This book presents a comprehensive overview of children's transitions to kindergarten as well as proven strategies that promote their readiness. It presents theories and research to help understand children's development during the early childhood years. It describes evidence-based interventions that support children in developmental areas essential to school success, including cognitive, social-emotional, and self-regulatory skills. Chapters review prekindergarten readiness programs designed to promote continuity of learning in anticipation of the higher grades and discuss transitional concerns of special populations, such as non-native speakers, children with visual and other disabilities, and children with common temperamental issues. The volume concludes with examples of larger-scale systemic approaches to supporting children's development during the transition to kindergarten, describing a coherent system of early childhood education that promotes long-term development. Featured topics include: Consistency in children's classroom experiences and implications for early childhood development. Changes in school readiness in U.S. kindergarteners. Effective transitions to kindergarten for low-income children. The transition into kindergarten for English language learners. The role of close teacher-child relationships during the transition into kindergarten. Children's temperament and its effect on their kindergarten transitions. Kindergarten Transition and Readiness is a must-have resource for researchers, clinicians and related professionals, and graduate students in child and school psychology, educational psychology, social work, special education, and early childhood education.

This book introduces a new wellbeing dimension to the theory and practice of learning space design for early childhood and school contexts. It highlights vital, yet generally overlooked relationships between the learning environment and student learning and wellbeing, and reveals the potential of participatory, values-based design approaches to create learning spaces that respond to contemporary learners' needs. Focusing on three main themes it explores conceptual understandings of learning spaces and wellbeing; students' lived experience and needs of learning spaces; and the development of a new theory and its practical application to the design of learning spaces that enhance student wellbeing. It examines these complex and interwoven topics through various theoretical lenses and provides an extensive, current literature review that connects learning environment design and learner wellbeing in a wide range of educational settings from early years to secondary school. Offering transferable approaches and a new theoretical model of wellbeing as flourishing to support the design of innovative learning environments, this book is of interest to researchers, tertiary educators and students in the education and design fields, as well as school administrators and facility managers, teachers, architects and designers.

This book analyzes stories of university early childhood faculty members, community activists in southern California, and children and the early childhood teacher education students working with them. The grounding of this research is reconceptualization of postmodern narrative theoretical influences. Through narrative inquiry, the book connects ongoing research to ongoing pedagogy. It explores the following research questions: (1) How do learners across generations create, build upon, and reinvent each other's stories to make new meanings through consideration of family history, multigenerational knowledge, and experiences?; (2) How do learners' stories offer new possibilities through leadership that connects Global South knowledge with Global North contexts?; (3) In what ways is it possible to use this framework and methodology in Higher Education to promote systemic consistency in promoting social justice that is generatively inclusive? More than half of the research participants have truly lived bi-culturally, many of the children in the early care and education programs in the USA are from Mexico and Central America. These collaborators truly carry their roots with them as they strive for justice and authenticity in early childhood teacher education and community activists working with families and children.

This volume explores transgender children and internalized body normalization in early childhood education settings, steeped in critical methodologies including post-structuralism, queer theory, and feminist approaches. The book marries theory and praxis, submitting to current and future teachers a text that not only presents authentic narratives about trans children in early childhood education, but also analyzes the forces at work behind gender policing, gender segregation, and transphobic education policies. As the struggles and triumphs of trans individuals have reached a watershed moment in the social fabric of the United States, this text offers a snapshot into the lives of ten transgender people as they reflect on their earliest memories in the American educational system.

This book shows connections between oral story listening and unique, enduring educational effects in and outside of the classroom. Using scientific studies and interviews, as well as personal observations from more than thirty years in schools and libraries, the authors examine learning outcomes from frequent story listening. Throughout the book, Schatt and Ryan illustrate that experiencing stories told entirely from memory transforms individuals and builds community, affecting areas such as reading comprehension, visualization, focus, flow states, empathy, attachment, and theory of mind.

Mobile technologies combined with an interdisciplinary approach to knowledge and organization of learning experiences that are meaningful to children could create a creative and interactive learning environment different from that of traditional teaching. Making good use of mobile learning with appropriate devices will increase the learning motivations of the students and help them bring about positive performance. Mobile Learning Applications in Early Childhood Education is a collection of innovative research on the methods and applications of mobile learning techniques and strategies within diversified teaching settings. While highlighting topics including computational thinking, ubiquitous learning, and social development, this book is ideally designed for researchers, teachers, parents, curriculum developers, instructional designers, academicians, students, and practitioners seeking current research on the application of mobile technology within child education.

Language Acquisition: The Basics is an accessible introduction to the must-know issues in child language development. Covering key topics drawn from contemporary psychology, linguistics and neuroscience, readers are introduced to fundamental concepts, methods, controversies, and discoveries. It follows the remarkable journey children take; from becoming sensitive to language before birth, to the time they string their first words together; from when they use language playfully, to when they tell stories, hold conversations, and share complex ideas. Using examples from 73 different languages, Ibbotson sets this development in a diverse cross-cultural context, as well as describing the universal psychological foundations that allow language to happen. This book, which includes further reading suggestions in each chapter and a glossary of key terms, is the perfect easy-to-understand introductory text for students, teachers, clinicians or anyone with an interest in language development. Drawing together the latest research on typical, atypical and multilingual development, it is the concise beginner's guide to the field.

This book provides a revitalised account of the study of children's drawing by outlining a departure from existing approaches privileging developmentalist accounts and presenting drawing as a specialised human endeavour separated from other material entanglements constituting children's everyday experiences. The book takes on current developments in the fields of early childhood arts and early childhood literacies to advocate for process-oriented, new materialist and decolonial approaches that re-conceptualise the study of children's drawing. It proposes a future-oriented approach, centred on thinking experimentally with a focus on nonrepresentational elements, such as movement, sensation, intensity, rhythm, story and place, which singularly assemble in drawing events. Thus, the book discusses drawing as a process of sense-making that is not enclosed in the individualised body of the child and that unfolds corporeally in time and space. It revises the relation of drawing with symbolisation by suggesting that the use of language and signs in drawing form in entanglement with matter and sensation in processes of creative speculation connected with the movement of thought. Presenting a series of contributions by internationally recognised scholars and artists, the book aims to create synergies between theory and practice that speak of everyday realities interconnecting children, learning and sense-making.

Speaking and Listening in the Early Years contains 70 practical activities for developing speaking and listening skills in children aged 2-5 years old. The activities are linked to all the prime and specific areas of the Statutory Framework for EYFS and will enable practitioners to support children's development throughout the foundation stage and to assess and monitor their progress. These enjoyable and productive play activities help children to develop the skills needed to listen, understand, express themselves and enjoy language. When children learn to express themselves clearly and to listen to others, they benefit from improved social skills and a greater self-confidence. The vital communication skills covered in this book will not only provide children with the language skills they will need to succeed at school, they will also enable them to develop friendships and the ability to work cooperatively.

This practical and accessible guide tackles the challenges that busy childcare educators face with their mental health in what is a wonderful, rewarding, but often exhausting role. Drawing from "day-in-the-life" experiences and case studies, this book sets out high-quality staff wellbeing practices that can revolutionise the way childcare practitioners approach their job and their own health. Chapters guide the reader through a process of reflection and development, encouraging and empowering them to create a workplace culture that positively contributes to their personal wellbeing. This book: * Focuses on the realities of Early Years education, combining the author's lived experience with examples of real-life practice. * Encourages educators to think and feel positively about themselves; to identify the individual skills, strengths and talents they bring to their work. * Can be used individually or collaboratively by team members, with guidance on creating a positive workplace culture with a shared vision, core values and beliefs. Essential reading for anybody who finds that the job they love can sometimes leave them feeling worn out, stressed and depleted, this book has been written to enrich the lives of all training and practising Early Years Educators.

This book considers the diffusion and transfer of educational ideas through local and transcontinental networks within and across five socio-political spaces. The authors examine the social, political, and historical preconditions for the transfer of "new education" theory and practices in each period, place, and school, along with the networks of ideas and experts that supported this. The authors use historical methods to examine the schools and to pursue the story of the circulation of new ideas in education. In particular, chapters investigate how educational ideas develop within contexts, travel across boundaries, and are adapted in new contexts.

All children require nurturing and stimulating learning environments, but typical early childhood classrooms should be modified for children with special needs. "The Inclusive Early Childhood Classroom" is written to help teachers look at classroom design in a new way and suggests different ways of approaching activities to help children with special needs become successful. By modifying the classroom and activities, all children will be actively engaged. Each chapter focuses on either a learning center, such as art or science, or a time of the day, such as snack time or dismissal, with particular attention to the needs of children who are developmentally delayed, orthopedically impaired, have autism/Pervasive Development Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, behavioral issues, motor planning problems, or visual impairments.

Used as a measure of quality in the ground-breaking Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) project, Sustained Shared Thinking is fundamental to good early years practice. It costs nothing, yet research has shown that it improves outcomes for children by supporting their holistic development. This book clearly explains what Sustained Shared Thinking is and examines the skills and expertise needed to initiate, encourage and facilitate it. The book explores the attitudes, knowledge and understanding that a practitioner must adopt in order to start or develop successful Sustained Shared Thinking. Combining theory with practical guidance, it demonstrates how it can be achieved, covering all aspects of early years practice including the Characteristics of Effective Learning, the Prime and Specific Areas of learning development, the role of the practitioner, the environment and working with parents. Features include: boxed links to key theory and research; practical strategies highlighted in the text; consideration of children at different ages and stages of development; links throughout to the Early Years Foundation Stage. Written by a leading consultant who regularly delivers training on Sustained Shared Thinking, this will be an essential text for students on foundation degree and childhood studies courses as well as early years practitioners.

In Constructing Policy Change, Linda A. White examines the expansion of early childhood education and care (ECEC) policies and programs in liberal welfare states, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and the USA. In the first part of the book, the author investigates the sources of policy ideas that triggered ECEC changes in various national contexts. This is followed by a close analysis of cross-national variation in the implementation of ECEC policy in Canada and the USA. White argues that the primary mechanisms for policy change are grounded in policy investment logics as well as cultural logics: that is, shifts in public sentiments and government beliefs about the value of ECEC policies and programs are rooted in both evidence-based arguments and in principled beliefs about the policy. A rich, nuanced examination of the reasons motivating ECEC policy expansion and adoption in different countries, Constructing Policy Change is a corrective to the comparative welfare state literature that focuses on political interest alone.

Strategies for early childhood programs to enhance interactions, engagement, expectations, and communication with families. Working with parents and families can be a challenge, especially when there are contradicting expectations. However, it can also be a joyful and empowering experience for both the program and the family if partnering with families is built into the program's culture. Following a strengths-based approach, Family Engagement in Early Childhood Settings offers all programs, including family child care, center-based programs, and school-based programs, strategies for building or enhancing interactions, engagement, expectations, communication, and participation with families. This Redleaf Quick Guide provides clear information of what to do, as well as what not to do when encouraging family engagement in early care and education programs. Readers will find helpful information on making the best first impressions with parents in-person and online, establishing effective and supportive intake meetings for both parents and program, setting expectations from both perspectives, two-way communication strategies including daily conversations, verbal and technological methods, conferences and documenting learning, and creating a culture of family engagement embedded into every part of your program.

For effective use, this book can be purchased alongside the professional guide, Supporting Children with DLD. Both books can be purchased together as a set, Supporting Children with DLD: A Picture Book and User Guide to Learn About Developmental Language Disorder [978-0-367-70920-4]. This beautifully illustrated picture book has been created to develop awareness of Developmental Language Disorder and provides a unique opportunity to sensitively gain children's perspectives of the condition. Harry enjoys school, but faces daily challenges due to his language difficulties. When he is asked to write a story, he struggles to find the words to put his thoughts onto paper. He learns to share his stories through pictures instead and, in doing so, helps his supportive teacher understand what she can do to make life easier for him. With bright illustrations and language that can be accessed by children with DLD, this story can be used to start conversations about the lived experience of children with Developmental Language Disorder, giving them a voice and helping them express their thoughts and feelings. It can also be used as a training tool for teachers and other professionals. This is an essential resource for parents and practitioners looking to understand and support children with DLD.

This book explores childhood and schooling in late socialist societies by bringing into dialogue public narratives and personal memories that move beyond imaginaries of Cold War divisions between the East and West. Written by cultural insiders who were brought up and educated on the eastern side of the Iron Curtain - spanning from Central Europe to mainland Asia - the book offers insights into the diverse spaces of socialist childhoods interweaving with broader political, economic, and social life. These evocative memories explore the experiences of children in navigating state expectations to embody "model socialist citizens" and their mixed feelings of attachment, optimism, dullness, and alienation associated with participation in "building" socialist futures. Drawing on the research traditions of autobiography, autoethnography, and collective biography, the authors challenge what is often considered 'normal' and 'natural' in the historical accounts of socialist childhoods, and engage in (re)writing histories that open space for new knowledges and vast webs of interconnections to emerge. This book will be compelling reading for students and researchers working in education, sociology and history, particularly those within the interdisciplinary fields of childhood and area studies. 'The authors of this beautiful book are professional academics and intellectuals who grew up in different socialist countries. Exploring "socialist childhoods" in myriad ways, they draw on memories, and collective history, emotional insider knowledge and the measured perspective of an analyst. What emerges is life that was caught between real optimism and dullness, ethical commitments and ideological absurdities, selfless devotion to children and their treatment as a political resource. Such attention to detail and examination of the paradoxical nature of this time makes this collective effort not only timely but remarkably genuine.' -Alexei Yurchak, University of California, USA

In this newly revised edition of Understanding Research in Early Education, Margaret Clark demonstrates the continuing relevance of research in the homes of young children and in preschool units. Through rigorous yet understandable language, the text stresses the importance of research, acknowledging how easy it can be, amidst the change and flood of documents on early education and care, to overlook the insights to be gained from past research. The author draws on her own studies, and those of others, to illustrate how to avoid common pitfalls, ask the right questions to inform students' research projects, and critically apply findings in the classroom or nursery. The book is one of the few texts for students to bring research alive, analysing key research to consider its limitations and the extent to which results are relevant to policy and practice. Without requiring any prior expertise in research and research methodologies, the third edition will prove invaluable for undergraduate and postgraduate students taking courses in early years' education, and practitioners undertaking continuing professional development. New content includes: fully revised chapters, an updated reference list, and a new chapter discussing current research on baseline assessment.

For effective use, this book should be purchased alongside the illustrated picture book Harry's Story. Both books can be purchased together as a set, Supporting Children with DLD: A Picture Book and User Guide to Learn About Developmental Language Disorder [978-0-367-70920-4]. Supporting Children with DLD, has been developed to help raise awareness of Developmental Language Disorder, and to highlight the impact of the condition from the child's point of view. With activities, prompts and sample questions, this is an essential resource to enable adults to understand the reality of living with DLD, helping children feel heard and respected, as well as providing a solid foundation for tailoring support to individual needs. Drawing on specific examples from Harry's Story, the book does not assume any prior knowledge of DLD and is designed to offer the reader accessible information and practical advice, teaching as you go. This book: Highlights the link between spoken and written language, addressing the need to recognise the literary difficulties faced by children with DLD Provides practical activities and worksheets that can be used to help children express themselves and ask for help Offers strategies for supporting children's understanding of language, based on common situations and experiences explored in Harry's Story Written to be an accessible introduction to DLD and its effect on children's lives, this is an essential resource for parents and professionals looking to understand the condition.

This book focuses on the representation of nature in science education in schools in the United States. Given the importance of our relationship with the nonhuman world for the fate of our planet, this work gives special attention to the representation, instruction, and understanding of the relationship between the social and the natural world. It also proposes an alternative, sustainability science-based conceptual framework for ecology and environmental science topics in science education, which is compatible with the current social-ecological understanding of life in the Anthropocene epoch.