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Introduction to Curriculum for Early Childhood Education

(16 reviews)

early childhood education reading pdf

Jennifer Paris, College of the Canyons

Kristin Beeve, College of the Canyons

Clint Springer, College of the Canyons

Copyright Year: 2018

Last Update: 2019

Publisher: College of the Canyons

Language: English

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Reviewed by Felix Rodriguez Suero, Lecturer I, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on 11/9/22

This book addresses a wide range of topics pertaining to curriculum design and inquiry with young children. Learning through Play is a central focus of the book. However, the authors introduce the reader to the most common approaches to early... read more

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This book addresses a wide range of topics pertaining to curriculum design and inquiry with young children. Learning through Play is a central focus of the book. However, the authors introduce the reader to the most common approaches to early childhood education.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

I think that at times the authors rely too much on secondary documents instead of citing scientific research findings directly. However, the authors draw from relevant theories and anecdotes to illustrate what the application of specific pedagogical principles may look like in practice, which I found particularly valuable for education students at the undergraduate level in general.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

One of the important contributions of this book is summarizing in one place, theories, principles, and concepts that often demand the use multiple books and articles. This book gives future teachers a good grasp of essential concepts such as transitions, routines, student readiness, assessment, and documentation. In addition to the solid discussion of the traditional literature, future editions could benefit from discussions on the contributions of neuroscience to how we understand young children's learning.

Clarity rating: 5

The authors use a language that is clear and accessible. Some of the articles I assign in my Art Education method courses can be hard to read for some of my undergraduate students. I am considering substituting some of those articles with chapters and sections from this book.

Consistency rating: 4

The organization of the book is consistent throughout the different chapters. The pop-up windows "Vignette" and "Pause and Reflect" add content and experiences that facilitate the connection between theory and practice.

Modularity rating: 5

In my case, not all chapters are useful for the courses I currently teach, but the book structure makes it conducive to assign specific chapters that align with some of my weekly topics.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The book is organized into five large thematic sections. Each section is divided into uneven number of chapters. However, the organization of the text is consistent throughout the different chapters. The book starts with more general theoretical and practical considerations that could be useful to students from different disciplines. Section IV, covering Chapters 7-16 provides insights into specific subject areas.

Interface rating: 2

While the book is comprehensive and useful for introduction to curriculum design and education method courses, the interface of the book could benefit from more elaborate formatting and design. Several images are low resolution, and the format and quality are not consistent. In general, a more professional design could make the book more visually appealing.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I did not notice significant grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The authors are attentive to how cultural and social factors affect students’ engagement. They intentionally examine learning experiences from diverse cultural settings and discuss how disadvantage students may lack access to technology.

I was expecting more specialized and in-depth discussions on the Creative Arts in Chapter 11. Nonetheless, this book is a great resource to address general curriculum design considerations with young children. I plan to use this book in the future.

Reviewed by Ilfa Zhulamanova, Associate Professor, University of Southern Indiana on 5/19/22

This text brings a comprehensive approach to curriculum making in early childhood education. I really liked the emphasis on play-centered approach to education of young children. read more

This text brings a comprehensive approach to curriculum making in early childhood education. I really liked the emphasis on play-centered approach to education of young children.

The content information is researched-based, unbiased and accurate.

The text consists of best practices experienced and grounded in research for the education of young children. The text is written and/or arranged in such a way that necessary updates will be relatively easy and straightforward to implement.

The text is clearly written, full of examples and visual graphs, charts, tables, and photos. The language is appropriate for the context.

Consistency rating: 5

There is a consistency in organization, terminology and framework of the book which makes it easy to follow. Each chapter begins with objectives and brief introductions. I really like the Pause to Reflect sections included throughout the text.

The text content is divided into sixteen chapters which can be easily and readily divisible into smaller reading sections that can be assigned at different points within the course. Instructors will find this format easy to follow to organize their course.

The content topics are presented in a logical, clear fashion.

Interface rating: 5

The text is free of significant interface issues, including navigation problems, distortion of images/charts.

The book is readable with no grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

The text book content and images represent diverse population of children and families schools serve today. More information on teaching children with special needs and ESL/ELL students would make this book more appealing to instructors.

Reviewed by Robert Bryant, Adjunct Professor, Dominican University on 4/25/22

The text is readable and complete in scope and Early Childhood responsibilities. read more

The text is readable and complete in scope and Early Childhood responsibilities.

The text shares accurate information that is correct and timely based on current research.

The text is relevant in today's education environment.

The book is readable and compete.

The book focuses on nurturing care and attachment as paths for early learning.

The book has a preface and a table of contents.

The book is organized as a readable book, but also by chapter subject for easy reference on many topics.

The PDF download makes it convenient to use as a reference anywhere.

The book is relevant when compared to current early learning research.

Reviewed by Kimberly McFall, Associate Professor, Marshall University on 1/3/22

The book is arranged in a logical order and includes relevant up-to-date topics. read more

The book is arranged in a logical order and includes relevant up-to-date topics.

The book reflects accurate information

This book includes relevant topics that are arranged in a logical way. One thing that might be helpful is to make sure that terms/topics that are intertwined (technology and culture for example) are also noted in a chapter summary or hyperlinked from the Chapter Objectives sections for easy access/talking points for users.

The book is well written, grounded in research, and easy to read.

The book is consistent with current research, accuracy in data/tables and laid out in a way that the friendly to the user.

Modularity rating: 4

The text features a clearly laid out chapter objective section and chapter headers. I think that it would be made even stronger if the objectives were aligned to the headers or hyperlinked to the sections they support.

This book is well laid out and is scaffolded nicely throughout.

Interface rating: 4

An opportunity for strengthening this book, even more, is to provide hyperlinks from the chapter objects to the sections of the book where each objective is addressed. Also, since the author does such a nice job of supporting the content with cultural and technology references, keywords that are hyperlinked from the table of contents to these topics that are not stand-alone chapters might help users if they want to use this book in part/section.

Professional and accurate without grammatical error

As noted above, easier access to clickable links or noted where to find culturally relevant content would strengthen this area.

This is well thought out book that gives an in-depth look at early childhood education in a practical approach. More information about culturally responsive teaching would make this book a home run. The authors have done an outstanding job providing useful, researched-based information. One glaring issue is the lack of glossary or index and clickable links from Table of Contents and Chapter Objects would be helpful.

Reviewed by Robin Folkerts, Assistant Teacher Educator, Wichita State University on 10/30/21

There is a table of contents which is very helpful and transparent about the contents. I found the information in this text to be very comprehensive and thorough in regards to an introduction to Early Childhood Education. There is no index or... read more

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

There is a table of contents which is very helpful and transparent about the contents. I found the information in this text to be very comprehensive and thorough in regards to an introduction to Early Childhood Education. There is no index or glossary to accompany this text.

I have taught this course with another book, and I find that the information in this resource is accurate and up to date. I did not find errors in my review, and I did not find anything that was biased in my opinion.

The topics are relevant, and the vignettes that are added in each chapter are valuable for deeper understanding of real life experiences. It is helpful for Early Childhood Education teacher candidates to have practical and specific examples of how theories are applied. I found the topics covered in this book to be important and well-represented.

The flow of the text is easy to follow. It is helpful to have tables and charts to help clarify information in the text. The objectives at the beginning are also helpful to clarify what is contained in each chapter. I appreciated the multiple lists that were included in the tables. The readability was easy and engaging. I found the tables and charts in the fourth section to be helpful in understanding developmentally what skills students have at certain ages and stages. I particularly enjoyed the chapter on teaching science where it was divided into sub-categories of earth science, life science, and physical science.

I see consistency throughout the resource in regard to text structure and text features. Each chapter begins with the objectives, and is laid out in an easy to read format with headings, tables, and vignettes (in green boxes) and research highlights (in purple boxes). The consistency made it easier to read and follow.

I found this text to be well-organized with text features used to keep information in manageable chunks. Illustrations and tables are used to help clarify information and it flows well for the reader. I especially like the vignettes that were consistently in green boxes. They are well-written and relevant.

I found this resource to be well-organized and easy to follow. It is divided into sections and chapters where the first three sections are more of an introduction, and the fourth section is the real meat and potatoes of curriculum and lesson planning. The final section gives an extension for other age groups.

The interface was exceptional. I downloaded it as a PDF and it was easy to navigate. I had no issues at all with any of the displays or features, and it would not be confusing or distracting to readers. This resource is easy to navigate and consistent in its format.

I did not identify any grammatical errors in my review of this resource. A link was included at the beginning to report any such findings.

While I did not see anything blatant, in comparison to the book that I currently use, there is not an entire chapter dedicated to cultural sensitivity. Rather, it is intertwined within the chapters. There was a piece in an early chapter that talked about including books and materials that are culturally diverse, There was a reference in the Infants and Toddlers chapter about cultural sensitivity as well as working together with families. English Language Learners is also not included as a chapter on its own, but is interwoven into the contents of this resource.

I enjoyed this resource very much, and I will plan to use it with my ECU: Foundations course that I teach. Well Done!

Reviewed by Jennifer Forker, Professor, Hutchinson Community College on 10/18/21

This textbook covers all of the major topics for developing a curriculum in a preschool setting. read more

This textbook covers all of the major topics for developing a curriculum in a preschool setting.

The book breaks down each developmental level expectations in a way that is easy to read and understand.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

The textbook focuses on the California Early Learning Standards, but can easily be adapted to your state framework.

The textbook uses phrases that should be common knowledge to all early childhood education professionals.

The chapters are laid out similarly so the student always knows what to expect.

Each subtopic is in its own chapter and can be easily skipped (or added to) if needed.

The book flowed easily from basic theorist knowledge to more in depth procedures on how to incorporate curriculum into your classroom.

The links provided in the footnotes are live and easy to access.

I did not see any grammatical errors.

The photos used were inclusive and representative.

The vignettes provided real life examples of best practices in early childhood education.

Reviewed by Diane Lewis, Adjunct Professor, Northern Essex Community College on 4/6/21

I really like how the book is broken down into sections and works from the understanding how children learn to developing curriculum. I like seeing how to set stage for learning and guiding behavior in classroom. I like how the book wraps up the... read more

I really like how the book is broken down into sections and works from the understanding how children learn to developing curriculum. I like seeing how to set stage for learning and guiding behavior in classroom. I like how the book wraps up the last 9 chapters with what the curriculum looks like. Concluding with documentation and assessment is a great way to end the students learning. This book will be very helpful in many classes in ECE.

As I was reading I found the information to be accurate and error-free. The author is unbiased.

It will be pretty easy to update what would need to be updated as years go by.

I really liked the clarity and the examples in the chapters. Not much jargon/technical terminology to confuse the reader. Easy to read.

I liked how the book started in the understanding and ended with examples. The text was consistent in how it was written.

Different chapters can be spaced out over the course and also through other courses as well. It can easily be broken down into different sections for easier digestion of the reading. Lots of charts and pictures break up the blocks of text.

Definitely written in a logical and clear fashion. It shows someone how to educate young children.

Although there are images and charts, it is easy to navigate around them or through them. There seems to be a nice lead into the charts or images that makes it so that they are not distracting or confusing to the reader.

I did not find the text to be culturally insensitive or offensive in any way.

I would use this book in a couple of my classes. It has information that I cover in in 3 different classes.

Reviewed by Mary Ellen McGuire-Schwartz, Professor, Rhode Island College on 12/9/20

The text is comprehensive in covering areas of early childhood curriculum. I like the straightforward nature of chapter content with photos, charts, webs, links and other resources. I like the links that are available in each chapter. Some of the... read more

The text is comprehensive in covering areas of early childhood curriculum. I like the straightforward nature of chapter content with photos, charts, webs, links and other resources. I like the links that are available in each chapter. Some of the links are related to California State Standards and California Child Care Licensing Regulations. It would be good to have links from other states. I would also like more in the text on kindergarten - grade 2 curriculum, cultural competence, equity, Universal Design for Learning, and inclusion .

Content Accuracy rating: 4

The content appears to be very accurate with references and links provided in each chapter. I was not able to check all sources and documentation.

The content is very relevant and straightforward with links that can be updated.

I found the text very clear and to the point.

The text is internally consistent with terminology and framework. My only concern relates to limits of California regulations and standards. Is it possible to add regulations and standards of other states to the text?

There is good organization in text. The text is broken down into small organized sections with headings, subheadings, charts, and webs.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The topics in the text are in general presented in a logical, clear fashion. I would like to see infant-toddler and kindergarten - second grade curriculum connected with the preschool curriculum in a logical order. More focus on both infant-toddler, Birth - 3, and kindergarten through primary curriculum, age 5-8, would add to the flow of the book. Chapters 15 and 16 cover the areas of infants and toddlers and school age curriculum at the end of the book.

The text is very clear and direct. I found no distortions of images or charts. I liked the displays of charts and webs in the book. The appendices were particularly clear and helpful.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

I found the text grammatically correct but I did not review it with a fine tooth comb.

Cultural Relevance rating: 3

A greater focus on social justice, equity, and cultural competence throughout the book would add to its cultural relevance. More culturally diverse images would also add to the text.

In general, I like the book. It is comprehensive. I would like to see a greater focus on cultural competence, social justice, and equity.

Reviewed by Yolanda Buenafe, Early Childhood Education Faculty and Program Coordinator, Mt. Hood Community College on 8/17/20

The textbook is quite comprehensive as an overall introduction to early childhood curriculum. Content covers theories, curriculum models, developmental span from infancy to school age, and specific curriculum areas. The textbook provides a good... read more

The textbook is quite comprehensive as an overall introduction to early childhood curriculum. Content covers theories, curriculum models, developmental span from infancy to school age, and specific curriculum areas. The textbook provides a good foundation for many of our other early childhood courses, where we delve into specific topics and issues. Expansion in a few areas could be further incorporated, as indicated in other criteria sections of this review. There is an appendix section which provides useful supplemental resources. Incorporating an index and glossary would be helpful to have for future revisions of this textbook.

The content is accurate and free of bias, citing theories, research, and child development milestones and principles.

Information presented is relevant to curriculum approaches and content areas which students will need to be knowledgeable of, when considering how to apply and integrate these into their developing teaching practices. Expanding on the topics of DAP, anti-bias curriculum, and intentional teaching would increase the textbook's relevance to current and future competencies for early childhood practitioners.

The text is written in a clear manner, utilizing terminology that is pertinent and essential to those in the early childhood field. The theoretical aspects were described in a straightforward and understandable way, and further enhanced with diagrams, tables, and other visuals.

The textbook is consistent with its format of outlining objectives, followed by a concise and clear introduction of the chapter/topic, and providing vignettes and reflection questions in each chapter to connect theory with practical application. Terminology is consistent throughout the text.

The chapters cover the content areas well without being overly lengthy and include essential and relevant subtopics. In the chapters that address the various subject/curriculum areas, developmental milestones and skills for preschool ages four to five are nicely outlined in tables. For a more integrated approach emphasizing the continuum from the infant stage to school age, I would suggest that the tables include skills/milestones from infancy to school age in each of these curriculum areas, which would require revision or renaming of the ‘preschool’ planning section to include a broader scope. An additional recommendation would be to place the chapter on infant and toddler curriculum before the section/chapters on preschool curriculum. This would emphasize the adult-child interactions as central to infant and toddler curriculum, and then proceed to the more specific curriculum content chapters, providing information on how math, science, literacy, social science concepts can be identified and supported in everyday routines and explorations with infants and toddlers.

Overall the topics in each chapter are organized in a clear and systematic manner with guiding principles presented at the beginning of the chapters, followed by vignettes that bring these concepts 'to life.' The chapters end with reflection questions, providing the reader/student with a personal connection to the chapter content. Adding a more defined chapter on anti-bias curriculum in section 1 would highlight the importance of our awareness of incorporating anti-bias curriculum throughout formal and informal planning. One additional recommendation is to include a subtopic or section on managing group times in the chapter for 'Guiding Behavior and Managing the Classroom, as this is a vital skill that all teachers will need for guiding children's learning and self regulation.

The interface presented well. The visual diagrams and tables were displayed well, and enhances the written text on the respective topics. Navigation was smooth, with only one broken link at the time of this review (to the Australian Government Department of Education).

No grammatical errors were detected.

There are several vignettes presented throughout the textbook which reflect the growing diversity in our early childhood classrooms, which I found to be culturally sensitive and relevant to the experiences of our current practitioners. As mentioned earlier in this review, I suggest adding an additional chapter specific to anti-bias curriculum and cultural responsiveness.

Of all the OER textbooks written for early childhood education, I have found this Introduction to Curriculum for ECE textbook to be the best thus far. It is a compilation of all the essential information we would want to impart to our early childhood education students about what curriculum encompasses. There is a balance of theory presented in a clear and understandable manner, blended with numerous vignettes and reflection questions to support our students in their emerging teaching practices. The content provides a good foundation for knowledge of curriculum, along with many opportunities for rich discussion based on real life scenarios.

Reviewed by Maryam Sharifian, Assistant Professor, James Madison University on 7/31/20

The chapters are very well developed with achievable and comprehensive objectives. The content of each chapter unfolds each objective and provides opportunities to reflect with examples and thoughtful scenarios. Chapters are matching one another... read more

The chapters are very well developed with achievable and comprehensive objectives. The content of each chapter unfolds each objective and provides opportunities to reflect with examples and thoughtful scenarios. Chapters are matching one another in thorough order. However, the text does not have an effective index/glossary.

The content is accurate, error free and unbiased.

Content is up to-date but not referring to the most recent studies to make it more relevant. The technology section is not comprehensive and needs more relevant and up to date strategies to provide a better understanding of the importance of utilizing appropriate technology and developing required skills in ECE. In addition, building family school community relationship is a critical factor in ECE that should be more highlighted and extended throughout the content.

The content is explicit and understandable. It is easy to follow each section and build connection between chapters.

The book is developed based on a strong consistent framework. This framework creates clarity and prevents unexpected expectations from the reader.

The authors used objectives as overall outline to create clear subheads for each chapter. Their method helps readers in understanding the content and instructors in planning teaching content.

The authors developed a great organizational layout to break down each section and keep it consistent.

There is no major interface issue. The images are not distracting, however, they do not add any significant values to the text.

The text contains no grammatical errors.

This book has a universal approach in presenting the content. The examples and scenarios are inclusive. Authors are intentional in emphasizing the importance of culturally responsive teaching. The content is developed based on children who are culturally diverse, linguistically diverse, diverse in ability, and from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.

Introduction to Curriculum for Early Childhood Education is a great vehicle to prepare future early childhood teachers through a clear and consistent content.

Reviewed by Adkins Vernita, Associate Professor, California State University, Dominguez Hills on 7/25/20

This is a very comprehensive text covering pertinent topics in early childhood education from understanding how children learn to the appropriate setting for their learning to the curriculum topics that cover their complete educational development. read more

This is a very comprehensive text covering pertinent topics in early childhood education from understanding how children learn to the appropriate setting for their learning to the curriculum topics that cover their complete educational development.

The content is relevant, accurate and unbiased.

The text is a compilation of current best practices experienced and grounded in research for the education of children.

It is easily read and does provide an appropriate context for use of educational terminology.

The text is consistent in use of its terminology and framework.

Each chapter presents objectives, frameworks, theories, reflections/vignettes and examples of practical applications on the chapter topic.

The topics in the text and in each chapter are presented with a comprehensive overview to specific applications.

There are no features that are distorted that may distract or confuse the reader.

There are no grammatical errors evident in the text.

Examples and pictures within the text are inclusive of a variety of races, ethnicities, and backgrounds.

This early childhood education text is clearly and beautifully written and presented with research based, comprehensive and practical information on the development and instruction of children addressing their early education environment with appropriate learning strategies.

Reviewed by John Cipora, Adjunct Instructor, Holyoke Community College on 6/30/20

I found this text to be supremely comprehensive in scope, as well as fully current and progressive in tone and intent. To my mind, it would make an ideal foundational work for undergraduate programs in early childhood education. It is... read more

I found this text to be supremely comprehensive in scope, as well as fully current and progressive in tone and intent. To my mind, it would make an ideal foundational work for undergraduate programs in early childhood education. It is sufficiently broad in topical coverage as to have utility across multiple courses, from Foundations or Early Childhood Development through Ethical and Professional Standards or Children with Special Needs. At the same time, specific sections or chapters provide sufficient depth to serve as excellent pathways of entry into dynamic and evolving topical arenas such as Diversity and Multiculturalism or Infants and Toddlers: Learning through Relationships. An index would be a useful addition to this excellent work.

I found the content to be entirely accurate, bias-free, and appropriately current in the selection of supporting resources incorporated throughout. A salient attribute of the authors' approach is the presentation of nuanced advocacy (toward full inclusion, for instance, or the need to engage families) in very matter-of-fact fashion. Rather than taking a prescriptive tone, so typical in overview college texts, the sensibility is collegial, engaging, and welcoming: content is introduced and consistently reinforced in a manner that invites readers who may be new to the field to participate in optimal, dynamic, and creative ways.

I found that the early chapters provide exemplary grounding of fundamental educational frameworks in such engaging, expansive, and globally relevant fashion that everything that follows flows logically and consistently from those introductory passages. Such clarity of concept and logic of sequencing affords a seamless structure to which future essential changes can be made in organic, authentic fashion as core professional concepts get refined or added. In the vernacular of the moment, the authors have created a 'living document' which captures central current best practices while being open to creative amplification going forward.

In my view, the writing throughout is accessible while appropriately academic, and richly informative while never being pedantic or turgid. The enthusiasm and expertise of the authors shines through in lucid prose and evocative, relevant, often inspired selection of supporting photographs and figures. The tone is inviting along with being professional; the always-implicit, often-explicit expectation is that optimal professionalism is a given, at all times and in all contexts. The reader is guided to the fundamental recognition that, while every practitioner can and should enhance their competencies, there is a baseline of excellence to which each person who enters an early childhood education center as a professional needs to adhere: a most appropriate metaview, in short.

The authors have deftly managed to frame the entire work in such a way as to be infused with a single authorial voice--no small accomplishment for a work with multiple contributors. The clarity of the format, recursive but never simply repetitive, serves as an intuitively-navigable sequence of guideposts. Consequently, the reader is provided an opportunity to construct their own incrementally-enriched, coherently guided, and pedagogically interconnecting gestalt. Whether a student works through this text in sequence or in a more complex, topically-guided manner, the thematic underpinnings of the content are consistently made evident.

This is one of the most appealing attributes of the text: while the authors have rendered a field-wide overview in clear and comprehensible fashion, they have also managed to produce individual segments, whether sections or chapters, that are fully self-contained. To my mind, a dedicated practitioner--faculty member or student--could choose any such item with which to begin a unit of study, with equally substantive results. Thus, the work affords marvelously wide pathways via which to access desired content, whatever the particular curriculum of the institution choosing to use its exemplary range of opportunities.

This could be my favorite attribute of this textbook: after working through the first fifty pages or so, I realized that the organization of material was so lucid that it was perfectly seamless. It simply makes exquisite sense, providing an exemplary compendium of essential information while remaining transparent as to overall goals and intent of the overall document. The term 'reflective practitioners' kept surfacing for me: the creators understand the field, are confident as to the depth and range of their insights, and convey their expertise and enthusiasm in an entirely appropriate, coherent, and connected fashion.

This aspect of the work is particularly noteworthy, perhaps because, in its clarity, simplicity, and comprehensive nature, it is virtually invisible if one isn't specifically focused on it. Essential guiding items such as 'Pause to Reflect,' 'Vignettes,' 'Teacher Tips,' or 'Research Highlights' are emphasized without being intrusive: they flow easily into the rest of the content, welcome amplifications without being unduly distracting from the overall forward direction of the passage. The choice of placing a significant bank of relevant but secondary supporting content into an appendix is an example of a navigational decision that makes great sense. Figures available here include such items as classroom floor plans, charts of developmental metrics across domains or of salient developmental sequences, and CSEFELS tables, all of which are valuable but which would have been distracting had they been embedded in their entirety in the text proper.

As suggested above, the prose style is vivid, dynamic, and highly effective. I found no instances of content presentation that were anything less than lucid, direct, and exemplary: all that is essential is included, while nothing extraneous has been retained.

Again, the authors have been exemplars of presenters in this regard. Concepts of diversity or multiculturalism have been interwoven in every section of the text, in smooth, seamless fashion that makes such respect and inclusion perfectly matter of fact--as of course they should be. I so appreciated the full range of topics and concepts that this integrative approach subsumed, across dimensions of race and ethnicity, countries of origin, home languages, socioeconomic status, and religious beliefs as well as those less typically incorporated such as differently-abled individuals or those presenting with the full range of gender identifications or sexual orientation preferences. These presentations of equity and equality emerged consistently both in text and images.

I plan to begin using this text as soon as possible in my upcoming courses in the field, whether in blended or online modalities. My students will benefit both conceptually and economically.

Reviewed by Caitlin Malloy, Associate Lecturer, University of Massachusetts Boston on 6/29/20

This textbook provides a comprehensive summary of curriculum planning for preschool-aged (3-to 5-year old) children. With only a chapter truly dedicated to infant/toddler and early elementary-aged children, instructors who are teaching student... read more

This textbook provides a comprehensive summary of curriculum planning for preschool-aged (3-to 5-year old) children. With only a chapter truly dedicated to infant/toddler and early elementary-aged children, instructors who are teaching student teachers seeking a broader license (e.g., PreK-2 or Birth-5) will need to supplement the text in these areas. The book assumes a basic knowledge of child development (though a summary of developmental milestones is provided in the Appendices), and would be most useful to students who have yet had little exposure to early childhood classrooms.

The book does not have a glossary or a ‘References’ section.

The content is accurately presented, and examples illustrate the diverse demographics of students that may be encountered in a United States preschool context. The authors cite recent work from prominent scholars in the field, or research that is considered to be ‘seminal’ – together, these provide a sound summary of relevant knowledge.

One concern is that diversity/anti-bias curriculum is treated as a separate curricular area; for example, in the Preface, it is listed as one of the specific domains to plan for (separate from literacy or science). Current best practices in anti-bias curriculum planning emphasize how considerations of diversity should be embedded across all curriculum areas (in other words, as part of language and math), not as a separate domain of its own. Anti-bias curriculum is discussed, but is presented as a way to support History and Social Sciences, instead of as something that should be included in all areas of curriculum planning.

The information presented is generally relevant, given the quality and recency of the works cited. However, as pointed out earlier, the approach to discussing anti-bias work detracts from the relevance, as well-integrated anti-bias work is central to high quality early education in our current society.

The language is clear and accessible. Summary tables and charts were particularly helpful for aiding comprehension of text.

The terminology is used consistently throughout the text, and the presentation of the material is structured similarly in all chapters, making it easy to navigate.

The text is broken down into logical and manageable sections that could be divided if relevant for the course or instructor. The subheadings are very helpful in orienting the reader to the goals of each section.

Generally, the organization of the book is logical and easy to follow. The only suggestion would be to add a section about diversity/anti-bias in Chapter 1 to emphasize how these topics are relevant across all of the curricular areas (i.e., in the same way that the authors discuss technology and media in the first chapter, to describe how it pervades various developmental domains).

The text is easy to read on a screen, and the photos, tables, etc. are clearly displayed. It would have been helpful to add a ‘landmark’ on each page naming the chapter title/topic, to facilitate browsing the resources provided in the book. For example, if a reader references Appendix C following its mention in the text, the reader may then have difficulty finding their way back up to the chapter to continue reading.

The textbook is well-written, with no noticeable grammatical errors.

Some forms of diversity are quite visible throughout the textbook; for example, there are examples, anecdotes, and photos of children who are linguistically-, culturally-, racially- and neuro-diverse. However, the approach to explaining anti-bias curricular approaches is limited (which seems particularly problematic in light of the racism-related uprisings occurring at the time that this review was completed).

Throughout the text, the authors reference licensing requirements, curriculum frameworks, etc. for the state of California. Instructors planning to use this text with students working towards licensure in other states will need to be prepared to clarify, adapt, or supplement with their own state guidelines, requirements, standards, etc.

Reviewed by Maureen Provost, Associate Professor of Early Childhood and Elementary Education, Mount Wachusett Community College on 6/23/20

The text covers most areas and ideas of the subject appropriately. Although NAEYC was referenced throughout, they have a new position statement on equity. Race, poverty, social inequities, and the importance of teaching these topics in early... read more

The text covers most areas and ideas of the subject appropriately. Although NAEYC was referenced throughout, they have a new position statement on equity. Race, poverty, social inequities, and the importance of teaching these topics in early childhood needs to be integrated in the text. The text does not have an effective index/glossary. Additionally, at the bottom of each page it would be helpful to write which content area is being covered. For example, in chapter 10 which covers Science add Ch. 10 and the word Science at the bottom of the page.

The content presented in the text is error free, unbiased, cited,and backed with solid research.

Some of the information is and will be important to the field of early education forever, such as theories, theorists, and child development. Brain research, AAP recommendations for media usage, ways to embed diversity, and trauma informed care were not adequately covered nor up to date. It is essential especially during this moment in history that we adhere to what we know is best for children. Although our students will be learning remotely, and are reaching out to families virtually, they need to be sure that parents/families understand the harm of too much media exposure.Although family involvement was mentioned at the end of each chapter in section IV, knowing that parents are children's first teachers and the importance of community involvement in early childhood education there should be a chapter dedicated to this topic.

Clarity rating: 4

The writing was clear, full of examples both with graphics, webs, charts, and photos. The language was appropriate for the context. Again, for any student that may struggle, such as an English Language Learner, a glossary of terms may be useful.

The framework for each section is consistent. Students will enjoy this easy to follow format. A strength of the text is that each section and chapter began with objectives and an introduction. This format was followed throughout.

For the most part the text could be easily and readily divisible into smaller reading sections. The vignettes and reflection boxes could be used as an assignment within themselves. The questions and scenarios posed would lead to further reflection by students.

Section IV: Infants should be discussed before toddlers, then preschoolers, and finally school age children. As a reader, and instructor I struggled with the order of this section in the text. The remaining topics are presented in a logical, clear fashion.

The interface was issue free. The charts, photos, and other display features are excellent.

The text is well written and with no noticeable grammatical errors.

Early educators set the foundation for human's life. It is imperative that we teach and address topics of anti-racism, anti-bias, multicultural education, equality, social justice, and celebrating differences in our classrooms with our students so that they can teach the children in their classrooms. This cannot be an add-on to what we are teaching at any level, rather we must integrate these messages in all that we do.

First and foremost, thank you to the authors for creating and making your text available for our students. I have been teaching early childhood and elementary education courses for more than 25 years and I will be using your text in the coming year; supplementing it with the important topics, and new information and research from our field as discussed in my review and aligning with state and national standards.

Reviewed by Jacquelynne Chase, Assistant Professor of Elementary and Early Childhood Education, Bridgewater State University on 5/27/20

Comprehensiveness was overall strong, but there were some areas that I felt should have been explored with more depth. For example, approaching social justice topics and those that are deemed “uncomfortable” that small children often times ask... read more

Comprehensiveness was overall strong, but there were some areas that I felt should have been explored with more depth. For example, approaching social justice topics and those that are deemed “uncomfortable” that small children often times ask were not fully addressed. I would recommend supplementing this book with "Black Ants and Buddhists: Thinking Critically and Teaching Differently in the Primary Grades" by Mary Cowhey to fully address social justice education in the early childhood grades. I think that more about home-school partnerships would have benefitted this text as well. What about the role of home visits?

After reviewing this text, it was clear to me that the information presented was accurate. I did not disagree with any of the statements that were made. In addition, the citations that were throughout the text substantiated the claims satisfactorily. I greatly appreciated the balanced perspective the authors provided by including the work of many different development and education theorists. From Piaget, to Dewey, there was satisfactory breadth. One point for consideration is while intentional teaching methods is highlighted, I think that unintentional teaching should also be highlighted. There are a myriad of implicitly learned skills that children learn while participating in their explicit learning experiences. Implicit learning could be a great way to then discuss inquiry-based learning.

Relevance was achieved in this text as the citations were well-connected. Also, the sources used to compile the information presented were all fairly recent. I appreciate that when citations that were not within the past few years were seminal pieces that have not been recreated due to their high regard in the field. With the increase of educational research on the importance of social justice education and multicultural understandings, I saw this as an area that hinders its relevance. In addition, as I am writing this review in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, I would be remiss if I did not also mention that technology is not emphasized more with specific resource options and parental recommendations to continue the learning at home. If a future teacher is reading this text and they need to teach remotely, I have to wonder if this text helps with the remote teaching mind-set. This isn't to say that the author could have anticipated the widespread need to teach remotely, but future in-class usage should pose these questions to think beyond the text.

I was impressed by the writing style in this textbook because I found it incredibly approachable and clear. The complex ideas pertaining to cognitive development were delineated and I was able to read through dense topics with ease. I think students would benefit from this writing style.

I would consider this text to be consistent in how it presents information. The writing did not show any biases and provided balanced perspective throughout. The language used throughout was academic and did not include colloquial phrasing consistently throughout it. With an introductory text like this, it is essential to offer consistent terminology usage to reinforce students' understandings of such terms to increase their comfort and familiarity with using the terms correctly.

Modularity was an area of improvement for this text. Some topics needed more detail and others needed less to be more even. This would have, in turn, supported the organizational structure of the text. For example, section 2 that was about setting the stage for play did not integrate the routine and expectations practice that is a major portion of "the first six weeks of school" that many schools use as a standard. Behavioral expectations and routine should be further highlighted. One area that there was a great deal of information that may have offered too much depth was health and safety. Arguably, this could be integrated thought the book as health and safety need to be considered in all aspects of early child hood education. The order of the topics covered built upon one another appropriately, however.

The organization of this book, as mentioned in regard to the modularity, is appropriate. The ideas build upon one another from chapter to chapter. Th chapters also nicely refer to ideas presented early in the text to further reinforce understanding. For example, to fully understand the importance of the learning environment and play-based learning, as discussed in sections 2 and 3, the reader has to have a full understanding of theoretical implications, as outlined in part 1.

Interface was approachable and eye-catching. It was not overwhelming. The amount of images was appropriate. They supported the information and each served an ample purpose.

Grammatical errors were not present to me. As previously mentioned, the writing style of clear and cohesive.

Cultural Relevance rating: 2

Cultural relevance was a final area that I think warrants revision. I think that bringing in cultural implications may add to the well-roundedness of this text. As previously mentioned, the text would benefit from multicultural education and social justice education recommendations. Since Dewey is mentioned as a seminal theorist, his work is an ideal connection to helping shape future citizens through the democratizing of education. Future citizens need to foster multicultural understandings and it is integral that the process begins in their most influential years: early childhood.

I think that this text would make a great course text for an introductory-level course on early childhood education. If the students have taken a course in development of educational psychology, they may find the theoretical portion repetitive, but it serves as a helpful refresher. This text could be used as a foundational text for a course, but to provide ample insight into early childhood education, I would recommend the instructor use supplementary readings to fill in the lacking areas outlined in my review, like multicultural education and social justice education.

Reviewed by Holly McCartney, Professor, James Madison University on 4/4/20

The text covers all areas and ideas of the subject appropriately and provides an effective index and/or glossary. Response: The book does cover the subject well, however there is no index or glossary. read more

The text covers all areas and ideas of the subject appropriately and provides an effective index and/or glossary. Response: The book does cover the subject well, however there is no index or glossary.

Content is accurate, error-free and unbiased.

Content is up-to-date, but not in a way that will quickly make the text obsolete within a short period of time. The text is written and/or arranged in such a way that necessary updates will be relatively easy and straightforward to implement. Some sources are from 2000 but still relevant today.

The text is written in lucid, accessible prose, and provides adequate context for any jargon/technical terminology used. I found the text easy to read with no jargon un explained.

The text is internally consistent in terms of terminology and framework. This text is very consistent in layout and framework – very easy to navigate

The text is easily and readily divisible into smaller reading sections that can be assigned at different points within the course (i.e., enormous blocks of text without subheadings should be avoided). The text should not be overly self-referential, and should be easily reorganized and realigned with various subunits of a course without presenting much disruption to the reader. Response: All of the above were noted in this text. Photos provide additional breaks in readings and there are “pause and reflect” questions for the reader to consider. Vignettes also offer readers opportunities to apply and clarify what is in the chapter.

Well organized by chapters & headings.

The text is free of significant interface issues, including navigation problems, distortion of images/charts, and any other display features that may distract or confuse the reader. I did not find any interface issues or concerns.

The text contains no grammatical errors, at least none that I could find in my reading.

The text is not culturally insensitive or offensive in any way. It should make use of examples that are inclusive of a variety of races, ethnicities, and backgrounds. All examples, photos and vignettes were diverse in the text.

One major omission: I could not find a glossary or index anywhere in the text. In text citations had no references to refer to either.

Table of Contents

Section I: Understanding How Children Learn

  • Chapter 1: Foundations in Early Childhood Curriculum: Connecting Theory & Practice
  • Chapter 2: The Importance of Play and Intentional Teaching

Section II: Developing Curriculum to Support Children's Learning

  • Chapter 3: The Cycle of Curriculum Planning
  • Chapter 4: Developing Curriculum for a Play Centered Approach

Section III: Setting the Stage for Children's Learning

  • Chapter 5: Setting the Stage for Play: Environments
  • Chapter 6: Guiding Behavior and Managing the Classroom

Section IV: Planning for Children's Learning

  • Introduction to Planning for Preschoolers
  • Chapter 7: Social and Emotional Development
  • Chapter 8: Language and Literacy
  • Chapter 9: Mathematics
  • Chapter 10: Science
  • Chapter 11: Creative Arts
  • Chapter 12: History & Social Science
  • Chapter 13: Physical Development
  • Chapter 14: Health and Safety
  • Introduction to Planning for Other Ages
  • Chapter 15: What Curriculum Looks Like for Infants and Toddlers
  • Chapter 16: What Curriculum Looks Like for School-Age Children

Section V: Making Children's Learning Visible

  • Chapter 17: Documentation and Assessment

Ancillary Material

About the book.

Welcome to learning about how to effectively plan curriculum for young children. This textbook will address:

  • Developing curriculum through the planning cycle
  • Theories that inform what we know about how children learn and the best ways for teachers to support learning
  • The three components of developmentally appropriate practice
  • Importance and value of play and intentional teaching
  • Different models of curriculum
  • Process of lesson planning (documenting planned experiences for children)
  • Physical, temporal, and social environments that set the stage for children’s learning
  • Appropriate guidance techniques to support children’s behaviors as the self-regulation abilities mature.
  • Physical development
  • Language and literacy
  • Creative (the visual and performing arts)
  • Diversity (social science and history)
  • Health and safety
  • How curriculum planning for infants and toddlers is different from planning for older children
  • Supporting school-aged children’s learning and development in out-of-school time through curriculum planning
  • Making children’s learning visible through documentation and assessment

About the Contributors

Jennifer Paris

Kristin Beeve

Clint Springer

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  • © 2022

Piaget and Vygotsky in XXI century

Discourse in early childhood education

  • Nikolay Veraksa 0 ,
  • Ingrid Pramling Samuelsson 1

Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia

You can also search for this editor in PubMed   Google Scholar

Department of Education, Communication and Learning, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden

  • Analyzes issues of modern childhood education from both Piaget and Vygotsky perspectives
  • Introduces the methodology of work and practice that will take advantage of Piaget and Vygotsky
  • Includes contributions from well-known and well-respected professionals from different countries

Part of the book series: Early Childhood Research and Education: An Inter-theoretical Focus (ECRE, volume 4)

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Table of contents (11 chapters)

Front matter, introduction.

  • Nikolay Veraksa, Ingrid Pramling Samuelsson

Vygotsky’s Theory: Culture as a Prerequisite for Education

Nikolay Veraksa

Learning and Development in a Designed World

  • Roger Säljö, Åsa Mäkitalo
  • Dialectical Thinking
  • Nikolay Veraksa, Michael Basseches

Social Representations of Play: Piaget, Vygotskij and Beyond

  • Bert van Oers

Children’s Perspectives Informing Theories and Nordic Preschool Practice

  • Camilla Björklund, Ingrid Pramling Samuelsson

Preschool Children’s Pretend Play Viewed from a Vygotskyan and a Piagetian Perspective

  • Polly Björk-Willén

Piaget and Vygotsky: Powerful Inspirators for Today’s Students in Early Education and Developmental Psychology

  • Elly Singer

Constructivism and Social Constructivism in the Study of Relationship Between Early Childhood Education Quality and Executive Function at 5–6 years Old

  • Anastasia Belolutskaya, Darya Bukhalenkova, Evgeniy Krasheninnikov-Khait, Igor Shiyan, Olga Shiyan, Aleksander Veraksa

Piaget and Vygotsky’s Play Theories: The Profile of Twenty-First-Century Evidence

  • Nikolay Veraksa, Yeshe Colliver, Vera Sukhikh

Vygotsky and Piaget as Twenty-First-Century Critics of Early Childhood Education Philosophizing

  • Niklas Pramling
  • Cognitive Development
  • Emotional Development
  • Social Development
  • Education Environment
  • Early Childhood Education
  • Quality of Education
  • Cultural Tools in Education
  • Digital Tools in Education
  • Play in education

Ingrid Pramling Samuelsson

Nikolay Veraksa is a Professor at Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leading Researcher of the Russian Academy of Education, Moscow City University, Chair of the UNESCO Chair in Early Childhood Education and Development, Honored Doctor of Gothenburg University. Has an experience as an invited editor of the International Journal of Early Years Education (2011), European Early Childhood Education Research Journal (2014); published book Vygotsky’s Theory in Early Childhood Education and Research (edited by Nikolay Veraksa and Sonja Sheridan) – Routledge, 2018.

Book Title : Piaget and Vygotsky in XXI century

Book Subtitle : Discourse in early childhood education

Editors : Nikolay Veraksa, Ingrid Pramling Samuelsson

Series Title : Early Childhood Research and Education: An Inter-theoretical Focus

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05747-2

Publisher : Springer Cham

eBook Packages : Education , Education (R0)

Copyright Information : The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022

Hardcover ISBN : 978-3-031-05746-5 Published: 19 August 2022

Softcover ISBN : 978-3-031-05749-6 Published: 20 August 2023

eBook ISBN : 978-3-031-05747-2 Published: 18 August 2022

Series ISSN : 2946-6091

Series E-ISSN : 2946-6105

Edition Number : 1

Number of Pages : VIII, 206

Number of Illustrations : 22 b/w illustrations, 5 illustrations in colour

Topics : Early Childhood Education , Educational Philosophy , Developmental Psychology , Education, general , Philosophy of Education , Curriculum Studies

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New Zealand's National Party spokesman on education, Dr Lockwood Smith, recently visited the US and Britain. Here he reports on the findings of his trip and what they could mean for New Zealand's education policy

‘Education To Be More' was published last August. It was the report of the New Zealand Government's Early Childhood Care and Education Working Group. The report argued for enhanced equity of access and better funding for childcare and early childhood education institutions. Unquestionably, that's a real need; but since parents don't normally send children to pre-schools until the age of three, are we missing out on the most important years of all? 

A 13 year study of early childhood development at Harvard University has shown that, by the age of three, most children have the potential to understand about 1000 words - most of the language they will use in ordinary conversation for the rest of their lives.

Furthermore, research has shown that while every child is born with a natural curiosity, if can be suppressed dramatically during the second and third years of life . Researchers claim that the human personality is formed during the first two years of life, and during the first three years children learn the basic skills they will use in all their later learning both at home and at school. Once over the age of three, children continue to expand on existing knowledge of the world.

It is generally acknowledged that young people from poorer socio-economic backgrounds fend to do less well in our education system. That's observed not just in New Zealand, but also in Australia, Britain and America. In an attempt to overcome that educational under-achievement, a nationwide programme called 'Headstart' was launched in the United Slates in 1965 . A lot of money was poured into it . It took children into pre-school institutions at the age of three and was supposed to help the children of poorer families succeed in school.

Despite substantial funding , results have been disappointing . It is thought that there are two explanations for this. First, the programme began too late. Many children who entered it at the age of three were already behind their peers in language and measurable intelligence. Second, the parents were not involved. At the end of each day, '' children returned to the same disadvantaged home environment .

As a result of the growing research evidence of the importance of the first three years of a child's life and the disappointing results from 'Headstart', a pilot programme was launched in Missouri in the US that focused on parents as the child's first teachers. The 'Missouri' programme was predicated on research showing that working with the family, rather than bypassing the parents, is the most effective way of helping children get off to the best possible start in life. The four-year pilot study included 380 families who were about to have their first child and who represented a cross-section of socio-economic status, age and family configurations. They included single-parent and two-parent families, families in which both parents worked, and families with either the mother or father at home.

The programme involved trained parent- educators visiting the parents' home and working with tire parent, or parents, and the child . Information on child development, and guidance on things to look for and expect as the child grows were provided, plus guidance in fostering the child's intellectual, language, social and motor-skill development. Periodic check-ups of the child's educational and sensory development (hearing and vision) were made to detect possible handicaps that interfere with growth and development. Medical problems were referred to professionals.

Parent-educators made personal visits to homes and monthly group meetings were held with other new parents to share experience and discuss topics of interest. Parent resource centres, located in school buildings, offered learning materials for families and facilitators for child core.

At the age of three, the children who had been involved in the 'Missouri' programme were evaluated alongside a cross-section of children selected from the same range of socio-economic backgrounds and family situations, and also a random sample of children that age. The results were phenomenal. By the age of three, the children in the programme were significantly more advanced in language development than their peers, had made greater strides in problem solving and other intellectual skills, and were further along in social development, tn fact, the average child on the programme was performing at the level of the top 15 to 20 per cent of their peers in such things as auditory comprehension, verbal ability and language ability .

Most important of all, the traditional measures of 'risk', such as parents' age and education, or whether they were a single parent, bore little or no relationship to the measures of achievement and language development. Children in the programme performed equally well regardless of socio-economic disadvantages . Child abuse was virtually eliminated. The one factor that was found to affect the child's development was family stress leading to a poor quality of parent-child interaction. That interaction was not necessarily bad in poorer families.

These research findings are exciting. There is growing evidence in New Zealand that children from poorer socio-economic backgrounds are arriving at school less well developed and that our school system tends to perpetuate that disadvantage. The initiative outlined above could break that cycle of disadvantage. The concept of working with parents in their homes, or at their place of work, contrasts quite markedly with the report of the Early Childhood Care and Education Working Group. Their focus is on getting children and mothers access to childcare and institutionalised early childhood education. Education from the age of three to five is undoubtedly vital, but without a similar focus on parent education and on the vital importance of the first three years, some evidence indicates that it will not be enough to overcome educational inequity. 

---------------

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Questions 1-4

Reading Passage has six sections, A-F.

Which paragraph contains the following information?

Write the correct letter A-F in boxes 1-4 on your answer sheet.

1 A B C D E F details of the range of family types involved in an education programme Answer: D      Locate

2 A B C D E F reasons why a child’s early years are so important Answer: B      Locate

3 A B C D E F reasons why an education programme failed Answer: C      Locate

4 A B C D E F a description of the positive outcomes of an education programme Answer: E      Locate

Questions 5-10

Classify the following features as characterising

A the ' Headstart' programme

B the 'Missouri' programme

C both the 'Headstart' and the 'Missouri' programmes

D neither the 'Headstart' nor the 'Missouri’programme

Write the correct letter A. B, C or D in boxes 5-10 on your answer sheet.

5 A B C D was administered to a variety of poor and wealthy families Answer: B      Locate

6 A B C D continued with follow-up assistance in elementary schools Answer: D      Locate

7 A B C D did not succeed in its aim Answer: A      Locate

8 A B C D supplied many forms of support and training to parents Answer: B      Locate

9 A B C D received insufficient funding Answer: D      Locate

10 A B C D was designed to improve pre-schoolers’ educational development Answer: C      Locate

Questions 11-13

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage?

In boxes 11-13 on your answer sheet, write

TRUE if the statement agrees with the information

FALSE if the statement contradicts the information

NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this

11 TRUE FALSE NOT GIVEN Most ‘Missouri’ programme three-year-olds scored highly in areas such as listening, speaking, reasoning and interacting with others. Answer: TRUE      Locate

12 TRUE FALSE NOT GIVEN ‘Missouri’ programme children of young, uneducated, single parents scored less highly on the tests. Answer: FALSE      Locate

13 TRUE FALSE NOT GIVEN The richer families in the ‘Missouri’ programme had higher stress levels. Answer: NOT GIVEN

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early childhood education reading pdf

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Language and Literacy Development: Research-Based, Teacher-Tested Strategies

Teacher holding up a picture book

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“Why does it tick and why does it tock?”

“Why don’t we call it a granddaughter clock?”

“Why are there pointy things stuck to a rose?”

“Why are there hairs up inside of your nose?”

She started with Why? and then What? How? and When? By bedtime she came back to Why? once again. She drifted to sleep as her dazed parents smiled at the curious thoughts of their curious child, who wanted to know what the world was about. They kissed her and whispered, “You’ll figure it out.”

—Andrea Beaty, Ada Twist, Scientist

I have dozens of favorite children’s books, but while working on this cluster about language and literacy development, Ada Twist, Scientist kept coming to mind. Ada is an African American girl who depicts the very essence of what it means to be a scientist. The book is a celebration of children’s curiosity, wonder, and desire to learn.

The more I thought about language and literacy, the more Ada became my model. All children should have books as good as Ada Twist, Scientist read to them. All children should be able to read books like Ada Twist, Scientist by the end of third grade. All children should be encouraged to ask questions about their world and be supported in developing the literacy tools (along with broad knowledge, inquiring minds, and other tools!) to answer those questions. All children should see themselves in books that rejoice in learning.

early childhood education reading pdf

Early childhood teachers play a key role as children develop literacy. While this cluster does not cover the basics of reading instruction, it offers classroom-tested ways to make common practices like read alouds and discussions even more effective.

early childhood education reading pdf

The cluster begins with “ Enhancing Toddlers’ Communication Skills: Partnerships with Speech-Language Pathologists ,” by Janet L. Gooch. In a mutually beneficial partnership, interns from a university communication disorders program supported Early Head Start teachers in learning several effective ways to boost toddlers’ language development, such as modeling the use of new vocabulary and expanding on what toddlers say. (One quirk of Ada Twist, Scientist is that Ada doesn’t speak until she is 3; in real life, that would be cause for significant concern. Having a submission about early speech interventions was pure serendipity.) Focusing on preschoolers, Kathleen M. Horst, Lisa H. Stewart, and Susan True offer a framework for enhancing social, emotional, and academic learning. In “ Joyful Learning with Stories: Making the Most of Read Alouds ,” they explain how to establish emotionally supportive routines that are attentive to each child’s strengths and needs while also increasing group discussions. During three to five read alouds of a book, teachers engage children in building knowledge, vocabulary, phonological awareness, and concepts of print.

Next up, readers go inside the lab school at Stepping Stones Museum for Children. In “ Equalizing Opportunities to Learn: A Collaborative Approach to Language and Literacy Development in Preschool ,” Laura B. Raynolds, Margie B. Gillis, Cristina Matos, and Kate Delli Carpini share the engaging, challenging activities they designed with and for preschoolers growing up in an under-resourced community. Devondre finds out how hard Michelangelo had to work to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, and Sayo serves as a guide in the children’s classroom minimuseum— taking visitors to her artwork!

Moving into first grade, Laura Beth Kelly, Meridith K. Ogden, and Lindsey Moses explain how they helped children learn to lead and participate in meaningful discussions of literature. “ Collaborative Conversations: Speaking and Listening in the Primary Grades ” details the children’s progress (and the teacher’s methods) as they developed discussion-related social and academic skills. Although the first graders still required some teacher facilitation at the end of the school year, they made great strides in preparing for conversations, listening to their peers, extending others’ comments, asking questions, and reflecting on discussions.

Rounding out the cluster are two articles on different aspects of learning to read. In “ Sounding It Out Is Just the First Step: Supporting Young Readers ,” Sharon Ruth Gill briefly explains the complexity of the English language and suggests several ways teachers can support children as they learn to decode fluently. Her tips include giving children time to self-correct, helping them use semantic and syntactic cues, and analyzing children’s miscues to decide what to teach next.

In “ Climbing Fry’s Mountain: A Home–School Partnership for Learning Sight Words ,” Lynda M. Valerie and Kathleen A. Simoneau describe a fun program for families. With game-like activities that require only basic household items, children in kindergarten through second grade practice reading 300 sight words. Children feel successful as they begin reading, and teachers reserve instructional time for phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary, and other essentials of early reading.

At the end of Ada Twist, Scientist , there is a marvelous illustration of Ada’s whole family reading. “They remade their world—now they’re all in the act / of helping young Ada sort fiction from fact.” It reminds me of the power of reading and of the important language and literacy work that early childhood educators do every day.

—Lisa Hansel

We’d love to hear from you!

Send your thoughts on this issue, as well as topics you’d like to read about in future issues of Young Children , to [email protected] .

Would you like to see your children’s artwork featured? For guidance on submitting print-quality photos (as well as details on permissions and licensing), see NAEYC.org/resources/pubs/authors-photographers/photos .

Is your classroom full of children’s artwork? To feature it in Young Children , see the link at the bottom of the page or email [email protected] for details.

Lisa Hansel, EdD, is the editor in chief of NAEYC's peer-reviewed journal, Young Children .

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early childhood education reading pdf

Nurturing 21st-century skills in the early years

Early years education must now, more than ever, needs to move towards experiential, exploration and inquiry based learning..

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Nurturing 21st-century skills in the early years

  • The pervasive influence of AI has transformed various aspects of daily life, with smart technology
  • Generation Beta is the first to grow up immersed in AI-driven environments
  • As technology continues to evolve, it's crucial to provide children with the skills and opportunities

We are currently living in times when AI has made everything around us smart, from phones to homes, healthcare, finance, entertainment and even education. Generation Beta, i.e. those children born between 2025 and 2039 are the first AI generation and are influenced heavily by everything smart. As technology continues to shape our future, it becomes increasingly important to equip our children with the right skills and opportunities to learn and adapt in this evolving world.

The following tips are shared by Anjali Motiani, Curriculum Head, Kido International Preschools and Daycare.

Gone are the days when children only gained structured knowledge in school or the educator was the sole source of knowledge. Now, an infinite amount of information is readily available at our fingertips at any time.

Children must learn skills such as flexibility, communication and collaboration to problem-solve and show adaptability and resilience towards change and challenge.

To achieve this, educators and parents must join hands to provide the right environment for a child to exercise and develop these 21st Century skills.

THINKING-BASED LEARNING:

It breaks away from the traditional approach of memorisation or rote learning to a more active method of learning any new concept through analysis and evaluation before concluding.

For example, what if a child from an early age becomes accustomed to taking a step back, evaluating and analysing their options and their choices before answering any decision-making question?

Teaching them to compare and contrast the alternatives instead of jumping to a reflexive response helps them give an informed answer.

The consistency in being exposed to this process would help a child’s brain develop analytical and critical thinking from a young age to the extent that it becomes second nature to them; and all this through exploration and experimentation.

DIGITAL LITERACY:

For young children today, gadgets and devices are a natural part of life and thus, introducing children to digital literacy becomes imperative. Instilling the right balance and approach towards screen and device use is of paramount importance.

Parents and educators need to equip children with knowledge and strategies for digital safety. In today’s day and age of technology, helping children digitally safeguard themselves improves their knowledge of the online world.

EMOTIONAL LITERACY:

As we prepare ourselves and our young learners for an unforeseeable future, it is equally important that we instil skills related to emotional literacy and self-regulation within our children.

Helping children identify, name and associate situations with specific feelings will help them learn how to regulate and manage those when required.

Additionally, it builds emotional sensitivity and teaches them sympathy and empathy while communicating with others. Being in tune with one’s emotions ultimately leads to self-awareness, stronger self-esteem and self-confidence, forming healthy relationships and higher resilience.

Early years education must now, more than ever, needs to move towards experiential, exploration and inquiry-based learning. We must do so to help children connect with the content and formulate the right questions that will make them curious and critical thinkers.

Educators must undergo rigorous training and professional development that will provide them with practical tools and knowledge to support Generation Beta’s needs in the classrooms.

At the same time, parents also need to develop their flexibility, collaboration skills, empathy and emotional literacy to become the guiding mentors children need. Published By: vaishnavi parashar Published On: Mar 19, 2024 READ | Lok Sabha Elections 2024: How to apply for voter ID card online

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  1. Early Literacy

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  3. Download Early Childhood Care And Education Book PDF Online 2020

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  4. The Children's Reading Foundation_Read_To_Your_School_Age_Child

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  3. Early Childhood Education

  4. Good quality early childhood education ‘sets children up for life’

  5. Programs: Early Childhood Education

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COMMENTS

  1. PDF Learning to Read and Write: Developmentally Appropriate ...

    In Young Children, July 1998, 53 (4): 30-46. 1509 16th Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20036-1426 l 202-232-8777 l 800-424-2460 l FAX: 202-328-1846. naeyc. ive educational policies. The two associations saw that a clear, concise position statement was needed at this time for several reasons.

  2. PDF Language and Literacy Development in the Early Years

    For all students, a high-quality early education is critical to ensuring their long-term academic success. Early learners need to understand why people read and write in order to be motivated to excel in their own literacy development. Through active engagement in the reading process, children learn ways to use their growing knowledge and skills

  3. PDF Chapter-By-Chapter Study Guide for Learning Stories and Teacher ...

    2. Decide on a plan for reading this book. Will you read it and reflect chapter-by-chapter or read through the book completely? 3. Review the rest of the study guide for ways to engage with each chapter. Decide if you will take notes on your computer, phone, or on paper. 4. Consider colleagues or other early childhood education

  4. PDF Learning Language and Literacy

    Comparing reading aloud and telling stories Reading aloud and telling stories are both effective ways to share literature with young children and to sup-port language and literacy learning. But while story read-ing frequently occurs in early childhood settings and is valued as an important tool to enhance literacy develop-

  5. PDF Top 20 Principles for Early Childhood Teaching and Learning

    Giving children practice modulating their motor behavior through song and dance helps to build the self-regulatory "muscle.". For example, games synchronized with music and others moving in the same way (e.g., stop-go, high-low, fast-slow, loud-soft) helps to build executive function skills in young children.

  6. Introduction to Curriculum for Early Childhood Education

    Section I: Understanding How Children Learn. Chapter 1: Foundations in Early Childhood Curriculum: Connecting Theory & Practice. Chapter 2: The Importance of Play and Intentional Teaching. Section II: Developing Curriculum to Support Children's Learning. Chapter 3: The Cycle of Curriculum Planning.

  7. PDF Child Development and Early Learning: A Foundation for Professional

    development and early learning makes clear the importance and complexity of working with young children from infancy through the early elementary years. Research during the past decade has revealed much about how children learn and develop. Studies have shown that early childhood is a time when developmental changes are happening that can have

  8. (PDF) Shared Book Reading in Early Childhood: A Review of Influential

    PDF | Reading is a basic cultural skill and important for success in life. ... This paper examines the triadic dynamics of baby-teacher-book during shared reading in an Early Childhood Education ...

  9. PDF Effectiveness of Early Literacy Instruction: Summary of 20 Years of

    Efectiveness of Early Literacy Instruction: Summary of 20 Years of Research. Sarah Herrera, Beth M. Phillips, Yi-Chieh Newton, Jennifer L. Dombek, and James A. Hernandez July 2021. Children entering kindergarten vary greatly in their language and literacy skills. Therefore, up-to-date information about evidence-based practices is essential for ...

  10. The Sooner, the Better: Early Reading to Children

    The multifaceted HLE incorporates various literacy-related activities such as parental reading behavior, library visits, teaching of letters and sounds, and owning books at home (Niklas, 2015).However, reading to children is a core element of the HLE (Bus, van IJzendoorn, & Pellegrini, 1995; Niklas, Nguyen, Cloney, Tayler, & Adams, 2016).Many studies have focused on the impact that reading to ...

  11. PDF Foundations and Best Practices in Early Childhood Education

    a picture of who you are as a developing teacher and as a teacher education student. The other element woven throughout the text is an emphasis on core content align-ing with teacher preparation exams, such as the Praxis™ Early Childhood tests. The foundations, key theories, and examples of best practices presented here represent a

  12. PDF Talk, Read and Sing Together Every Day!

    Encourage back-and-forth exchanges. • Tune into children's interests and experiences and talk about them. • Take turns communicating. • Show that you are interested in what they are doing and listening to what they say. • Provide time for children to respond. 3. Invite children to talk about what they are doing.

  13. PDF Understanding Early Childhood Education

    The terms "early learning" and "early childhood education" are often used interchangeably to . Often, early learning is used broadly by education researchers and policymakers to refer to experiences that support child development prior to formal K-12 schooling. In contrast, ECE is typically used to describe various

  14. PDF Study Guide Fundamentals of Early Childhood Education

    CHILDHOOD EDUCATION Reading Assignments LESSON ASSIGNMENTS. Lesson 1: Foundations of the Teaching-Learning Process Read in the study guide: Read in the textbook: ... Early childhood education programs serve children from birth to age eight. These ages . include infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and schoolchildren. These programs are either

  15. PDF Nikolay Veraksa Ingrid Pramling Samuelsson Editors Piaget and Vygotsky

    provides insights into the complexities and dynamics of Early Childhood education and practice. This series is designed to explore the application of a range of theories to open up and analyse sets of data. Each volume will explore multiple age periods of early childhood and will interrogate common data sets.

  16. (PDF) Early Childhood Education

    PDF | On Mar 23, 2018, Radhika Kapur published Early Childhood Education | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

  17. PDF Early Literacy Development and Instruction for Dual Language Learners

    The purpose of this paper is to inform early childhood practitioners, educational leaders, curriculum developers, and policymakers about literacy development and effective literacy instruction for young, developing bilingual children who are learning English as a new language1 in early childhood classrooms.

  18. Piaget and Vygotsky in XXI century: Discourse in early childhood

    Available as EPUB and PDF; Read on any device; Instant download; Own it forever; Buy eBook. Softcover Book USD 119.99 . Price excludes VAT (USA) ... (2011), European Early Childhood Education Research Journal (2014); published book Vygotsky's Theory in Early Childhood Education and Research (edited by Nikolay Veraksa and Sonja Sheridan ...

  19. Early Childhood Education

    1 details of the range of family types involved in an education programme. Answer: D Locate. 2 reasons why a child's early years are so important. Answer: B Locate. 3 reasons why an education programme failed. Answer: C Locate. 4 a description of the positive outcomes of an education programme. Answer: E Locate.

  20. PDF Chapter 235. Classroom Teacher Certification Standards Subchapter B

    for English Language Arts and Reading). The standards address early reading content knowledge in Prekindergarten-Grade 5, with an emphasis on Prekindergarten-Grade 3, in order to meet the needs of all learners and address vertical alignment. (b) Reading Development. The Early Childhood: Prekindergarten-Grade 3 classroom teachers demonstrate

  21. (PDF) Early Childhood Education in Russian Federation

    PDF | On Jan 1, 2018, Elena Bodrova and others published Early Childhood Education in Russian Federation | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

  22. PDF Preschool education quality in Russia: Trends and relations

    in reading and mathematics (Melhuish et al., 2008; Sylva et al., 2013). Also, we note that these studies allowed us to establish the fact that high-quality preschool education is a

  23. Language and Literacy Development: Research-Based, Teacher ...

    Advertisement. Early childhood teachers play a key role as children develop literacy. While this cluster does not cover the basics of reading instruction, it offers classroom-tested ways to make common practices like read alouds and discussions even more effective. This drawing is by a 4-year-old at Bet Yeladim Preschool in Columbia, MD,

  24. Innocenti Global Office of Research and Foresight

    Read the story. Page. Launch of UNICEF's Youth Foresight Playbook 28 November 2023, Dubai Future Forum Visit the page. Page. ... Early Childhood Education Systems in Pacific Islands Status report See the full report. Report. Cash Plus Model for Safe Transitions to Healthy Adulthood

  25. Section 256I.6

    Section 256I.6 - Early childhood Iowa areas 1. The purpose of an early childhood Iowa area is to enable local citizens to lead collaborative efforts involving early care, education, health, and human services on behalf of the children, families, and other citizens residing in the area.

  26. PDF DCY UPDATE

    experiences help maximize a child's early educational experiences and prepare children for success in kindergarten by providing high-quality early learning services to Ohio's preschool age children. A child may attend a program for 2.5 hours daily or a maximum of 12.5 hours weekly for the grant. Important ECE program information to note:

  27. Nurturing 21st-century skills in the early years

    Early years education must now, more than ever, needs to move towards experiential, exploration and inquiry based learning. ... Major players in the early childhood ecosystem such as Kido International, Amelio Education and others believe that guiding children to think more skilfully will make them understand a concept in a deeper and more ...