Early Childhood Education: Theoretical Foundations and Directions for Application in the Vietnamese Context

ABSTRACT: Early education is widely regarded as a foundational stage that plays a decisive role in human development. Interdisciplinary research in developmental science, neuroscience, psychology, and the economics of education consistently demonstrates that experiences from the prenatal period through the early years of life exert long-term influences on children’s cognitive, emotional, behavioral development, and learning opportunities. From a contemporary perspective, early education is understood as a continuous developmental process encompassing the prenatal period, infancy and toddlerhood (0–3 years), and early childhood education. This paper aims to synthesize and systematize the theoretical foundations of early education, analyze the current state of its implementation in Vietnam, and propose directions and recommendations for contextually appropriate application. These recommendations seek to enhance the quality of early childhood education and contribute to long-term human resource development.