Mentalisation in Aotearoa early childhood education: A content analysis of Te Whāriki

The focus of this study is the cognitive process called mentalisation and how it is woven into Te Whāriki. Employing a qualitative content analysis, we sought to examine the embedded expectations and assumptions evident in the curriculum concerning how mentalisation processes and practices should be employed by teachers. Results showed numerous references to mentalisation that were thoroughly integrated throughout the curriculum, particularly in the Contribution / Mana tangata, Belonging / Mana whenua, Exploration / Mana aotūroa, and Wellbeing / Mana atua sections, with the majority of mentalisation references related to cognition and emotion. The implications of these findings for teacher education, practice, and professional development are discussed.