Educational practices and inclusion in culturally and linguistically diverse early childhood settings: a systematic review

This systematic review examines educational practices in early childhood education contexts characterized by cultural and linguistic diversity. Guided by the PRISMA framework, it addresses three main objectives: it examines how educational practices are described in the scientific literature, identifies the organizational and professional conditions that shape them, and explores the ways in which they support children’s participation and relationships with families. A structured search across English- and French-language databases yielded 20 empirical studies, predominantly qualitative, published between 2012 and 2025. Using reflexive thematic analysis, the review identifies four interrelated areas of practice: pedagogical practices, interactions among peers and between children and adults, collaboration with families, and organizational and professional conditions. The findings suggest that inclusion is enacted through everyday pedagogical, relational and organizational adjustments that shape children’s opportunities for participation and belonging. These include the recognition of home languages, culturally responsive adaptations of educational activities, collaboration with families, and conditions that support professional learning and continuity of practice. Overall, the review highlights the multidimensional nature of inclusive practices in culturally and linguistically diverse early childhood settings.