Ecological literacy enhancing children’s well-being in early childhood education

Abstract

Ecological literacy encourages incorporating ecological practices in ECE settings to support children's sustainable well-being from ages 3-6. The qualitative research approach with phenomenological design was used for the study. Three private schools with six early childhood teachers voluntarily participated in the study. All three schools were located in Islamabad. Six teachers with 3 to 5 years of experience were contacted for structured and semi-structured interviews. Each interview continued for 40 to 45 minutes. The interviews were recorded with participants' permission. To interpret the lived experiences, the transcription was coded, aligned with themes, and analyzed. Initial transcriptions were shared with interviewees for confirmation and affirmation of the themes. The findings of this phenomenological study indicate that participating private schools in Islamabad are incorporating ecological literacy-based practices in early childhood academic settings, and that participants have observed progressive changes and improvements in children aged 3-6 in a naturalistic environment. Children exhibit relaxed behavioural, physical, social, and psychological patterns while interacting with the ecological environment. The study also suggests that ecological practices encourage children to participate in nature-based activities, thereby promoting their social, emotional, behavioural, and psychological well-being.