Early childhood coaching effectiveness across key content areas: Exploring the contributions of school, teacher, and child characteristics
Abstract
Coaching is an effective form of professional learning used in early childhood (EC; 0-8) settings to promote teachers' use of high-quality practices and children's outcomes generally. Yet, research on its effectiveness to support key content areas, including language and literacy; social-emotional and behavioral development; and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, is limited. This meta-analysis examined effects of coaching on teacher practice and child outcomes by content area and potential moderating effects of school, teacher, and child characteristics from 112 studies with 918 effect sizes. Results indicated positive, medium-to-large effects of EC coaching across key content areas on teacher practice and child outcomes. No moderating effects of school and teacher characteristics and limited moderation by child characteristics were identified.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Early Childhood Education and Development
Educational and Psychological Assessments
Parental Involvement in Education
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Child Development
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Volume
- 97
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 881–896
- Publication date
- 29 January 2026
- Language
- EN