The Reggio Emilia Approach to Early Childhood Education. An Analysis to Its Inclusive Perspectives and Their Relationships to Aesthetic Aspects

Abstract

AbstractThe Reggio Emilia Approach is an educational philosophy and pedagogical approach to early childhood education internationally known [Edwards, P., & Gandini, L., Handbook of international perspectives on early childhood education. Routledge (2018)]. Firstly, by referring to the most recent and relevant scientific literature, this contribution aims to define the main characteristics of such an education approach. Among them, the role played by the learning environment [Cavallini et al., The architectures of education: The space of the possible. The culture of dwelling in the experience of the municipal schools of early childhood education of Reggio Emilia. Revista Internacional de Educación para la Justicia Social (RIEJS) 182–197 (2017); Miller, V., School spaces for student wellbeing and learning. Springer (2019)], the practice of documentation [Krechevsky et al., Innovations in Early Education, 16, 4–16 (2016)], the image of the child [Rinaldi, C., Miscellanea Historico-Iuridica, 19, 11–22 (2020)], the theory of the hundred languages, the value of participation [Baraldi, C., Children’s self-determination in the context of early childhood education and services. Springer (2019)], the importance of documentation and the relevance of the visual dimension in educational processes [Contini, A., Estetica Elementare. Pearson (2021)]. These main characteristics, in particular the characteristics that define the learning environment, are the object of research tool, developed for a research project promoted by the Reggio Children Foundation [Tedeschi, M., & Manera, L., La Città Educante. Metodologie e tecnologie innovative a servizio delle Smart Communities. Liguori (2018)] and presented in this chapter. Secondly, this contribution aims to highlight some aspects explored only partially in the scientific literature, in particular the inclusive perspective that define the Reggio Emilia Approach. With regard to the aesthetic dimension and its influence on the inclusive perspective that characterizes the Reggio Approach, this contribution reconstructs the role played by Loris Malaguzzi in the conception of learning environments opened to plurality. On the other hand, it highlights the other relevant factors that fostered the development of the inclusive perspective that characterizes the Reggio Emilia Approach.