Toddler agency and conversation analysis

Conversation analysis (CA) can be a useful tool for research when investigating toddlers’ social interactions, because it can showcase their capabilities and agency through in-depth analysis of their verbal and non-verbal actions. This article argues that by using CA to analyse the details of toddler conversations within the peer group, we can not only discover the true complexities and social capabilities of toddlers but also find out what is important to them and how we, as early childhood teachers can support and empower them.