Scaffolding patterns of dialogic exchange in toddler classrooms

The present study investigates how often episodes of dialogic exchange can be identified in educator–toddler interactions during play and emerging academic activities, what kind of scaffolding strategies educators use during the episodes of dialogic exchange and, ultimately, what kind of scaffolding patterns of dialogic exchange can be identified based on educators’ use of scaffolding strategies. Educator–child interactions were video-recorded in seven European countries, in two toddler classrooms in each country. The video recordings of emerging academic and play activities were transcribed and analysed, combining the principles of theory and a data-driven content analysis. First, 69 episodes of dialogic exchange were identified. Second, the episodes were analysed with respect to the educators’ use of scaffolding strategies and then divided into three scaffolding patterns of dialogic exchange that were characterised by 1) scaffolding action; 2) scaffolding thought process; and 3) scaffolding educational dialogue. Although the episodes of dialogic exchange were identified relatively seldom, they indicated the educators’ competence to scaffold toddlers for different purposes through dialogue. The results unravel the potential of dialogic exchange with very young children and provide concrete examples of effective scaffolding strategies beneficial to both educators within pre- and in-service training.