An ideal introduction to the pioneers of educational theory for anyone studying childcare, child development or education – whether at further or higher education level. The first edition of this book has been a best-seller for almost a decade, identified as one of the top ten books for students of child development or early childhood care and education. In this new edition, there is an increased emphasis on both what practice based on particular theories of learning looks like and on criticisms of each theory. A glossary is included in sections highlighting words and concepts particular to the theorist in question. Full-colour photographs are used to illustrate some aspects of each theory or approach. How Children Learn looks at a wide range of theorists and practitioners who have influenced current understandings of how children learn and what this means for work with young children. The book summarises the findings and ideas of famous giants such as Montessori and Piaget as well as the more recent ideas of writers and thinkers such as Howard Gardner and Margaret Donaldson. It begins by looking at the work and life of Comenius who is widely described as the father of modern education and looks at the theory behind different approaches to early childhood care and education such as Steiner Waldorf education, HighScope and Te Whariki. You will find this book invaluable in giving you a clearer picture of how ideas about children's learning have developed over the past four centuries.

This is an introductory guide to the theoretical and practical aspects of the development of reading skills. The book looks at the success or failure of various techniques and provides underpinning theory.

Now featuring a brand new foreword by Sue Swaffield, this classic text, Assessing Children‘s Learning, examines some of the vital questions that teachers and other educators ask themselves as they assess children‘s learning across the curriculum.

For several decades, parent-child cognitive interaction researchers have acknowledged that children learn cognitive skills in the context of their social and early environments. These cognitive skills are often imparted to the children by parents or parenting others in formal or informal settings. Thus, for example, such informal settings as dinner table conversations, walks through grocery stores, museums, or neighborhoods become rich laboratories for children to learn varied cognitive skills ranging from numeracy, concepts, and language. The way in which those learning opportunities are provided by parents, structured by parents and scaffolded by parents may well vary depending on culture, and other socio-demographic variables; and may well vary depending on formal or informal settings. The aim of this Research Topic is to bring together scholarship from both global north and global south contexts which explores how children learn via parental involvement in formal and informal settings. Publisher’s note: In this 2nd edition, the following article has been added: Harris YR and Longobardi C (2020) Editorial: How Children Learn From Parents and Parenting Others in Formal and Informal Settings: International and Cultural Perspectives. Front. Psychol. 11:1026. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01026

Nurturing Young Thinkers Across the Standards: K–2 provides multiple practical resources to assist teachers in working with standards across subject areas in ways that bring critical thinking into the everyday process of learning content and skills. The authors provide suggestions for engaging and sustaining children’s interest and illustrate the use of teaching language that actively nurtures the habits of lifelong learning. The book is rich with opportunities for developing tools for design, implementation, and assessment of vibrant integrated curricula for K–2 students that support the development of cognitive skills and increase confidence in their abilities to think and learn.

The comprehensive guide to the most influential theorists and their ideas on how children with special educational needs learn and develop.

Through their earliest years of play, children develop a substantial body of skills and knowledge. The goal of this book is to bring children’s play and curriculum expectations together, so that children are engaged in learning that honours their existing knowledge, and to help build a strong literacy foundation. A perfect blend of theory and instruction, this timely book offers background, research, ideas, and strategies to create an exciting array of possibilities for using children’s play as an infinitely rewarding learning resource. It asks and answers fundamental questions about preparing young children for lifelong learning.