantly interrogated amongst the interdisciplinary team members to ensure that research is as respectful as possible of all participants, whatever their community or language (BERA 2018). We summarise findings relating to parental reports of children’s participation, curiosity and agency in digital practices at home, paying close attention to entanglements in the moment. Findings will inform ECEC policy and practice on very young children's digital security and technology use.