This book provides a refreshing look at kindergarten teachers' practical knowledge and their context-specific reasoning of the usefulness of constructivism from a culturally emic perspective. Examining the similarities and differences between constructivism and Confucianism from both instructional and moral perspectives, it provides a unique contribution to teaching and teacher education. An understanding of the compatibility between constructivism and Confucianism is valuable in cross-cultural exchange and learning, and as such the book is a great source for educational researchers in a time of globalization.

"The Bus Kids" offers a compelling and uniquely detailed examination of the experiences of kindergarten students in California participating in a voluntary school desegregation program. Ira Lit focuses on the day-to-day school life of a group of minority children bussed from their poor-performing home school district to an affluent neighboring district with high-performing schools. Through these kindergarteners' experiences, the book sensitively illuminates the processes of school transition, socialization, and adaptation, and addresses an array of important issues relating to American education. Lit acutely observes these "bus kids" and the quality of their social, emotional, cultural, and academic experiences. He presents a moving picture of the complexity of challenges, often unrecognized by teachers and parents, each young student confronted every day.

This book presents for the first time in English language an overview of the research done in Brazil in the field of studies of children's play. The volume brings together contributions from researchers of the Working Group Toy, Education and Health, of the Brazilian National Association of Research and Graduate Studies in Psychology (ANPEPP), including empirical studies and literature reviews about indigenous children, riverside communities, urban children in situation of social vulnerability, projects of early childhood education and the ludic possibilities of digital technologies. It aims to show the cultural diversity of Brazil expressed in its children's play, providing valuable resources for international researchers of play interested in intercultural studies.

Life transitions differ concerning the intensity of the change and the intensity of the child's reaction to that change. For most children, the first and most significant transition is from the family home to an institution of early care and education, which includes preschool. These transitions can also include children's passage from kindergarten to elementary school. However, the intensity of the child's reaction is related to the size of the change that is happening and also to who or what is involved in that change and the importance a child attributes to that someone or something. Supporting Children's Well-Being During Early Childhood Transition to School is an essential scholarly publication that examines evidence-based practices and approaches that fully support a child's well-being during transition periods in early childhood. It serves as a resource to rethink contemporary transition theoretical models, research studies, and applied practices. Featuring a wide range of topics such as emotional competency, language learners, and professional development, this book is ideal for academicians, psychologists, early childhood educators, daycare centers, curriculum designers, policymakers, researchers, education professionals, and students. Topics Covered: Curriculum Design Early Childhood Education Emotional Competency Equity Family-Teacher Partnership Kindergarten Language Learners Linguistics Professional Development School Readiness

"Rethinking Children's Play" examines attitudes towards, and experiences of, children's play. Fraser Brown and Michael Patte draw on a wide range of thought, research and practice from different fields and countries to debate, challenge and re-appraise long held beliefs, attitudes and ways of working and living with children in the play environment.Children need to play and the benefits of play are many and varied, but they are too often underestimated by parents, educators, politicians and society in general. The authors apply a playwork perspective to a wide range of settings populated by children, both formal and informal, to explore the idea that children's learning and development derives substantially from their opportunities to engage with a rich play environment that is supportive of the play process.Thoughts are provoked through examples of research, reflections on research, activities, key points and guidance on further reading."Rethinking Children's Play" is essential for all those studying childhood at undergraduate and graduate level and of great interest to those working with children in any field.

The purpose of this book is to provide a forum for an interdisciplinary scholarly dialogue with regard to preparing teachers for early childhood special education. In addition, it is aimed at examining and making available relevant and most recent scholarship to practitioners and at addressing critical issues and perspectives around preparing effective educators for the 21 century classroom and the future. This book intends to illuminate a complex and challenging task of preparing effective educators through the lenses of several educational disciplines, including but not limited to, teacher education, general education, special education, early childhood education, and urban education. The information in this work will focus on several educational disciplines that have the most immediate implications for teacher preparation and practice. The overall educational knowledge base will be enhanced due to the educational interdisciplinary approach. This has additional implications for teacher education, special education, educational leadership, curriculum and instruction, educational policy, and urban education, to name a few. The multidimensional nature of the book gives it the freedom to highlight multiple and diverse voices while at the same time providing a forum for different (and sometimes divergent) methodologies, philosophies, and ideologies.

Aimed at student teachers, educators and practitioners, Teaching English Language to Young Learners outlines and explains the crucial issues, themes and scenarios relating to this area of teaching. Each chapter by a leading international scholar offers a thorough introduction to a central theme of English as a foreign language (EFL) with preteens, with clear presentation of the theoretical background and detailed references for further reading, providing access to the most recent scholarship. Exploring the essential issues critically and in-depth, including the disadvantages as well as advantages of Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) with young learners, topics include: - task-based learning in the primary school; - storytelling; - drama; - technology; - vocabulary development; - intercultural understanding; - Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) scenarios; - assessment. Innovative and rapidly emerging topics are covered, such as immersion teaching, picturebooks in the EFL classroom and English with pre-primary children.

This book uses case studies of Aotearoa New Zealand policy formulation and practice to explore early childhood education and care (ECEC) as a site for democratic citizenship and social justice. Addressing fundamental questions about the purpose of education, it argues for explicit values focusing on children and childhood as a basis for ECEC policy to replace discourses of economic investment and child vulnerability that are dominant within policy goals in many countries. A commitment to democracy and equity is a good place to start. Aotearoa New Zealand is of special interest because of its world-renowned ECE curriculum, Te Whariki, which is based on principles of social justice, respect for rights and an aim to support children growing up in a democracy. The curriculum upholds Maori rights to tino rangatiratanga (absolute authority over their lives and resources). Yet, Aotearoa New Zealand's extreme market policies and harsh labour laws during recent periods run contrary to ideals of democracy and are puzzlingly inconsistent with curriculum principles. The book starts with an analysis and critique of global trends in ECEC in countries that share capitalist mixed economies of welfare, and where competition and marketisation have become dominant principles. It then analyses ideas about children, childhood and ECEC within a framework of democracy, going back to the Athenean origins of democracy and including recent literature on meanings and traditions of democracy in education. The book uses vivid examples from researching curriculum, pedagogy and assessment practices within Aotearoa New Zealand ECEC settings and collective action to influence policy change in order to illustrate opportunities for democratic education. It concludes by examining what conditions might be needed for integrated and democratic ECEC provision in Aotearoa New Zealand, and what changes are necessary for the future. It offers a compass not a map; it points to promising directions and provides insights into issues in ECEC policy and practice that are of current global concern.

This is a complete guide to supporting personal, social and emotional development in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), promoting a holistic approach and sharing good practice. "Personal, Social and Emotional Development" introduces this area of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) to trainee and qualified early years professionals. The personal, social and emotional development of children aged between 0-5 years is introduced within the context of the EYFS. A balanced approach to the Early Learning Goals is encouraged ensuring that key principles of good early years practice are maintained and developed, and the holistic development of the child is promoted. This user-friendly guide will support early years professionals to: reflect on current practice and develop skills; evaluate the implications of research for early years practice and provision; promote interdisciplinary teamwork between those who work with and support young children; meet the diverse needs of children at different developmental stages and ages; and, support children as they move within and beyond the EYFS. This series introduces each of the six areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS): Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Language, Literacy and Communication; Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy; Knowledge and Understanding of the World; Creative Development; and, Physical Development. Each book delivers accessible yet rigorous support for practitioners, whether training or qualified, in developing their professional understanding and practice in each of these Early Learning Goals. Whilst considering each area in turn, the aim throughout the series is to promote the holistic development of the child. Each volume includes: an introduction to the key area; consideration of the development of children in the key area from birth to 3 years; 3 to 5 years; and into 5 to 7 years; consideration of the holistic development of the child and the impact of that development on the key area being discussed; research evidence to support practice; practical examples of good practice; discussions on leadership in the key area; and, support in the development of pedagogical skills and reflective professional practice. In line with the aims of the EYFS, this series will help you in meeting the challenges that come with supporting the different needs of children, working in multi-professional partnerships, balancing the different areas of development, and supporting transitions within and beyond the EYFS.

An examination of teachers in early childhood settings. Areas covered include: factors that impact on teacher quality; transformative pathways in becoming an early childhood teacher; Sensei - early childhood education teachers in Japan; and beliefs of early childhood teachers.

This volume explores early childhood education policies and practices in the Caribbean. Early childhood development has gained increasing importance as part of national agendas to achieve social and economic goals. Regional guidelines and action plans have been developed, but progress across nations varies. Chapters in the book analyze child policies and issues, critically examine progress on alignment between policies and practices, and propose recommendations for advocacy and implementation that may advance the early childhood development agenda throughout the Caribbean. The book includes the perspectives of early childhood practitioners, policymakers, caregivers, representatives from family agencies as well as other key stakeholders in the education of young children. Across these diverse viewpoints is a shared commitment to children's well being and the necessity of an integrated response that captures the challenges and opportunities of early childhood development services and initiatives that are framed based on contextual relevance and cultural appropriateness. Part One includes chapters that advocate for national policies throughout the Caribbean to support young children. Chapters in Part Two call for quality early childhood programming that is based on the tenets of developmentally appropriate practice. Part Three considers the pedagogical dilemmas that arise in math and literacy when schools negate purposeful and engaging early childhood curriculum. Part Four presents various perspectives on child protection and the necessary infrastructure of policies and practices to ensure cognitive, social, and physical development of young children in the Caribbean. This important resource promotes critical discourse on the current status of children and efforts that have been developed to effectively advocate for the rights of the young.

This edited book focuses on affordances and limitations of e-books for early language and literacy, features and design of e-books for early language and literacy, print versus e-books in early language and literacy development, and uses of and guidelines for how to use e-books in school and home literacy practices. Uniquely, this book includes critical reviews of diverse aspects of e-books (e.g., features) and e-book uses (e.g., independent reading) for early literacy as well as multiple examinations of e-books in home and school contexts using a variety of research methods and/or theoretical frames. The studies of children's engagement with diverse types of e-books in different social contexts provide readers with a contemporary and comprehensive understanding of this topic. Research has demonstrated that ever-increasing numbers of children use digital devices as part of their daily routine. Yet, despite children's frequent use of e-books from an early age, there is a limited understanding regarding how those e-books are actually being used at home and school. As more e-books become available, it is important to examine the educational benefits and limitations of different types of e-books for children. So far, studies on the topic have presented inconsistent findings regarding potential benefits and limitations of e-books for early literacy activities (e.g., independent reading, shared reading). The studies in this book aim to fill such gaps in the literature.

This book explores how concepts and values of contemporary democracy are variously understood and applied in diverse cultural contexts, with a focus on children and childhood and diversity. Drawing on a range of methodological approaches relevant to early childhood education, it discusses young children's engagement and voice. The book identifies existing practices, strengths, theories and considerations in democracy in early childhood education and childhood, highlighting the democratic participation of children in cultural contexts. Further, it illustrates how democracy can be evident in early childhood practices and interactions across a range of curriculum contexts and perspectives, and considers ways of advancing and sustaining practices with positive transformational opportunities to benefit children and wider ecological systems. It offers readers insights into what democracy and citizenship look like in lived experience, and the issues affecting practice and encouraging reflection and advocacy.

Researchers, educators, professional organizations, administrators, parents, and policy makers have increased their involvement in the assessment and evaluation of early childhood education programs. This interest has developed swiftly during the last decades. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education (NAECS/SDE) developed a position statement titled, "Early childhood curriculum, assessment, and program evaluation: Building an effective, accountable system in programs for children birth through age 8," to address related trends, issues, guiding principles, and values. Appropriate and well-designed evaluations need to address several audiences including researchers, educators, policy makers, children, and parents. They need to encourage the implementation of a strong foundation that improves the quality of the children's education. Child assessment and program evaluation can lead to effective results and better accountability for preschool, kindergarten, and primary school programs. The purpose of this volume is to share a collection of research strands on contemporary perspectives on research in assessment and evaluation in early childhood education. It provides a review and critical analysis of the literature on assessment and evaluation of programs, children, teachers, and settings. The volume begins with a brief introductory chapter that presents the reader with a map of the area, laying out the issues and alternatives, and linking these to the chapters that follow. It addresses several areas including (1) understanding assessment and evaluation with young children, (2) schools and assessment implications, (3) teacher evaluation and professional development, (4) social relationships and assessment, (5) content areas in early education assessment, (6) technology and assessment, and (7) conclusion with future research directions in assessment and evaluation in early childhood education. The volume is of interest to researchers, educators, policy makers, university faculty, graduate students, and general readers who are interested in research on assessment and evaluation in early childhood education. The chapters are authored by established scholars in the field.

When it's time for a game change, you need a guide to the new rules. Helping Students Make Sense of the World Using Next Generation Science and Engineering Practices provides a play-by-play understanding of the practices strand of A Framework for K-12 Science Education (Framework) and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Written in clear, nontechnical language, this book provides a wealth of real-world examples to show you what's different about practice-centered teaching and learning at all grade levels. The book addresses three important questions: 1. How will engaging students in science and engineering practices help improve science education? 2. What do the eight practices look like in the classroom? 3. How can educators engage students in practices to bring the NGSS to life? Helping Students Make Sense of the World Using Next Generation Science and Engineering Practices was developed for K-12 science teachers, curriculum developers, teacher educators, and administrators. Many of its authors contributed to the Framework's initial vision and tested their ideas in actual science classrooms. If you want a fresh game plan to help students work together to generate and revise knowledge-not just receive and repeat information-this book is for you.

In this book, 23 contributors offer new insights on key issues in mathematics education in early childhood. The chapters cover all mathematics curriculum-related issues in early childhood (number, geometry, patterns and structures and mathematics in daily life). Special attention is given to teachers knowledge and innovative research issues such as quantifiers among young children. Contributors are: Abraham Arcavi, Ruthi Barkai, Douglas H. Clements, Bat-Sheva Eylon, Dina Hassidov, Rina Hershkowitz, Leah Ilani, Bat-Sheva Ilany, Candace Joswick, Esther Levenson, Zvia Markovits, Zemira Mevarech, Joanne Mulligan, Sherman Rosenfeld, Flavia Santamaria, Julie Sarama, Juhaina Awawdeh Shahbari, Amal Sharif-Rasslan, Tal Sharir, Nora Scheuer, Pessia Tsamir, Dina Tirosh and Ana Clara Ventura.