By bringing together research evidence on effectively supporting parents to engage with their children's early learning, and the role of education professionals in developing partnerships with families, this book focuses on partnerships between professionals and parents to enhance family learning for young children in literacy and other aspects of early learning. The move towards setting, home-based, and online learning has accelerated, and it is important for both students and practitioners to value parents' roles in their young children's learning; to consider how parents can support young children's learning in these scenarios, and how to apply this in practice with children aged birth to five. Through a wealth of case studies from real experience, the authors showcase an inspiring range of inclusive projects and approaches with families, including marginalised groups such as bilingual learners, fostering families, and families identified as 'vulnerable' including imprisoned fathers and children with specific learning needs.

The goal of this book is to describe the concept of "Mental Toughness" in such a way that the reader understands the concept and understands how it relates to the development of young people of all ages, whether they are in education or engage in extra-curricular activity. Such understanding is particularly important in the context of change and the challenge of preparing to live and work in a fast moving and fast changing world.One of the greatest challenges facing society today is that of developing young people who are the future generators of wealth so that they can play a full and productive part in the economic and social development of the world they inhabit and will inhabit. The need for this is particularly acute in the west where the old order is fast disappearing. The purpose of education and youth work is not only to ensure that young people are skilled and qualified. It must also prepare young people with the attributes and qualities that enable them to apply what they have learned in a challenging, changing and often stressful world. A number of initiatives have recently emerged which all have the same goal to prepare young people for life in a world that demands resilience, confidence, tenacity and commitment in addition to vocational and academic skills. Possibly the most important of these initiatives is Mental Toughness which, arguably, embraces most, if not all, of the other initiatives in producing the most comprehensive and enduring approach."

This book provides more clarity into what mental toughness means and to measure its impact when children and young people are taught how to acquire it not as a "chalk and talk" didactic exercise but experientially.

The integration of children with special needs into mainstream schools demands a reorganisation of staff and support levels both in schools and in the advisory services. Integration and the Support Service, illustrated with examples from a detailed case study of one Local Education Authority, shows how support services can most effectively be matched to needs and how new strategies for integration can be developed.

Researching Life Stories critically and pragmatically reflects upon the use of life stories in social and educational research. Using four life stories as examples, the authors apply four different, practical approaches to demonstrate effective research and analysis.
As well as examining in detail the four life stories around which the book is written, areas covered include:
* Method and methodology in life story research
* Analysis
* Reflections on analyses
* Craft and ethics in researching life
* Policy, practice and theory in life story research.
Throughout the book the authors demystify the issues surrounding life story research and demonstrate the significance of this approach to understanding individual and social worlds.
This unique approach to life story research will be a valuable resource for all social science and education researchers at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

Researching Life Stories critically and pragmatically reflects upon the use of life stories in social and educational research. Using four life stories as examples, the authors apply four different, practical approaches to demonstrate effective research and analysis.
As well as examining in detail the four life stories around which the book is written, areas covered include:
* Method and methodology in life story research
* Analysis
* Reflections on analyses
* Craft and ethics in researching life
* Policy, practice and theory in life story research.
Throughout the book the authors demystify the issues surrounding life story research and demonstrate the significance of this approach to understanding individual and social worlds.
This unique approach to life story research will be a valuable resource for all social science and education researchers at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

`As a doctoral student, currently writing a dissertation which focuses on inclusive education, I found this an excellent supportive resource. It brings together the major theorists of the last 20 years and very importantly highlights the perceived change in Mary Warnock's stance towards statementing since the late 1970s. This element of change in the individual, society and policy is an issue which runs through the book and from an emancipatory and postmodernist stance is a vital inclusion. The inclusion of personal reflections greatly adds to the text, instilling a confidence in the student that there is value in being a person with a point of view. For me the publication of the book comes after my own critical analysis of the literature. From a purely selfish aspect, I wish it had been published earlier in my studies. An excellent resource that I would thoroughly recommend - Amazon Review This book traces the major stages of thinking in the development of inclusive education. It provides overviews of the main theoretical influences: the medico-psychological model; sociological positions; curriculum studies; school effectiveness and the impact upon policy and practice of the Disability Movement. Positioned and discussed in their historical contexts the book provides a synopsis and critique of the last 50 years of the 20th century, including the introduction of the term 'special educational needs', the practice of integration and the present processes of inclusive education. The unique features of this book include personal reflections by a number of people who are considered to have had a major influence in the development of Inclusive Education. Summaries of their work, their writing and their thinking are provided - drawn from interviews with them and their own publications. The book identifies and embraces some major issues. It does so bearing in mind the interests and perspectives of students working within Inclusive education studies and presents some complex issues in an accessible format with a direct style. Linking directly to the student experience, the book concludes with examples of how students have used theories on inclusive education to inform their reflections on practice. The book throughout is deliberately learner-friendly, using sample- group activities and suggested readings, and is designed to be an effective course reader.

The integration of children with special needs into mainstream schools demands a reorganization of staff and support levels both in schools and in the advisory services. "Integration and the Support Service", illustrated with examples from a detailed case study of one Local Education Authority, shows how support services can most effectively be matched to needs and how new strategies for integration can be developed. This book should be of interest to heads, teachers, special needs co-ordinators and LEA advisors.

How can individuals and organizations understand and measure mental toughness to deal with stress and challenge, and so improve performance? This fully updated third edition of Developing Mental Toughness provides the answers to unlock this potential. Tracing its development from sports psychology into the business sector, Developing Mental Toughness provides a reliable psychometric measure to apply at the organizational level. With coverage on how mental toughness relates to other behaviours and can be applied to employability, leadership, performance, creativity, emotional intelligence and motivation, the practical guidance and exercises in this book make it essential reading for academics, managers and coaches alike. This third edition includes an expansion of the 4Cs model to include concepts on learning orientation and resilience and new chapters on evidence-based practice and using the Mental Toughness Questionnaire (MTQ48) to gain richer self-awareness. Featuring case studies from Deloitte and Ethiad, Developing Mental Toughness is the practical coaching guide for developing capabilities and resilience.

By bringing together research evidence on effectively supporting parents to engage with their children's early learning, and the role of education professionals in developing partnerships with families, this book focuses on partnerships between professionals and parents to enhance family learning for young children in literacy and other aspects of early learning. The move towards setting, home-based, and online learning has accelerated, and it is important for both students and practitioners to value parents' roles in their young children's learning; to consider how parents can support young children's learning in these scenarios, and how to apply this in practice with children aged birth to five. Through a wealth of case studies from real experience, the authors showcase an inspiring range of inclusive projects and approaches with families, including marginalised groups such as bilingual learners, fostering families, and families identified as 'vulnerable' including imprisoned fathers and children with specific learning needs.

How can individuals and organizations understand and measure mental toughness to deal with stress and challenge, and so improve performance? This fully updated third edition of Developing Mental Toughness provides the answers to unlock this potential. Tracing its development from sports psychology into the business sector, Developing Mental Toughness provides a reliable psychometric measure to apply at the organizational level. With coverage on how mental toughness relates to other behaviours and can be applied to employability, leadership, performance, creativity, emotional intelligence and motivation, the practical guidance and exercises in this book make it essential reading for academics, managers and coaches alike. This third edition includes an expansion of the 4Cs model to include concepts on learning orientation and resilience and new chapters on evidence-based practice and using the Mental Toughness Questionnaire (MTQ48) to gain richer self-awareness. Featuring case studies from Deloitte and Ethiad, Developing Mental Toughness is the practical coaching guide for developing capabilities and resilience.

`This is an important book that needs to be read by anyone doing research in this area' - British Educational Research Journal `Articulating with Difficulty is an excellent collection and comes highly recommended. It follows Peter Clough and Len Barton's earlier and controversial collection, Making Difficulties (1995), and draws on a wide range of perspectives in disability, inclusive education and Special Education Needs (SEN) research to tease out key issues on "voice".... All contributors share a willingness to engage seriously with challenges thrown down by disabled academics and activists; that they do from different standpoints is another strength of this collection' - Disability & Society This volume addresses the issue of `voice' in special education research; the voices of the researchers as well as those of the `researched', and the ways in which research mediates identities. It follows on from the well-known and controversial Making Difficulties, also edited by Peter Clough and Len Barton. The contributors address, among other things: the question of overt and subtle power relations within the research context; the issues of `voice' in emancipatory research; and the view that a more democratic approach to research is made difficult because of the individualized, competitive work culture of higher education and research production.

"In this bold and very important work, Peter Clough shows how the truths about educational issues can be told using fictional devices. This work legitimates the narrative turn in the human disciplines. He shows educational researchers how narrative inquiry can be used for progressive moral and political purposes." -
Norman K. Denzin, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
This compelling book takes a fresh approach to educational research, considering the role and use of literary and ethnographic approaches. There is growing interest in the use of narrative and fictional methods and this book sets out to:
* locate narrative and fictional methods within the traditions of education research;
* exemplify the use of narrative in studies of educational and social settings;
* explain the processes of composing narrative and fictional research
A distinctive feature of the book is the inclusion of five 'fictional' stories which demonstrate the use of narrative in reporting research. Detailed discussion of these five stories shows how they were created from actual events and the varied role of the author in their creation. The methodological implications of such an approach are considered along with its potential merits and difficulties and its possible uses.

'This book would interest and inform any practitioner from managers to students.'- Early Years Update

'A 'must buy' for anyone interested in inclusive education in the early years' - SENCO Update

'Refreshingly, in this book, inclusion is not about a narrow group of students defined as 'special' but about increasing the participation of everybody involved in early years settings.' - Tony Booth, Professor of Inclusive and International Education Canterbury Christ Church University

'Fascinating reading ... I will be recommending this book to colleagues and adding it to my essential reading list for students' - Nursery World

'A very helpful book which both challenges and informs... It] brings together important evidence to help us find a positive way forward' - Early Education

'Well-written and accessible... The book is rich with the reported experiences and ideas of educators and provides clear pointers for further research and discussion.' - Support for Learning

This insightful text shows how practices in a range of early years settings can be influenced by the attitudes and responses of adults in those settings. The authors argue for a broad definition of inclusion, not limited to those with learning difficulties or impairment, but addressing factors affecting all members of the learning community. The book presents a number of original stories (generated from a recent research project carried out by the authors) of how the lives of practitioners, parents and children have been affected by inclusive and non- inclusive practices.

This new and revised edition includes an increased focus on:

"inclusion as a political issue

"social class

"poverty

"children's rights

"the inclusion of gay and lesbian parents and staff

This is an essential text for all early years students, practitioners and researchers who want to become familiar with current research into inclusion and to develop ways of drawing on such studies to inform and develop their own inclusive practices.

The Third Edition of this hugely popular text provides students with straightforward principles and frameworks for understanding methodology. Peter Clough and Cathy Nutbrown are adept at making methodology meaningful for beginners and more advanced readers alike. Their book clearly demonstrates how methodology impacts upon every stage of the research process, and gives readers all of the tools that they need to understand it. New to this edition are the following: - new boxes and guidance on research ethics in every chapter - more international examples and perspectives - up to date coverage of online research methods - more examples from real students - a new companion website, featuring Powerpoint slides for lecturers The authors take an applied approach and every chapter contains a variety of practical examples from real research. Readers are encouraged to reflect on their own practice at every step, meaning that the book remains extremely relevant throughout. It will be invaluable for all students who are doing a dissertation or taking a research methods module in education, the social sciences, business and health.

`This is an important book that needs to be read by anyone doing research in this area' - British Educational Research Journal `Articulating with Difficulty is an excellent collection and comes highly recommended. It follows Peter Clough and Len Barton's earlier and controversial collection, Making Difficulties (1995), and draws on a wide range of perspectives in disability, inclusive education and Special Education Needs (SEN) research to tease out key issues on "voice".... All contributors share a willingness to engage seriously with challenges thrown down by disabled academics and activists; that they do from different standpoints is another strength of this collection' - Disability & Society This volume addresses the issue of `voice' in special education research; the voices of the researchers as well as those of the `researched', and the ways in which research mediates identities. It follows on from the well-known and controversial Making Difficulties, also edited by Peter Clough and Len Barton. The contributors address, among other things: the question of overt and subtle power relations within the research context; the issues of `voice' in emancipatory research; and the view that a more democratic approach to research is made difficult because of the individualized, competitive work culture of higher education and research production.

This accessible introduction to the history of early childhood education emphasises the role of history and philosophy in early childhood practice today. Firmly grounded in current policy from across the UK, the text features a series of imagined conversations with key figures and pioneers, which exemplify various philosophical positions in early childhood. This second edition has been fully updated and revised in line with recent policy changes, and contains new and updated biographies of key pioneers as well as three brand new conversations with historical figures.

The book is useful for a range of students of Early Childhood Education or History of Education, from first year undergraduates to PhD students. It will also be incredibly valuable to Early Years trainee teachers, practitioners and policy makers.

`As a doctoral student, currently writing a dissertation which focuses on inclusive education, I found this an excellent supportive resource. It brings together the major theorists of the last 20 years and very importantly highlights the perceived change in Mary Warnock's stance towards statementing since the late 1970s. This element of change in the individual, society and policy is an issue which runs through the book and from an emancipatory and postmodernist stance is a vital inclusion. The inclusion of personal reflections greatly adds to the text, instilling a confidence in the student that there is value in being a person with a point of view. For me the publication of the book comes after my own critical analysis of the literature. From a purely selfish aspect, I wish it had been published earlier in my studies. An excellent resource that I would thoroughly recommend - Amazon Review

This book traces the major stages of thinking in the development of inclusive education. It provides overviews of the main theoretical influences: the medico-psychological model; sociological positions; curriculum studies; school effectiveness and the impact upon policy and practice of the Disability Movement. Positioned and discussed in their historical contexts the book provides a synopsis and critique of the last 50 years of the 20th century, including the introduction of the term 'special educational needs', the practice of integration and the present processes of inclusive education.

The unique features of this book include personal reflections by a number of people who are considered to have had a major influence in the development of Inclusive Education. Summaries of their work, their writing and their thinking are provided - drawn from interviews with them and their own publications.

The book identifies and embraces some major issues. It does so bearing in mind the interests and perspectives of students working within Inclusive education studies and presents some complex issues in an accessible format with a direct style. Linking directly to the student experience, the book concludes with examples of how students have used theories on inclusive education to inform their reflections on practice. The book throughout is deliberately learner-friendly, using sample- group activities and suggested readings, and is designed to be an effective course reader.

`The issues which the editor of the book brings together are really major concerns in the present changing educational scenario. The noteworthy aspect of the book is that each chapter includes a number of study activities which would enable readers to relate ideas under discussion to their own professional contents... the book could be useful for planners and policy makers, and serve as a resource book for persons who are concerned for education of all children in a social setting' - Journal of Education Planning and Administration Bringing together many professional perspectives on inclusive education, this book explains: policy changes and the role of curriculum and resources in realizing the ideal of inclusion. It reviews different approaches to educational management; and looks at the history of management in special education. The contributions reflect a period of transition from the special and segregated practices of 20 years ago, to the more intergrated developments of the 1980s, and the wider discourse about `inclusive' education.