Early childhood education (ECE) presupposes a balance between emotionally supportive interaction and pre-academic teaching instruction, and research indicates an increasing pressure on preschool teachers' communicative competence. This study focuses on the functions of emotions in the teacher-child relationship in a situated context. Such studies…

The international trend of positioning the preschool as a pre-academic learning environment is challenging for preschool teachers, as it necessitates a balance between emotionally supportive interaction and goal-oriented learning instruction. However, previous research suggests that the complexities of such interactions need to be further studied.…

A compelling body of international research demonstrates that a positive, supportive teacher-student relationship is essential for students' development, especially for at-risk students. In this article, the educator's ability to build such relationships is discussed in terms of 'relational competence'. Special educators' relational competence is…