Learning in contexts: A conceptual framework for understanding early social gaps in educational performances

Early childhood is a fertile period for development since learning occurs at a fast pace in different domains, from the cognitive to the non-cognitive sphere. Yet, research indicates that social inequalities in children’s early educational experiences are substantial before compulsory school entry. The presence of such a disadvantage in the early years is critical since it can undermine development, endangering individuals’ later life outcomes. Since the gradual acquisition of competencies depends also on inputs from the surrounding contexts, I focus on two main environments, which are especially relevant in early childhood, i.e. the home learning environment and the early childhood education system. This article aims to contribute further to the sociological evidence on the mechanisms leading to early skill inequalities. By reassembling inputs from different disciplines (i.e. sociology, psychology, educational sciences, and economics), I provide a unifying conceptual framework that describes the dimensions linked to early learning and indicates the quantitative and qualitative features of learning contexts that may foster (or prevent) the process of skill formation from a social stratification perspective.