This gem is the ideal companion for the busy primary school teacher. Packed with timesaving resources for both the classroom and assembly, it provides a wealth of activities to develop key values and skills in your pupils. Using the power of stories, the authors champion a fresh and inspiring approach to inclusive education across the curriculum, integrating key values into classroom learning. The twelve themed tales stimulate reflection and discussion on such sensitive areas as: bullying prejudice physical disability as well as 'hidden' disabilities alternative lifestyles, cultures, and different appearances parental difference. Lively characters of various ethnic origins, who embody respect for diversity, enhance these multicultural stories. In addition, each session contributes to key skills learning in English, including speaking and listening, reflecting, reasoning and concentrating. Many of the activities also integrate coordination and art and craft skills, numeracy and science skills. The many photocopiable activity pages make this an essential tool for teachers or heads who wish to ensure that inclusion is genuinely working for all children throughout their school.

Contents:
1. Introduction 2. Areas of Provision in the Early Years Settings 3. The Social and Cooperational Play Continuum 4. Using the Social Play Continuum 5. Scaffolding the Growth of Sociability and Cooperation 6. Literacy and Numeracy 7. Emotional Well-being, Making Choices, Time to Learn

This lively and informative text examines children's first experience of non-fiction during the pre-school and foundation years. Its careful consideration of different kinds of quality non-fiction, including books, posters, charts and computer software will provide a helpful framework from which Early Years teachers can work. With annotated lists, notes and suggestions for further reading, this is an ideal source of inspiration and stimulation for the busy classroom teacher, placing literacy teaching in a fresh, modern context.

The book offers a rich resource of information, with illustrative case studies and many examples of children's responses to non-fiction, providing:

* coverage of pre-school and foundation years for children up to 6 years of age
* references to research findings on the place of non-fiction in early years
* references to The National Literacy Strategy, Early Learning Goals and the National Curriculum for English
* an evaluation of the place of e-books, CDROMs and video-film in Early Years

The author's zest and expertise helps to give this book an infectious enthusiasm that will permeate the classroom, providing the nursery and primary school teacher, student teacher, or classroom assistant with an invaluable guide and resource tool.

Neoliberal logics of government shaping childhood today produce market-based frameworks for understanding childhood risks. In this timely work, Nadesan argues that these frameworks encourage affluent parents to pursue individualized technologies of the self to reduce risks posed to their children's future success. In contrast, neoliberal market frameworks regard lower-income children as "risky," and therefore deploy targeted disciplines aimed at reducing economic and biopolitical risks to the nation. "Risks" posed by poor children abroad derive from, and legitimize, a new U.S. security discourse that governs primarily through strategic containment and normalization, yet doesn't hesitate to employ repression. The current global economic crisis points to the limits and paradoxes of the neoliberal logics governing populations, presenting future "risks" for twenty-first century childhood.

This book tells the amazing story behind seashells: how they are made by molluscs, used for protection and camouflage, and full of clues about all they've been through. Inspired by Next Time You See a Seashell, young readers will find these intricate objects even more fascinating when they discover their origins in slimy, snaily creatures. Awaken a sense of wonder in a child with the Next Time You See series from NSTA Kids. The books will inspire elementary-age children to experience the enchantment of everyday phenomena such as seashells and sunsets. Free supplementary activities are available on the NSTA website. Especially designed to be experienced with an adult-be it a parent, teacher, or friend-Next Time You See books serve as a reminder that you don't have to look far to find something remarkable in nature.

This concise guide offers an accessible introduction to the key theoretical perspectives and methodologies in developmental psychology. It integrates insights from typical and atypical development to reveal fundamental aspects of human growth and development, and common developmental disorders. The topic books in this series draw on international research in the field and are informed by biological, social and cultural perspectives, offering explanations of developmental phenomena with a focus on how children and adolescents at different ages actually think, feel and act. In this succinct volume, Stephen von Tetzchner outlines the main theoretical perspectives including psychodynamic psychology, behaviorism, logical constructivism, social constructivism, evolutionary psychology, ethological psychology, ecological psychology, information processing and critical developmental psychology. He provides a guide to methods of gaining knowledge about children and introduces child and adolescent disorders. Together with a companion website that offers topic-based quizzes, lecturer PowerPoint slides and sample essay questions, Typical and Atypical Child and Adolescent Development 1: Theory and Methodology is an essential text for all students of developmental psychology, as well as those working in the fields of child development, developmental disabilities and special education. The content of this topic book is taken from Stephen von Tetzchner's core textbook Child and Adolescent Psychology: Typical and Atypical Development. The comprehensive volume offers a complete overview of child and adolescent development. For more information visit www.routledge.com/9781138823396

Professionals in early years settings can use this book to focus on ways in which they can work collaboratively with colleagues, in order to help children with communication difficulties to understand and express themselves more fully. It brings together the most useful examples of good practice and draws on the work of reflective practitioners. There are many illustrative case studies provided and it discusses how to observe children's daily interactions, ways in which such observations can be used to improve communication skills; how play can be an important part of improvement; behavior management and support; and literacy development. The practical applications are highlighted throughout the book and the advice given comes directly from those working in early years settings. It should be of great interest to all nursery teachers, teaching assistants, speech and language therapists and parents wishing to play an active part in their children's development of language and communication skills.

With the rise of teacher stressors, new and changing state standards, and high-stakes testing, it is more important than ever to remind literacy teachers and teacher-librarians about the reason that brought them to this profession: the love of story. The Gift of Story, by John Schu (affectionately known as "Mr. Schu" all over reading communities), invites readers to consider literacy beyond its academic benefits and explore how universal truths found in stories can change us, inspire us, connect us to others, answer our deepest questions, and even help us heal along the way. Using his experience as a teacher, librarian, book lover, and story ambassador, Mr. Schu asks readers to reflect on what it means to share their hearts through stories and how it can connect us to individuals and learning communities. The Gift of Story is presented through a study of five affective elements: Healer, Inspiration, Clarifier, Compassion, and Connector. Along the way, readers will encounter insightful contributions from educators, children's writers, and illustrators, as well as recommendations for sharing the gift of story with learning communities including: treasured book suggestions that stir reflection, engaging tips for celebrating literacy, and heart-growing applications to lift classroom and library practices. Celebrate the way we define and imagine ourselves through literacy by using stories to connect to others, build and strengthen community, and honor the children we were called to teach.

Today, nations throughout the world lack detailed information about the arrangements families make for the care or education of their pre-school aged children. The present volume addresses this problem by presenting information from Phase 1 of the IEA Preprimary Project, which conducted household surveys with representative samples of families with 4-year-olds in the following 11 countries: Belgium, the People's Republic of China, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Nigeria, Portugal, Spain, Thailand, and the United States. Using a jointly-developed 50-minute parent/guardian interview, researchers in each country collected information about what settings families choose for the care/education of their 4-year-old children, why families choose these particular settings, and what problems they encounter with the settings. Families were also asked how many out-of-home settings their child typically attends each week and how long the child spends in these settings. In addition, interviewers gathered data about the family background (e.g. parental education and occupation) and asked parents to describe their child's routine for a typical 24-hour period.

This volume of findings from the IEA Preprimary Project will be useful to early childhood professionals and researchers as well as to policymakers concerned with family and educational issues. One chapter presents information about group settings in various nations, including thier sponsorship, the auxiliary services they offer and the extent of home-setting communication. Since the study is cross-national, it is possible to examine each nation's findings within a broader context and thus perhaps see new options for program planning andoperation.

Packed with hands-on tips, Beaver/Wyatt's EARLY EDUCATION CURRICULUM: A CHILD'S CONNECTION TO THE WORLD, 8th Edition, shows you how to conduct observations and assessments, plan and implement a curriculum, set up an inclusive child-centered environment, plan developmentally appropriate activities in 11 subject areas and use technology in early learning programs. Students and experienced teachers alike will learn how to make informed decisions about curriculum content, develop creative thinking skills and effectively apply development and learning theory. Updated with the latest research and national standards, the 8th Edition presents material on brain research that underlies teaching ideas as well as information on reflective practice, intentional teaching, the environment as a teaching tool and equity and diversity. Case studies enable you to apply your knowledge to real-life issues.

Helping Every Child to Thrive in the Early Years shows how a personalised and relationship-based approach to education and care can help overcome the 'disadvantage gap' in the early years. It examines the challenges that children from disadvantaged backgrounds face and looks at what settings and practitioners can do to enable every child to succeed. Drawing on the latest research and using the insight gained from many years of working in early education the book considers the impact that disadvantage can have on children's development and argues that building strong relationships with children and families is key to closing the gap. Chapters cover: The different kinds and effects of disadvantage The importance of having a clear vision and shared values The culture of early years and how it has shaped practice Developing strong parent partnerships Supporting children with additional needs Smooth transitions Full of practical advice and supporting anecdotes and case studies, this is essential reading for early years practitioners, setting managers and teachers working with children in Reception and KS1.

-Offers school-based mentors in Scotland a practical toolkit to develop their mentoring skills, giving them the guidance needed to effectively support trainee and newly qualified early years, primary, and secondary teachers. -Gives a broad overview of the mentoring process and of mentoring teachers for long-term career development, exploring the nature of the mentor-mentee role within the Scottish context, guiding the mentee through lesson planning, and offering strategies for observation and lesson analysis. -Includes lesson plans and feedback sheets, observation sheets, case studies, sample dialogues, and learning activities and exercise, giving mentors practical tools for use with teachers in a classroom setting. -Offers an online eResource offering downloadable resources and web-based training material.

This set reprints hard-to-find works of Friedrich Frobel, as well as key papers discussing the methods of this influential 19th-century pioneer in pre-school education.

This set reprints hard-to-find works of Friedrich Frobel, as well as key papers discussing the methods of this influential 19th-century pioneer in pre-school education.

Once the Cinderella of the education system, early years education has evolved into a much more substantially funded sector with staff experiencing greater opportunities for higher-level training and education as well as increasing demands. This book reflects practitioner debates about fundamental questions such as whether or not their field of work is a profession at all. Two key arguments are presented. The first is that early years education has matured to the point that pedagogical and regulatory frameworks have been introduced and linked to a terminology of professionalism. This has opened up a space for early years practitioners - as insiders of this historically undervalued sector - to question the nature of their practice. The questioning leads to the second argument: the need for a new future for early years education marked by a 'critical ecology' of the profession. This is a future in which educators maintain an attitude of critical enquiry in all aspects of their role, assessing the genuine needs of the sector, factoring in the different political and cultural milieux that influence it, and acting to transform it.

In exploring the issues, this book begins by recording in detail the daily work of early years educators from six countries: Australia, England, Finland, Germany, New Zealand and Sweden. These case studies explore what it means to act professionally in a particular context; perceptions of what being a 'professional' in early childhood education means (including practitioners' self perceptions and external perspectives); and common features of practice in each context. It moves on to analyse the wider socio-political forces that affect this day-to-day practice and recommends that practitioners act as transformative agents informed by the political and social realities of their time.

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Children's early experiences of literacy have a major influence on how they continue to learn as they grow older. Children enter early childhood programs and school with a wealth of knowledge and understandings of literacy. It is critical that early childhood professionals and teachers recognise and build on this learning.Literacy Learning in the Early Years offers a practical introduction to literacy issues for early childhood professionals and teachers working with children aged 0-8, in childcare, preschool and school contexts.The authors take a socio-cultural approach to literacy learning, emphasising the importance of understanding the various contexts in which young children are involved in literacy practices. They explore a range of literacy issues that early childhood professionals and teachers are facing in the 21st century. These issues include the role of play in literacy learning, how to use information communication technologies with young children and ways of introducing critical literacy. Literacy is understood broadly and readers are encouraged to explore a range of print and other media with children.With chapters from both Australian and UK authors Literacy Learning in the Early Years is an ideal professional reference and student text. a very useful introductory text to literacy development in early childhood. It is clearly written and accessible to the wide range of professionals working with young children as well as to teachers and parents. It will be a valuable text in training at initial and in-service levels on a wide range of courses.Lesley Abbott, Professor of Early Childhood Education, Manchester Metropolitan Universitythis well written, comprehensive book combines many practical examples of learning to do literacy and suggestions for action, and all the while engages the reader with questions and starting points for reflection.Susan Hill, Associate professor, The Centre for Studies in Literacy, University of South Australia

This text provides a description and analysis of play and its use in helping young children to reach their potential. It is aimed at professionals working with young children with special educational needs and from a range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds.;The authors have sought to make sense of play from theoretical and practical sources to promote an interactive perspective. Included in the book is the authors' model of Play Based Assessment, a framework that can be used to assess and mediate children's learning and development.

The Little Book of Reflective Practice is bursting with big ideas which will encourage you to be curious, reflective and courageous in your professional learning journey. It introduces the key reflective theories alongside case studies from educators to show how these can be applied to improve practice. The journey from being to thriving is set out in several chapters each providing different themes which will encourage you to capture your reflections, record your learning and development and apply theories of reflection to your professional practice. Full of practical guidance, activities and questions to prompt reflective thinking, the chapters cover: getting started how to write reflectively creating spaces to be reflective using reflective practice to set targets for your learning and professional development Spaces for capturing your reflective thoughts and reflective activities are provided througout, alongside sections where you may wish to stop and engage in deeper thinking. This book will be invaluable reading for early years practitioners, tutors and early years students on level 3 courses and Foundation Degrees.

This collection brings together studies and essays which represent the best work being done in the area of qualitative research in early childhood settings. The research spans the full range of early childhood settings from infant-toddler and home day care programs to primary classrooms.

The volume is designed to appeal to scholars doing early childhood research and to graduate students and their instructors in general early childhood research courses, specialized early childhood qualitative research courses, and general qualitative research courses. Experienced scholars doing qualitative work related to early childhood will see the book as essential because, for the first time, a comprehensive treatment of this emerging area of inquiry is provided. Less-seasoned researchers will find the collection useful in providing fundamental knowledge and concrete examples to guide their scholarly development.

Developed especially for the TVET student at N6 level, Succeed in Educare Didactics N6 provides students with the necessary theoretical knowledge to write their exams and the practical application to enter the workplace confidently.

Features

• Focus on plain language with difficult words defined where they are used and a glossary at the back on the textbook.
• Learning outcomes are listed at the start of each chapter and reviewed again in summary form at the end of the chapter for students to use when studying.
• Cartoons, illustrations, diagrams and photos present information visually.
• Local Examples and Case Studies link theory to industry and bring the content to life.
• Power Break activities allow for class discussion and revision.
• Assessment questions at the end of each chapter provides test and exam practice.

Bringing Hygge into the Early Years is a "how-to" guide for every early educator who wishes to bring more calmness and balance into their day, in turn, leaving them feeling empowered to teach and live well. Drawing from the author's experience of embracing the Scandinavian way of living well, "hygge," this book explores how this approach can have a positive impact across your early years setting, from improved mental health and wellbeing, to embracing child-led play and high-quality outdoor provision. With step-by-step guidance on how to embed the approach alongside examples of hygge from early educators around the world, the book is divided into four main parts: Re-balance you The hygge environment Slow teaching Embracing nature Throughout each chapter, case studies and activities provide the opportunity to reflect on existing practice and support you as you make positive changes to both your wellbeing and provision. This guide will be essential reading for all early years professionals, offering further support to improve mental health and wellbeing, as well as valuable tools to lead early years practice with confidence and joy.

The Handbook of Research Methods in Early Childhood Education brings together in one source research techniques that researchers can use to collect data for studies that contribute to the knowledge in early childhood education. To conduct valid and reliable studies, researchers need to be knowledgeable about numerous research methodologies. The Handbook primarily addresses the researchers, scholars, and graduate or advanced undergraduate students who are preparing to conduct research in early childhood education. It provides them with the intellectual resources that will help them join the cadre of early childhood education researchers and scholars. The purpose of the Handbook is to prepare and guide researchers to achieve a high level of competence and sophistication, to avoid past mistakes, and to benefit from the best researchers in the field. This Handbook is also useful to university professors who conduct research and prepare student researchers in early childhood education. It aims to improve the researchers' conceptual and methodological abilities in early childhood education. Thus, the Handbook can be used as a guide that focuses on important contemporary research methodologies in early childhood education and describes them to offer researchers the necessary information to use these methodologies appropriately. This Handbook is designed to be used by students of early childhood education at all levels of professional development as well as mature scholars who want to conduct research in areas needing more in-depth study. It is hoped that this Handbook of Research Methods in Early Childhood Education will serve the needs of many in the research community. Scholars seeking the current state of research knowledge in various areas should find this volume useful. Similarly, practitioners who are trying to seek knowledge of research and its practical implications should find this volume helpful as well. This Handbook with its individual chapters presents several research methodologies to address a variety of hypotheses or research questions that will contribute to the knowledge of the field in early childhood education.