This is an invaluable guide to the professional identities of the interdisciplinary early years team who work with young children to deliver the Every Child Matters agenda. Professionals are no longer restricted by particular spaces or areas of knowledge and inter professionalism is the key to delivering effective and efficient child focused services in challenging times. "Professionalism in the Interdisciplinary Early Years Team" celebrates the professionalism of the varied practitioners who work with young children, bringing together contributions from academics and practitioners to share knowledge and expertise about the key services for young children and their families. This accessible guide covers the key issues faced by early years practitioners, and moves on to consider particular roles within the early years team, including the early years professional, early years teacher, health professional, social worker, speech and language therapist and librarian. The role each member of the early years team plays is explored, looking at professionalism through the dimensions of knowledge, education, skills, autonomy, values, ethics, and reward. This text will be invaluable to those studying early years at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. It will also be a useful resource for leaders in early years settings and established early years practitioners who are undertaking continuing professional development courses.

This text offers innovative, multi-disciplinary perspectives on the subject of play in a range of environments: the classroom, playground, home, and local community. Chapters include observation notes, case studies and comprehensive illustrations of ideas in action, as well as encouragement for the reader to stop and reflect on their own practice with questions for consideration. Extensively revised and with new contributions, this third edition explores the theory and clearly demonstrates how to take the theory from the academic classroom and apply it to practice in a child's setting. New features include: an up-to-date exploration of the latest policy developments and research, including Ofsted's 2015 Early Years Report and the 2017 EYFS Statutory Framework an exploration of globalisation and technology, and critical analysis of children's leisure time, screen interaction and virtual experiences international perspectives on play and the connections between play and mental health brand new practical examples woven throughout, accompanied by additional full-colour photos Perspectives on Play is an invaluable resource for any student studying within childhood studies, playwork programmes or training to teach at early years or primary level. It is also ideal for early years, primary and play practitioners.

This text offers innovative, multi-disciplinary perspectives on the subject of play in a range of environments: the classroom, playground, home, and local community. Chapters include observation notes, case studies and comprehensive illustrations of ideas in action, as well as encouragement for the reader to stop and reflect on their own practice with questions for consideration.

Extensively revised and with new contributions, this third edition explores the theory and clearly demonstrates how to take the theory from the academic classroom and apply it to practice in a child's setting. New features include:

• an up-to-date exploration of the latest policy developments and research, including Ofsted's 2015 Early Years Report and the 2017 EYFS Statutory Framework
• an exploration of globalisation and technology, and critical analysis of children’s leisure time, screen interaction and virtual experiences
• international perspectives on play and the connections between play and mental health
• brand new practical examples woven throughout, accompanied by additional full-colour photos

Perspectives on Play is an invaluable resource for any student studying within childhood studies, playwork programmes or training to teach at early years or primary level. It is also ideal for early years, primary and play practitioners.

What do early childhood practitioners need to know about reflection and reflective practice?

Ongoing reforms in early childhood care and education social policy affect all aspects of young children s and their families lives. Decisions are being undertaken at a rapid pace and there is a need for those working in the field of Early Years to consolidate and reflect on their knowledge and practice, building on what they already know.

This timely new book aims to support reflective practice for those working with young children in everyday work and in the wider political context, whatever their professional role and whatever level of qualification they hold. It takes a fresh look at a breadth of issues relating to early childhood care and education reflecting on policy, knowledge and practice.

Incorporating practical reflection activities, case studies, exemplar scenarios and questions in each chapter the book considers:

• policy developments and how these have affected young children and their families
• issues around socio-culturalism, language, ethnicity, disposition, gender, inclusion and socio-economics when working with families
• learning through play and the notions of quality, observation and assessment and continuity
• contemporary issues that practitioners and students on placement may encounter in their everyday work
• deepening reflective thinking and practice through ongoing and continuing professional development.

With practical guidance to help the reader reflect on their own practice, this text offers invaluable support to early years practitioners looking to develop their career and achieving higher qualification at both undergraduate and at Master s level. The book is a must for students on early years courses including early childhood studies, initial teacher training and early years teacher status. "

This brand new text breaks the mould of books on the subject of play currently on the market. It explores, debates and further develops the theory of play, relating cutting-edge theory to examples of practice, taken from a broad range of multi-disciplinary perspectives. Each author brings their own perspective to the subject, based on rich and diverse experience, examining play-based activities from a wide variety of settings: the classroom, the playground, the home and local community. Each chapter is illustrated throughout with observation notes, case studies, interviews and discussions, encouraging you not only to critically evaluate current research but to reflect on ways in which you could develop and improve your own practice. Perspectives on Play will be an invaluable resource for any student studying within childhood studies, playwork programmes or training to teach at early years or primary level. The book is also ideal for early years, primary and play practitioners.

With the introduction of the new Early Years Foundation Stage in 2008, practitioners need to be able to meet the needs of all young children in the six areas of learning - one of which is communication, language and literacy.

This book helps the reader develop their knowledge, skills and practice in encouraging and promoting communication, language and literacy for babies and young children.

It includes:

- activities, examples, case studies and ideas from actual practice

- guidance on how to meet children's diverse needs in an inclusive environment

- advice on involving parents in their children's learning

- resources, useful websites and suggestions for further reading

This book is a must-read for anyone working with children from birth to five.

What do early childhood practitioners need to know about reflection and reflective practice?

Ongoing reforms in early childhood care and education social policy affect all aspects of young children s and their families lives. Decisions are being undertaken at a rapid pace and there is a need for those working in the field of Early Years to consolidate and reflect on their knowledge and practice, building on what they already know.

This timely new book aims to support reflective practice for those working with young children in everyday work and in the wider political context, whatever their professional role and whatever level of qualification they hold. It takes a fresh look at a breadth of issues relating to early childhood care and education reflecting on policy, knowledge and practice.

Incorporating practical reflection activities, case studies, exemplar scenarios and questions in each chapter the book considers:

• policy developments and how these have affected young children and their families
• issues around socio-culturalism, language, ethnicity, disposition, gender, inclusion and socio-economics when working with families
• learning through play and the notions of quality, observation and assessment and continuity
• contemporary issues that practitioners and students on placement may encounter in their everyday work
• deepening reflective thinking and practice through ongoing and continuing professional development.

With practical guidance to help the reader reflect on their own practice, this text offers invaluable support to early years practitioners looking to develop their career and achieving higher qualification at both undergraduate and at Master s level. The book is a must for students on early years courses including early childhood studies, initial teacher training and early years teacher status. "

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is now statutory in the UK for children from birth to five years, and other countries are experiencing similar developments; early years librarians, teachers, nursery nurses, playgroup leaders and childminders all require knowledge of how to promote and encourage communication, language and literary skills. Parental reading with young children is clearly vitally important, and libraries are uniquely placed to support the development of literacy skills in pre-school children. This book provides an understanding of how children develop such skills through enjoyable and meaningful learning experiences, and is a pioneering practical guide for library and information professionals involved in planning and delivering services in early years libraries. Drawing on the authors' underpinning contemporary research and examples from current best practice, it will equip practitioners with a broad range of knowledge and ideas. Key areas covered include: - take them to the library: the role of the early years professional - people and partnerships: working across interdisciplinary boundaries, and how to involve parents and carers - buildings, design and space: the children's libraries of the future - resources for early years libraries: books, toys and other delights - reaching your audience: the librarian's role - planning and organizing: projects and reading sessions. User-friendly and accessible, each chapter is clearly structured and sets outs the key issues for practitioners, scenarios offering insights into these, and practical ideas and resources for service provision. The book also includes case studies of successful pre-school library initiatives in a variety of global settings, useful information about relevant organizations, and links to helpful websites. Readership: This valuable text is essential reading for all library and information professionals working with young children - whether those with responsibility for the strategic planning of services, or those involved in delivering them at community level. Essential for students of library and information studies or childhood studies, and practitioners undertaking NVQ qualifications, it also provides a sound background in early years literacy and provision for a range of local authority practitioners, such as nursery teachers and Children's Centre managers.

With the introduction of the new Early Years Foundation Stage in 2008, practitioners need to be able to meet the needs of all young children in the six areas of learning - one of which is communication, language and literacy.

This book helps the reader develop their knowledge, skills and practice in encouraging and promoting communication, language and literacy for babies and young children.

It includes:

- activities, examples, case studies and ideas from actual practice

- guidance on how to meet children's diverse needs in an inclusive environment

- advice on involving parents in their children's learning

- resources, useful websites and suggestions for further reading

This book is a must-read for anyone working with children from birth to five.

Professionals are no longer restricted by particular spaces or areas of knowledge and interprofessionalism is the key to delivering effective and efficient child focused services in challenging times. Professionalism in the Interdisciplinary Early Years Team celebrates the professionalism of the varied practitioners who work with young children, bringing together contributions from academics and practitioners to share knowledge and expertise about the key services for young children and their families.This accessible guide covers the key issues faced by early years practitioners, and moves on to consider particular roles within the early years team, including the early years professional, early years teacher, health professional, social worker, speech and language therapist and librarian. The role each member of the early years team plays is explored, looking at professionalism through the dimensions of knowledge, education, skills, autonomy, values, ethics, reward.This text will be invaluable to those studying early years at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. It will also be a useful resource for leaders in early years settings and established early years practitioners who are undertaking continuing professional development courses. >