Pedagogical and Assessment Competence of Early Childhood Teachers: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Early childhood education plays a central role in shaping children’s cognitive, social, emotional, and language development, with lasting implications for later learning. This study systematically reviewed empirical evidence on teachers’ pedagogical and assessment competence in early childhood education and the influence of policy and institutional frameworks on classroom practice. Guided by the PRISMA framework, a broad search was conducted across major academic databases whereby a total of 128 studies were identified, of which 17 met the inclusion criteria. The review was theoretically anchored in the Pedagogical Content Knowledge framework, which conceptualizes effective teaching as the integration of content knowledge, pedagogy, learner understanding, and assessment. Findings indicate that strong pedagogical competence enables teachers to implement child-centered instructional practices that support holistic development, while assessment competence facilitates continuous monitoring of children’s progress using developmentally appropriate methods. However, evidence reveals persistent gaps in teachers’ ability to apply competence-based and authentic assessment approaches, particularly in contexts with limited professional support. Policy and institutional frameworks were found to influence practice, though implementation is often constrained by resource limitations and inadequate training. The study emphasizes the need for sustained professional development, supportive institutional conditions, and alignment between policy expectations and classroom realities to enhance early childhood education quality.