Gold winner at the Practical Pre-School Awards 2015... Physical development underpins much of a child's later educational advancement. Without good coordination, core stability and gross motor skills the fine motor skills needed for tool handling and writing may not fully develop. Each aspect of physical development is interlinked with a child's future success as a learner. This book contains practical, easy to follow suggestions linked to the ages and stages of the Early Years Outcomes. It offers clear information on what to look for in terms of the child's developing moving and handling skills and how to plan for next steps. Each section is colour coded and links the Early Years Outcomes to the planning cycle and Characteristics of Effective Learning. It contains a wide range of additional activities and an assessment grid to support practitioners' current tracking systems and help demonstrate progress over a specific period of time.

The assessment of young children's development and learning has recently taken on new importance. Private and government organizations are developing programs to enhance the school readiness of all young children, especially children from economically disadvantaged homes and communities and children with special needs. Well-planned and effective assessment can inform teaching and program improvement, and contribute to better outcomes for children. This book affirms that assessments can make crucial contributions to the improvement of children's well-being, but only if they are well designed, implemented effectively, developed in the context of systematic planning, and are interpreted and used appropriately. Otherwise, assessment of children and programs can have negative consequences for both. The value of assessments therefore requires fundamental attention to their purpose and the design of the larger systems in which they are used. Early Childhood Assessment addresses these issues by identifying the important outcomes for children from birth to age 5 and the quality and purposes of different techniques and instruments for developmental assessments.

With the revision of the EYFS, Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED) became one of the three Prime Areas of learning. This book seeks to provide valuable guidance for practitioners across the entire Early Years provision. This is a practical tool that will enable practitioners to be innovative and exciting whilst meeting their targets. It includes suggestions for parents to try out at home, and a variety of ideas to inspire adult-led learning.

With the revision of the EYFS, Communication and Language became one of the three Prime Areas of learning. This book seeks to provide valuable guidance for practitioners across the entire Early Years provision. This is a practical tool that will enable practitioners to be innovative and exciting whilst meeting their targets. It includes suggestions for parents to try out at home, and a variety of ideas to inspire adult-led learning.

In early childhood education, children find in their own body and movement the main way to get in touch with the reality that surrounds them and, therefore, acquire knowledge about the environment in which they grow and develop. Undoubtedly, the progressive discovery of the body itself as a source of feelings and sensations, as well as exploring the different possibilities of action and bodily functions, constitutes necessary experiences on which children's thinking is built. Furthermore, the affective relationships established in psychomotor education situations, and particularly through play, are essential for the emotional development of children. Physical Education Initiatives for Early Childhood Learners offers globalized educational practices, didactic approaches, and proposals for intervention around motor development in the children ages 0-6 years. The book specifically explores laterality, coordination, relaxation, rhythm, etc. and how these are achieved through games, music, and motor stories. This book is ideal for early childhood educators, physical education teachers, administrators, daycares, preschools, early childhood learning centers, researchers, academicians, and students interested in physical education’s role in early child development.

Children are already learning at birth, and they develop and learn at a rapid pace in their early years. This provides a critical foundation for lifelong progress, and the adults who provide for the care and the education of young children bear a great responsibility for their health, development, and learning. Despite the fact that they share the same objective - to nurture young children and secure their future success - the various practitioners who contribute to the care and the education of children from birth through age 8 are not acknowledged as a workforce unified by the common knowledge and competencies needed to do their jobs well. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 explores the science of child development, particularly looking at implications for the professionals who work with children. This report examines the current capacities and practices of the workforce, the settings in which they work, the policies and infrastructure that set qualifications and provide professional learning, and the government agencies and other funders who support and oversee these systems. This book then makes recommendations to improve the quality of professional practice and the practice environment for care and education professionals. These detailed recommendations create a blueprint for action that builds on a unifying foundation of child development and early learning, shared knowledge and competencies for care and education professionals, and principles for effective professional learning. Young children thrive and learn best when they have secure, positive relationships with adults who are knowledgeable about how to support their development and learning and are responsive to their individual progress. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 offers guidance on system changes to improve the quality of professional practice, specific actions to improve professional learning systems and workforce development, and research to continue to build the knowledge base in ways that will directly advance and inform future actions. The recommendations of this book provide an opportunity to improve the quality of the care and the education that children receive, and ultimately improve outcomes for children.

With growing concerns over declining levels of school readiness and physical activity, this book highlights the importance of quality early movement experiences and explores the connection between poor early Physical Development opportunities and later difficulties in the classroom. The book outlines the Physical Development needs of babies, toddlers and young children up to the age of eight, and suggests practical ways in which these can be provided for. It explores key concepts and terms, such as physical literacy, fundamental movement skills, sport, physical activity and Physical Education (PE), in relation to young children’s Physical Development needs and discusses age-appropriate provision. Advice is given to prevent movement difficulties from occurring, but it is acknowledged that not all children follow a typical Physical Development pathway, and, where this is the case, suggestions are provided to help put children "back on course." The Physical Development Needs of Young Children is important reading for all who work with or care for young children, including Early Years practitioners, primary school teachers, students who are studying to join these professions, and parents.

For Assessment courses in Early Childhood Education. One of the most accessible and practical textbooks available on assessing young children from infancy through age 8. It provides the full range of types of assessment and how, when, and why to use them. An excellent introduction to assessing young children, Assessment in Early Childhood Education continues with the inclusion of all types of assessments that can be used with infants and young children. Key changes and updates to this edition include: updated and streamlined figures, examples, and models of assessment that aid pre-service teachers to learn how to apply the principles of quality assessments; new activities at the end of the chapters provide opportunities for students to apply their own performance activities to demonstrate understanding of chapter contents; the effects of No Child Left Behind have been updated; newly revised information on children from diverse cultures and languages and children with disabilities has been added; and information on new and current trends toward accountability are discussed, as well as the impact of high-stakes testing.

Multifaceted Assessment in Early Childhood is ideal for those on upper-division undergraduate courses and first-level graduate courses in early childhood education assessment. The book covers the various measures used in a range of assessment dimensions, and includes valuable information regarding young children with special needs and English Language Learners, which has rarely been touched upon in other textbooks. The chapters are focused on student accessibility and include practical applications of key concepts. Features and benefits: Covers a range of assessment concepts, including - Formative (uses feedback from learning to adapt teaching) -Summative (i.e. tests, quizzes) -Authentic (focuses on complex/deeper tasks) -Standardized (STAR, SAT) Includes coverage of assessment for English language learners and children with special needs -- topics that are not provided enough coverage in other books (including Wortham, McAfee, Puckett and Mindes). Wright's writing style grabs and engages the reader in the topic. Two of our reviewers who use Wortham specifically cited Wright's writing style as a reason they would adopt our book. A McAfee reviewer is likely to switch for the same reason.