Bridging the Gap! Immigrant Early Childhood Educators' Perceptions of Languages in Pedagogical Practice in Australia and Finland

Despite the growing number of immigrant workers in early childhood education settings worldwide, research on educators with immigrant backgrounds remains scarce. This study aims to bridge this gap by examining the perspective of multilingual educators regarding the significance of language use in their daily pedagogical practices. The research question for this study is: how do immigrant early childhood educators in Finland and Australia experience and engage with language in their everyday educational practices? Drawing on a multiple case study approach, this research involves an in-depth case study conducted with early childhood educators in Australia and Finland ( https://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"> N = 18 https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href=" https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781003563433/34f60769-0230-4c02-b460-97aa88d93b5c/content/ieq0007.tif "/> ). The presented analysis focuses on the data of two educators from each country ( https://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"> n = 4 https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href=" https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781003563433/34f60769-0230-4c02-b460-97aa88d93b5c/content/ieq0008.tif "/> ), particularly their language practices, through interviews and personal language maps drawn by them during the interviews. After conducting a thematic content analysis of the discussions, three themes were identified from the data: (1) educators using native language as a bridge to support multilingualism; (2) educators using non-verbal linguistic cues and visual aids to support language learning; and (3) educators creating native language connections for inclusion. The educators perceive language not merely as a tool for communication but as a complex, dynamic tool that shapes cultural identity, learning experiences, emotional well-being, and community interactions in early childhood education settings. These findings reflect the thoughtful use of contextually appropriate research evidence, as outlined in the Quality Use of Research Evidence (QURE) Framework. By centring educators’ voices and experiences, the study contributes to the quality use of evidence in early childhood education for equity and inclusion.