The preschool and reception years can be viewed as a stage of preparation for formal schooling. But we must not lose sight of the profound impact this time of play and exploration has as children continue developing the core processes they will later rely on. Nurturing Children through Preschool and Reception explores how a child’s mind and body develops during this critical and sensitive period and how the choices practitioners and parents make every day have a deep impact on these processes. Underpinned by the latest research in the fields of child development, psychology, health and well-being, it explores the practices that can be embedded straight away to support children’s ongoing development and give them the best opportunities for future success. The book follows a holistic approach through the Nurturing Childhoods Pedagogical Framework and the ABCs of Developing Engagement, alongside methods to consider the impact of learning experiences, decoding children's evolving behaviours and strategies for their development. Chapters cover: • Managing the expectations placed on the early years • Connecting with children through communication, movement and play • Recognising emotions and promoting effective choices • Helping young children manage their emotions in a social world • Developing young children’s confidence to think and express themselves • Understanding young children’s friendships and conflicts • Supporting lifelong learning in the years before school Part of the Nurturing Childhoods series, this exciting book provides practitioners and parents with the knowledge and understanding they need to nurture children’s happiness, well-being and sense of security through the preschool and reception years.

Nurturing Babies explores the key processes behind how a child’s mind and body develop in their first year, underpinned by the latest research in the fields of child development, psychology, health and well-being. It shows how the choices practitioners and parents make every day can have a deep impact on children’s experiences and the practices that can be embedded straight away to support their ongoing development and give them the best opportunities for future success. The book follows a holistic approach through the Nurturing Childhoods Pedagogical Framework, learning to understand children's evolving capabilities through their engagement in core behaviours and using these to unlock their full potential. Chapters cover: The importance of sleep and daily routines Playing and communicating with babies Physical activity and healthy eating Early brain development Understanding babies’ emotions and behaviours The importance of emotional security on a child’s well-being Supporting infants to explore and do new things Part of the Nurturing Childhoods series, this exciting book provides practitioners and parents with the knowledge and understanding they need to nurture the very youngest children, building their self-esteem, happiness and well-being as they become enthusiastic lifelong learners.

Children undergo tremendous physical growth and cognitive development during their toddler years. Nurturing Toddlers explores the knowledge behind how a child’s mind and body develop during this stage of development, underpinned by the latest research in the fields of child development, psychology, health and well-being. It shows how the choices practitioners and parents make every day can have a deep impact on children’s experiences and the practices that can be embedded straight away to support their ongoing development and give them the best opportunities for future success. The book follows a holistic approach through the Nurturing Childhoods Pedagogical Framework, tailored for toddlers gaining greater mobility and autonomy, as we learn to understand children's evolving capabilities through their engagement in core behaviours and use these to unlock their full potential. Chapters cover: Connecting with toddlers and the importance of communication, movement and play Big emotions and the behaviours they can trigger The secret to effective praise and encouragement Nurturing self-esteem Establishing foundations for a love of reading Supporting toddlers as they begin doing things for themselves Nurturing intrinsic motivations, self-esteem and prioritising positive reinforcement Part of the Nurturing Childhoods series, this exciting book provides practitioners and parents with the knowledge and understanding they need to nurture toddlers' happiness, well-being and sense of security as they go through this rapid period of transformation.

Nurturing Self-Regulation in Early Childhood explores how young children develop self-regulation and offers practical guidance on helping them to manage their feelings and behaviour. It considers the skills, attitudes and dispositions children need to be able to self-regulate and how their wellbeing and self-esteem can affect their ability to do this. Grimmer and Geens show how schools and settings can adopt an ethos where self-regulation permeates their whole provision. Considering the broad and multifaceted nature of self-regulation and how this key area of development shapes children and their learning, the chapters cover: developing empathy emotion coaching the practitioner as a co-regulator executive function and the sense of self and wellbeing international approaches to promoting self-regulation the role of the adult and environment in encouraging skills for self-regulation working effectively with parents and carers to ensure a consistent approach With a focus on developmentally appropriate expectations, this book is essential reading for all early childhood educators who want to develop their understanding of self-regulation and embrace an approach that underpins their practice and changes children’s lives.

First Published in 1999. Enhancing the quality of teaching and learning in schools for the benefit of the teacher and pupil is not a matter of quick 'tips for teachers'. It requires a fundamental review by every teacher of their own performance and its effect on learners. A significant way of achieving this is by reflection on performance which can best be supplied by systematic classroom observation and feedback from professional colleagues. This book describes how to set up and engage in classroom observation, using well­established professional sampling frames. It also illustrates how to use focused appraisal sessions and to deliver the feedback interview. Underpinning the author's practical guidance is a tried and tested theory of improving teaching and learning for school development. The approach is practical, positive and supportive and is designed for senior staff, SENCOs, teachers in primary and secondary schools and those taking INSET and continuing professional development courses.

Enhancing the quality of teaching and learning in schools for the benefit of the teacher and pupil is not a matter of quick 'tips for teachers.' It requires a fundamental review by every teacher of his or her own performance and its effects on learners. A significant way of achieving this is by systematic classroom observation and feedback from professional colleagues. This book describes how to set up and engage in classroom observation using well-established professional sampling frames. It illustrates how to use focused appraisal sessions and how to deliver the feedback interview. Underpinning the author's practical guidance is a tried and tested theory of improving teaching and learning for school development and performance management. The approach is practical, positive and supportive and is designed for senior staff, SENCOs, teachers in primary and secondary schools and those taking INSET and CPD courses.

Storytelling in Early Childhood is a captivating book which explores the multiple dimensions of storytelling and story acting and shows how they enrich language and literacy learning in the early years. Foregrounding the power of children’s own stories in the early and primary years, it provides evidence that storytelling and story acting, a pedagogic approach first developed by Vivian Gussin Paley, affords rich opportunities to foster learning within a play-based and language-rich curriculum. The book explores a number of themes and topics, including: the role of imaginary play and its dynamic relationship to narrative; how socially situated symbolic actions enrich the emotional, cognitive and social development of children; how the interrelated practices of storytelling and dramatisation enhance language and literacy learning, and contribute to an inclusive classroom culture; the challenges practitioners face in aligning their understanding of child literacy and learning with a narrow, mandated curriculum which focuses on measurable outcomes. Driven by an international approach and based on new empirical studies, this volume further advances the field, offering new theoretical and practical analyses of storytelling and story acting from complementary disciplinary perspectives. This book is a potent and engaging read for anyone intrigued by Paley’s storytelling and story acting curriculum, as well as those practitioners and students with a vested interest in early years literacy and language learning. With contributions from Vivian Gussin Paley, Patricia ‘Patsy‘ Cooper, Dorothy Faulkner, Natalia Kucirkova, Gillian Dowley McNamee and Ageliki Nicolopoulou.

Mental health problems often debut in early childhood and may last throughout adulthood, thereby making early detection and intervention especially important. The overarching aim of the present thesis was to identify patterns of emotional and behavioural problems indicating mental health problems in preschool children. To facilitate the detection of such problems early on, one available screening instrument Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), was validated. The development and interaction of externalising problems in preschool children were studied over time. Functioning and behaviour and their relations to protective and risk indicators in both environmental and personal characteristics were explored. The long-term goal was to increase knowledge about early identification of emotional and behavioural problems in preschool children in order to facilitate early intervention. In Study I (n=690), the subscales Hyperactivity and Conduct Problems were shown to be valid for children in the age group 1–3 years. A reasonable level of validity was found for the age group 4–5 years when using the original SDQ four-factor solution. The preschool teachers considered most of the SDQ items relevant and possible to rate. Based on the results of Study II (n=815), a score of ?12 on the SDQ Total Problems Scale is recommended as a cut-off for Swedish preschool children. There were significant differences between boys and girls on all subscales except for the Emotional subscale. The Swedish norms for SDQ are to a large extent similar to findings from other European countries. Study III (n=195) showed that preschool children’s conduct problems decrease over time. Children exhibiting more initial hyperactivity (at year 1) have less reduction in conduct problems over time, i.e. the more hyperactivity early in life, the more conduct problems at year 3. In Study IV (n=197), children high in engagement and social interaction function well over time, even in the presence of hyperactivity, while children with low engagement and interaction alone or in combination with hyperactivity and conduct problems continue to have problems. Stability was related to the existence of a larger number of protective or risk indicators respectively. Taken together, this thesis has shown that the SDQ can be used to identify preschool children at risk of developing mental health problems later in life.

Today's teachers and providers are often challenged by and concerned about the expectations in their states' early learning standards. How appropriate are standards for young children? How do they correlate with existing expectations and curricula? How inclusive are standards for second language learners and those with disabilities and developmental delays? In Play, Projects, and Preschool Standards, authors Gera Jacobs and Kathy Crowley tackle these questions-and more-head-on. They provide readers with plenty of lively, creative ideas to develop children's genuine curiosity while building essential skills for all children to succeed in kindergarten and beyond. With inviting, informal language, the authors walk readers through the creation of well-planned projects and activities that both capture children's interest and enhance social and early academic development in all curriculum areas. Each chapter offers: "What Research and the Experts Tell Us" snapshots and applications of the research in practice, "Try This" activity ideas that engage children and address standards, Suggestions for tailoring activities to meet the needs of bilingual children and children with special needs, This timely book is sure to give teachers and childcare professionals the confidence and ability to connect the experiences that make preschool so enjoyable with the potential for learning that makes preschool so valuable. Book jacket.

Children with both giftedness and special educational needs are often found in the mainstream classrooms. This essential resource provides an overview of existing knowledge about dual and multiple exceptionality (DME), examining the needs of gifted and talented children from both the class teacher’s and SENCo’s perspectives. Diane Montgomery explores both the specialist interventions that some children will need at least for part of their school life, as well as the general inclusive provision that every school can develop to meet the needs of all children. Focusing on evidence-based identification throughout, chapters in this accessible book cover: An analysis of the terms ‘giftedness and talent’ and the different methods that can be used for identifying them and assessing their limitations Identifying and supporting a range of difficulties, syndromes and disorders such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, DCD, ASD, ADHD and SEBD How to manage classroom behaviour, improve school ethos and create a DME-friendly school through inclusive teaching and learning This invaluable resource will assist you in creating a DME friendly school, help to integrate learners with a range of difficulties and enable them and others to learn.