This book explains how young children develop mathematically in their earliest years and shows the support and teaching needed by adults to accelerate their progress and attainment, helping them master mathematical concepts and skills. The practical guidance has been carefully developed over a number of years and is based on research undertaken with primary schools in Sheffield as part of the 'Talk for Maths Mastery' initiative. It recognises that children’s mathematical development is embedded within child-led play and connected to deeper levels of thinking and wider dispositions for learning. Maths is happening everywhere at any moment; we just need to keep an open mind, open eyes, and listen. Including case studies, links to practice and reflective questions, the chapters reveal what mastery orientation looks like from the children’s perspective in their learning and covers: children’s serve and return conversational talk mathematical babies and their developmental momentum schematic patterns of thinking mathematical mark-making child-led play problem solving creative and critical thinking how adults can support children’s mathematical talk, thinking and mastery This book will help all early years practitioners and teachers working with children throughout the EYFS and KS1 build their understanding, knowledge, experience and confidence of engaging in early mathematics.

This book provides an overview of current practice, policy, and research in early childhood education across the UK. It brings together chapters on all core aspects of early years education and spotlighting vital new areas - each written by established and emerging stars in the field. Each chapter features: • an overview of research in the field • critiques of relevant policy • examples from current practice • an agenda for the future • suggestions for further reading and resources. This text is an accessible and comprehensive read for students and practitioners in the early years sector alike. Cathy Nutbrown is Professor of Education at the University of Sheffield and President of Early Education

Strongly grounded in research and rich with practical examples for educators, this book demonstrates the importance and benefits of kinaesthetic learning in young children’s learning and development. Kinaesthetic or hands-on active learning is extremely important for young children’s personal, social and cultural development. Without this kind of learning children may be at risk of poor behaviour, social development and academic learning outcomes. This book shares concrete examples of authentic kinaesthetic learning experiences, across different discipline areas, in a range of Early Childhood contexts. The chapters outline practical approaches to kinaesthetic learning in the classroom to help educators to engage young children, covering curriculum areas such as the arts, mathematics, literacy, digital technologies and English as a foreign language. These practical examples are supported by a range of research and theories related to the benefits of kinaesthetic learning for young children, as well as authentic classroom data. Written by leading experts in the field, this book shares authentic, appropriate classroom strategies for implementing kinaesthetic learning with young children and will be essential reading for researchers as well as pre- and in-service educators.

This edited book provides an overview of unstructured and structured play scenarios crucial to developing young children’s awareness, interest, and ability to learn Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in informal and formal education environments. The key elements for developing future STEM capital, enabling children to use their intuitive critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, and promoting active citizenship and a scientifically literate workforce, begins in the early years as children learn through play, employing trial and error, and often investigating on their own. Forty-seven STEM experts come together from 16 countries (Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, England, Finland, Germany, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Russia, Sweden, and the USA) and describe educational policies and experiences related to young learners 3–4 years of age, as well as students attending formal-nursery school, early primary school, and the early years classes post 5 years of age. The book is intended for parents seeking to provide STEM activities for their children at home and in playgroups, citizen scientists seeking guidance to provide children with quality educational activities, daycare practitioners providing educational structures for young children from birth to formal education, primary school teachers and preservice teachers seeking to teach preschool, kindergarten or children typically aged 5–8 years old in grades 1–3, as well as researchers and policy makers working in science didactics with small children.

The handbook is composed of chapters by authors who discuss the important features of particular types of toys, provide information related to the developmental importance of this type of toy, discuss social and cultural issues engendered by play with such toys, and review the available research on the characteristics and potential impact on children’s developmental progress of toys of that type. Both traditional toys and technological toys are discussed. The handbook is expected to serve both as a reference for educators, parents, toy designers, and other interested readers, and as a catalyst for further research and ongoing toy development. Its purpose includes helping readers to gain knowledge that enables them to more fully appreciate the value of children’s toy play, find out more about the favorite toys they had in childhood and relive those satisfying play experiences, and learn how to foster the learning, physical development, and social-emotional growth that comes from such toy play.

​This book will gather current research in early childhood mathematics education. A special focus will be the tension between instruction and construction of knowledge. The book includes research on the design of learning opportunities, the development of mathematical thinking, the impact of the social setting and the professionalization of nursery teachers.​

This book helps you understand what ′mastery′ is and how to effectively integrate it into classroom teaching. It explores how ′mastery′ is viewed and supported in other countries and encourages a critical examination of this topical theme. The book includes practical advice and examples of learning activities for primary teaching. It also outlines how to support children who might be weaker in their mathematical abilities and still ensure that all children master mathematics. The text also supports those who are developing whole school mastery approaches and looks at how we can assess ′mastery′ as well as how we can be confident that it is supporting good progress.

This book explores how professionals can engage and inspire parents to support their young children’s mathematics learning. Bringing together international experts, researchers and scholars, it proposes a framework for engaging with and supporting parents, including those who are less aware of the crucial development of children’s mathematical skills in the early years. Focusing on mathematics learning from birth to 5 years, the book’s underlying assumption is that it is possible to offer guidance to professionals working with families with young children concerning how to engage and support families in the area of mathematics learning, including those families who seem alienated from education services. Specifically, the respective chapters present a framework for understanding children’s early mathematical development and the important role of families in this regard. They describe effective strategies for engaging families in their children’s mathematics learning, including those who are marginalised and experience multiple disadvantages, so that all families can best support their children’s mathematical learning and their development of positive attitudes towards learning. In closing, hurdles and opportunities within the systems surrounding family engagement are addressed.

The bestselling primary maths subject knowledge textbook for anyone training to teach in primary schools.

This book presents chapters based on papers presented at the second POEM conference on early mathematics learning. These chapters broaden the discussion about mathematics education in early childhood, by exploring the debate about construction versus instruction. Specific sections investigate the teaching and learning of mathematical processes and mathematical content, early childhood teacher development, transitions for young children between home and preschool, between home and school and between preschool and school. The chapters use a range of innovative theoretical and methodological approaches which will form an interesting basis for future research in this area.