This book provides a comprehensive text that brings together the core issues surrounding the training of early years students.

The essential resource to the issues surrounding childhood care and education with contributions from noted experts The Wiley Handbook of Early Childhood Care and Education is a comprehensive resource that offers a review of the historical aspects, best practices, and the future directions of the field. With contributions from noted experts in the field, the book contains 30 interdisciplinary essays that explore in-depth the central issues of early childhood care and education. The handbook presents a benchmark reference to the basic knowledge, effective approaches to use with young children, curriculum design, professional development, current policies, and other critical information. The expert contributors address the myriad complex policy and practice issues that are most relevant today. The essays provide insight into topics such as child development and diversity, the sociocultural process of child development, the importance of the home environment in the lives of young children, early childhood special education, teaching and learning literacy, and much more. This important resource: Presents a comprehensive synopsis of the major components of the field of early childhood care and education Contains contributions from leading scholars, researchers, and experts in the field Offers the foundational knowledge and practices for working with young children Puts the focus on how early childhood works and presents an understanding of culture as a foundational component of both child development and early childhood education Written for academic scholars, researchers, advocates, policymakers, and students of early childhood care and education, The Wiley Handbook of Early Childhood Care and Education is a comprehensive resource to the major issues for dealing with childhood care and education with contributions from noted scholars in the field.

Early Childhood Care and Education term has been used to refer to group settings for children approximately between three to five years of age which are deliberately designed to stimulate and support their physical, mental, emotional, language, social development etc. It has been called by the psychologists, educationists and policy-makers by variety of names such as nursery school education, kindergarten education, pre-primary education etc. and the group settings in which Early Childhood Care and Education is provided to children are known by variety of names such as nursery school, kindergarten schools, Shishu Vihar, Sishu Vatikas.

Establishes the power of early care and education to change children's lives, particularly children in poverty.

A solid educational foundation in the early years of schooling is essential in order to lay the foundations for future academic success. In South Africa, pre-school education is provided through ECE (early childhood education) facilities and programmes that are mostly informal and unregulated, however there has been much recent policy and curriculum activity in the ECE sphere. The National Development Plan (NDP), released in 2012, recognises the key role played by ECE in cognitive, social and physical development and the National Curriculum Framework: For children birth to four years (NCF) is a response to challenges that the ECE sector is facing. The NCF builds on the desired results for children in this age cohort and flows into the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) which is taught in schools from Grade R. Playful early childhood care and education: from birth to four years supports teachers and caregivers in providing playful teaching and learning guidelines for children from birth to four years of age. It offers a creative and responsive curriculum for early childhood care and education, based on a pedagogy of play, and includes suggestions for involving parents, grandparents, care givers and the broader community. SUITABLE FOR ECE practitioners, teachers, parents, caregivers of children from birth to four years. ABOUT THE AUTHORS/EDITORS Lorayne Excell headed up the Foundation Division at the Wits School of Education. Her specialisation and research interests are in early childhood education. Lorayne has worked extensively with Vivien Linington over the last 15 years training Grade R practitioners, researching the early childhood education field and actively promoting what is now termed the 'pedagogy of play'. Vivien Linington lectures at the Wits School of Education and Varsity College. Her two fields of interest are early childhood education and educational theory. Together with Lorayne Excell she has researched and published in areas such as social justice, professional teacher development, the importance of high-quality early childhood education as well as the central role of play. CONTENTS - Early Childhood Care and Education - Who is the young child: constructions of children and childhood - A lens on development: a pathway of change - Professional spaces: reimagining the role of the teacher - I am because we are: the role of community in the development and learning of the young child - Playful pedagogies: creating playful spaces and places - A creative and responsive curriculum for early childhood care and education - Supporting playful teaching and learning: a pedagogy of possibilities - Nurturing care: a pathway to health - Building social and emotional wellbeing - Creativity in early childhood - From babbles to books: literacy and the young child - Opening the doors of learning: a playful approach to understanding the world and nurturing an inquisitive mind - Responsive spaces: observation and assessment in a democratic context - ECD policy in practice

The transition from early childhood education to primary school is a big step for all children, and a step which more and more children are having to take. Quality transitions Should be well-prepared and child-centred, managed by trained staff collaborating with one another, and guided by ...

′The book gives excellent insight of current Early Years topics by covering international educational approaches and discussing the need to professionalise the sector. It is suitable for students on Early Childhood Studies programme, EYPS, and Early Years Foundation Degrees.′ - Eva Mikuska, Senior Lecturer at University of Chichester, MA, EYPS, and Programme Leader for the Foundation Degree in Early Childhood By examining how young children develop and learn from conception through to the age of eight, this book explores ways to enhance professional practice in the early years. Sections cover: - Child development (including recent research into cognitive development of babies) - The child in the socio-cultural context - International educational approaches - The developing professional. Learning Features: - Key learning points identify at a glance what each chapter will cover - Case studies help you link theory to practice - Reflective activities help you reflect on how to apply ideas to practice - Further reading directs you to additional resources to deepen your understanding. Illustrated with examples of practice from a range of settings, this accessible text is essential reading for all those studying on Early Years, Early Childhood Studies and Early Years Education and Care courses. Additional online material/support:

There is a growing interest in understanding how early years care and education is organised and experienced internationally. This book examines key influential approaches to early years care as well as some less well-known systems from around the world. In particular the book aims to: Inform those studying early years about perspectives in other countries Encourage critical thinking about issues, influences and the complexities of early years provision around the world Promote critical reflection on students’ own provision and the current context of that provision Each chapter provides an overview of early years provision and explores historical and current influences in context, as well as offering insights into daily life through short vignettes, longer case studies and commentary from practitioners. Whilst many approaches - such as Reggio Emilia, Te Whariki and Head Start - are widely admired, it is important for reflective practitioners to understand the motivation which gave rise to these influential approaches in their original context. Additionally, broadening understanding through information on less widely known systems, the book provides students with a good grounding in the international context of early years, the provenance of different early years approaches and principles, and the influences on their own countries’ provision. Written in a straightforward and accessible style, the book is designed to meet the needs of students studying modules related to international perspectives on a range of foundation, bachelor and master’s degrees in early years. Contributors: Verity Campbell-Barr, Federica Caruso, Carmen Dalli, Rebecca Carter Dillon, Annie Davy, Chandrika Devarakonda, Alena Drzalová, Hasina Banu Ebrahim, Susan Edwards, Dora Ho, Valerie Huggins, Anne Hunt, Kerstin Kööp, Éva Kovácsné Bakoski, Caroline Leeson, Beth Marshall, Nancy McDermott, Julia Morgan, Joce Nutall, Elin Eriksen Ødegaard, Philip Selbie, Paolo Sorzio, Manabu Sumida, Keang-ieng (Peggy) Vong, Karen Wickett “The book rightly challenges common assumptions about the value of Western perspectives of ECEC and skilfully enables the reader to recognize the various social, political and economic drivers and processes that have shaped early years pedagogy on a global level.” Dr Janet Rose, Early Years Education Award Leader, Bath Spa University, UK “Given the ever increasing interest and importance of global early childhood education and care, this critically informed book offers valuable and challenging internationalised comparative arguments for students and academics at all levels.” Dr Guy Roberts-Holmes, Senior Lecturer, Early Years and Primary Education Department, University of London, UK