Early childhood education plays a significant role in enhancing the development of young children, particularly those identified with additional needs. Early identification and support for children who are at risk of experiencing learning difficulties is paramount across academic, social, emotional and behavioural domains. Early childhood services play a key role in identification and intervention, thereby ameliorating the likelihood of longer term difficulties once schooling commences. In this special issue of the Australian Journal of Learning Difficulties, five articles are featured with a specific emphasis on early childhood and supporting young students with additional needs. They span the fields of reading difficulties, speech and language difficulties, grade retention, and interprofessional collaboration. Kevin Wheldall, Robyn Wheldall, Alison Madelaine, Meree Reynolds and Sarah Arakelian provide further evidence for the efficacy of an evidence-based program designed specifically for young struggling readers. Over a seven-year period, 194 students participated in the MiniLit program, a 15week explicit, systematic literacy intervention. Results suggest that MiniLit significantly improved the reading and related skills of young struggling readers, and highlight the importance of early detection and intervention of reading difficulties in the early years of schooling. Sharynne McLeod, Kathryn Crowe, Sarah Masso, Elise Baker, Jane McCormack, Yvonne Wren, Susan Roulstone, and Charlotte Howland examine speech and language characteristics of children identified with possible communication concerns using a large-scale longitudinal sample of 4to 5-year old children from 45 preschools. Preschool-aged children identified with phonologically-based speech sound disorders are more likely to be male, unintelligible to unfamiliar listeners, and possess poor emergent literacy and phonological processing skills. These early indicators of speech sound disorders may assist educators with the early identification of communication difficulties and aid families in seeking appropriate supports for these difficulties prior to commencing school. Early identification and provision of support may thereby enhance school readiness and reduce the likelihood of longer term risk for academic, social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. Linda Harrison, Sharynne McLeod, Lindy McAllister, and Jane McCormack explore the relationship between specialist assessment and parent and teacher reporting in identifying speech sound disorders in preschool children. Their study found that while parental concerns were more reliable in the detection of speech sound disorders than early childhood educators’ concerns, teacher reports nevertheless provided valuable information on communication in classroom settings. Sandie Wong and Frances Press provide a comprehensive discussion on the need for collaborative approaches to support children with additional needs. Interprofessional practice across agencies, organisations, and governance structures is advocated to address the complex challenges facing many children and their families. The need for interprofessional work in early childhood, particularly to enhace the early identification and support of children with learning difficulties and additional needs, is highlighted. Graham Daniel and Cen Wang investigate the evidence associated with grade retention from an Australian perspective using data from the nationally representative Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. Grade retention, particularly in the Kindergarten year, primarily stems from learning and behavioural difficulties. Factors including receptive language development, receptive

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幼儿教育在促进幼儿发展方面发挥着重要作用，尤其是那些被确定为有额外需求的幼儿。在学业、社交、情感和行为领域，对有学习困难风险的儿童进行早期识别和支持至关重要。幼儿服务在识别和干预方面发挥着关键作用，从而在学校开始后减轻长期困难的可能性。在澳大利亚学习困难杂志的这期特刊中，有五篇文章特别强调幼儿期和支持有额外需求的年轻学生。他们跨越阅读困难、言语和语言困难、成绩保持和跨专业合作等领域。凯文·沃尔多尔，罗宾·沃尔多尔，Alison Madelaine、Meree Reynolds 和 Sarah Arakelian 提供了进一步的证据，证明专为年轻有困难的读者设计的循证计划的有效性。在七年的时间里，194 名学生参加了 MiniLit 计划，这是一项为期 15 周的明确、系统的扫盲干预。结果表明，MiniLit 显着提高了年轻有困难的阅读者的阅读和相关技能，并突出了早期发现和干预阅读困难的重要性。Sharynne McLeod、Kathryn Crowe、Sarah Masso、Elise Baker、Jane McCormack、Yvonne Wren、Susan Roulstone 和 Charlotte Howland 使用 4 至 5 岁儿童的大规模纵向样本检查了可能存在沟通问题的儿童的言语和语言特征来自 45 所幼儿园。被识别为基于音位的语音障碍的学龄前儿童更有可能是男性，不熟悉的听众无法理解，并且具有较差的紧急识字和语音处理技能。这些语音障碍的早期指标可以帮助教育者及早识别沟通困难，并帮助家庭在开学前为这些困难寻求适当的支持。因此，及早识别和提供支持可以增强入学准备，并降低出现学业、社交、情感和/或行为困难的长期风险的可能性。琳达·哈里森，莎琳·麦克劳德，琳迪·麦卡利斯特，和 Jane McCormack 探讨了专家评估与家长和教师报告在识别学龄前儿童语音障碍方面的关系。他们的研究发现，虽然父母的担忧在检测语音障碍方面比幼儿教育者的担忧更可靠，但教师报告仍然提供了有关课堂交流的宝贵信息。Sandie Wong 和 Frances Press 就协作方法的必要性进行了全面的讨论，以支持有额外需求的儿童。提倡跨机构、组织和治理结构的跨专业实践，以解决许多儿童及其家庭面临的复杂挑战。幼儿期跨专业工作的需要，特别强调了对有学习困难和额外需求的儿童的早期识别和支持。Graham Daniel 和 Cen Wang 使用来自全国代表性的澳大利亚儿童纵向研究的数据，从澳大利亚的角度调查了与成绩保持相关的证据。成绩保持，特别是在幼儿园那一年，主要源于学习和行为困难。因素包括接受性语言的发展、接受性 主要源于学习和行为困难。因素包括接受性语言的发展、接受性 主要源于学习和行为困难。因素包括接受性语言的发展、接受性