Interaction quality in German early childcare settings: investigating the domains of CLASS Toddler and the associations with structural characteristics

ABSTRACTThe present study examines the quality and domains of teacher-toddler interactions and associations with structural characteristics using data from 95 German early childcare settings. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis supported a two-factor structure of interaction quality assessed by the CLASS Toddler: emotional and behavioural support (EBS) and engaged support for learning (ESL). The EBS domain showed higher quality ratings (M = 5.33, SD = .59) than the ESL domain (M = 3.23, SD = .70). Structural equation modelling was applied to estimate associations between those domains and structural characteristics within classrooms. Structural characteristics predicting interaction quality were teachers' age (for EBS), teachers' education (for ESL) and children's age composition in the classroom (for EBS and ESL). Overall, the two-factor structure of CLASS Toddler could be replicated. For high-quality interactions, teacher and classroom characteristics are crucial but need to be carefully distinguished. Beyond their limitations, these findings have implications that are discussed.KEYWORDS: Early childhood education and care (ECEC)toddler classroomsteacher–child interactionsinteraction qualitystructural qualityclassroom assessment scoring system CLASS Toddler Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Ethics statementThe Ethics Committee of the University of Bamberg approved the project.Additional informationFundingThis work was supported by the German Research Foundation [grant numbers DO 2304/1-1, LE 3245/1-1, LI 3487/1-1, RO 820/18-1, and WE 1478/13-1].Notes on contributorsFranka BaronFranka Baron (from January 2020 to July 2023) was a scientific associate and a PhD-student at the German Youth Institute, Department of Social Monitoring and Methodology. From August 2023she has been a scientific associate at the University of Bern, Interfaculty Centre for Educational Research (ICER).Anja LinbergAnja Linberg (from December 2010 to March 2013) was a scientific associate at the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS), From November 2012 to September 2017 she was a scientific associate at the University of Bamberg, department of elementary and family education. From October 2017 to January 2019: Anja was a PostDoc at the Leibniz Institute for Educational Trajectories (LIfBi), Center of Excellence for Early Childhood Education. Since February 2019 she has been the Head of the Child Competence Team at the German Youth Institute, Department of Social Monitoring and Methodology.Simone LehrlSimone Lehrl (from April 2008 to April 2019) was a scientific associate at the University of Bamberg, department of elementary and family education. From January 2018 to April 2019, Simone was a scientific associate at the University of Bamberg, department psychology I - Developmental Psychology. From May 2019 to December 2021 she was a temporary academic councilor at the University of Bamberg, department of psychology I - developmental psychology. From October 2020 to DDecember 2021 she was a substitute professor for early childhood education at the University of Education Weingarten, Institute of Educational Sciences, sinceJanuary 2022 she has been a professor of early childhood education (W3), University of Education Weingarten, Institute of Educational Sciences.