Putting Storytelling at the Heart of Early Childhood Practice is a brilliantly engaging and practical book that highlights the essential nature of storytelling in all walks of life, and how to best cultivate this in the early years classroom. The authors use a compelling Froebelian approach to explore the role of storytelling not just in the development of literacy but also in the development of communication and language and for maintaining good mental health and wellbeing. Drawing on primary and contemporary research, and presented by a range of experienced authors, this book covers important topics such as: The benefits of regularly practising storytelling Storytelling during play activities Group dynamics in constructing narratives The roles of props and fantasy concepts in storytelling This accessible guide is ideal for all early years practitioners looking to encourage literacy, communication and well-being in a supportive and creative environment, and for policymakers looking to develop best practice in the early years classroom.

This collection critically considers the question of how learning and teaching should be conceived, understood, and approached in light of the changing nature of learning scenarios and new pedagogies in this current age of multimodal digital texts, practices, and communities. The book takes the concept of digital artifacts as being composed of multiple meaning-making semiotic resources, such as visuals, music, and design, as its point of departure to explore how diverse communities interact with these tools and develop and explore their understanding of digital practices in learning contexts. The first section of the volume examines different case studies in which involved participants learn to grapple with the introduction of digital tools for learning in children’s early years of schooling. The second section extends the focus to secondary and higher education settings as digital learning tools grow more complex as do students, parents, and teachers’ interactions with them and the subsequent need for new pedagogies to rethink these multimodal artifacts. A final section reflects on the implications of new multimodal tools, technologies, and pedagogies for teachers, such as on teacher training and community building among educators. In its in-depth look at multimodal approaches to learning as meaning-making in a digital world, this book will be of interest to students and scholars in multimodality, English language teaching, digital communication, and education.

This sequel to the bestselling Princesses, Dragons and Helicopter Stories reveals the positive impact the storytelling and story acting curriculum of Vivian Gussin Paley has on young children’s literacy, communication and confidence. Telling the story of three years of classroom-based research with children aged two to seven, it shows the Helicopter Stories approach in action, capturing the children’s development as storytellers and their delight at having their stories listened to, scribed and acted out. In each chapter Trisha Lee’s passion for children’s unique voices shines through as she shares and reflects on the children’s stories, paying each of them the same respect as would normally be bestowed on adult writers. Exploring the importance of story in children’s lives, the book: Examines the cognitive and developmental impact of implementing a Helicopter Stories approach over an extended time period Analyses the stories told by children using the story structure of the Hero’s Journey, and the seven basic plot types Explores how and why stories connect with us including children’s innate ability to empathise with the hero from a very young age Includes rich case studies of children at different ages and developmental stages including those with additional needs Offering a fascinating insight into how Helicopter Stories work in practice and addressing the frequently asked questions about the benefits of using this approach, The Growth of a Storyteller is valuable reading for anyone interested in storytelling and story acting with their children.

Bringing together two key areas within early childhood— play and literacy — this book offers an innovative approach to examining literacies within the context of children’s play. This book: Introduces students to contemporary theory and research in the field Explores the debates surrounding young children’s play and how language and literacies are created through a range of play activity Helps students to reflect on how this knowledge can be applied in their future professional lives working to support young children Advocating for young children’s play and diverse literacies, this book supports students to develop a depth of knowledge about how play can extend children’s literacies, and encourages early childhood educators to reflect on and enhance their literacy practices with young children.

Recently, there has been a growing demand for diversity and inclusion in schools worldwide to ensure effective learning for every student. Efforts have been made to support teachers in promoting diversity in classrooms, but research shows that students with learning disabilities (LD), including autism spectrum disorder, neurodevelopmental disabilities, dyslexia, and executive dysfunction, still struggle to keep up despite having individualized education programs (IEPs). These students are not receiving the necessary support they need to learn effectively in the classroom, leaving them behind and often completely unprepared for their futures. When intersectional statistics are taken into account, students who have a learning disability and are among minority ethnic groups have even lower rates of earning a diploma than their counterparts. Changes in the educational system must be made to close this learning chasm and create a more equitable learning environment. Closing the Educational Achievement Gap for Students With Learning Disabilities increases awareness of the issue of inequalities in education for students with learning disabilities through improved training programs for teachers, recommendations for policy changes, and development of new strategies to close the gap between these students and their classmates. The goal of this book is to educate and empower educators, researchers, and policymakers on how they can help students with learning disabilities thrive academically and emotionally. It examines the barriers that prevent teachers from effectively providing instruction to these students. This book covers topics such as achievement gaps, student-centered approaches, and culturally responsive teaching and is ideal for educators, professionals, researchers, special education professionals, speech and occupational therapists, disability service providers, intervention strategists, psychologists, parents, and local communities.

Friedrich Froebel (1782 – 1852), the inventor of kindergarten, was one of the most influential educational thinkers of the 19th century. This book showcases the cutting-edge work being undertaken around the world inspired by this pioneer of early childhood education and shows the many ways in which Froebel's work has been applied and extended. It presents a wealth of Froebelian expertise on topics including pedagogy and curriculum, history, architecture, neuroscience, peace and religious education and links Froebel's theories to other thinkers including John Dewey, Michel Foucault, Paulo Freire, Aili Helenius and Chen Heqin. It highlights what Froebel means today in a variety of settings around the world and includes contributions from academics and practitioners based in North and South America, Europe, Australasia, Africa and Asia.

If you work in the early years, you have probably heard of Montessori and Bronfenbrenner - but have you heard of Bavolek or Fisher? Contemporary theorists and theories of early childhood learning have much to teach us. It is often forgotten that this learning is still evolving and that new voices are joining the discussion every year. This book introduces early years practitioners to some contemporary theorists and explores their work alongside more well-known thinkers. It demonstrates how these theories relate to everyday practice in the early years and that discussion of them can support ongoing professional learning.

This accessible handbook offers an in-depth exploration of the distinctive features of the play, development and learning of children from birth to three years old. Key theoretical ideas relating to social, emotional, cognitive and physical development are discussed in relation to everyday practice, offering a wealth of information and guidance on working with this unique age group. The book emphasises the connections between all aspects of a child’s experience and development; addressing key questions of what babies and young children need, enjoy and have a right to experience. It demonstrates how early years educators can develop their practice and organise their provision in a way that is positive for babies and young children and their families. Focusing on the holistic nature of early development, chapters explore the following: The importance of interactions and relationships between educators and children How to develop a holistic pedagogy that gives equal consideration to children’s care, play and learning The value of the connections that children make with the world around them, and how educators can create an environment conducive to nurturing these connections Observation and self-evaluation of practice and provision Each chapter features case studies, links to key aspects of practice and practical tasks to help readers apply the ideas to their own context. The book is accompanied by an extensive companion website (www.routledge.com/cw/Manning-Morton) containing video explainers, reflection points, practice tasks, downloadable resources, quizzes and more. Opening a window on what it is like to be a baby or young child in an early years setting, this is an essential tool for all early years educators and students on a wide range of early years courses. It will also be of interest to parents.

'A clear, helpful and refreshingly honest book which explains SEND from top to bottom. I would highly recommend this book' - Kim Griffin, Occupational Therapist, GriffinOT, @Griffin_OT This book is designed to give every Early Years practitioner the confidence to support children with special educational needs and disabilities. It covers how to define SEND and use inclusive language, how to build and implement inclusion policies and communicate these to parents and carers, how to prepare for transition, and much more. With a whole-team approach and commitment from both practitioners and key persons as well as SENDCos, Kerry Murphy strongly believes we have the potential to create truly inclusive Early Years settings. A Guide to SEND in the Early Years dispels common myths around SEND and offers clear, concise and practical ways to translate theory into practice, overcome challenges and support children with SEND. Written by an experienced Early Years consultant and inclusion specialist, there are tried-and-tested tips, case studies, activities and reflective questions. Focussing on the importance of teamwork and sharing responsibilities, this book is perfect for any Early Years practitioner looking to improve their understanding of SEND and develop their teaching with every child in mind.

The book provides an advanced, accessible text for childhood studies, which is suitable and challenging for those coming from practice, different parts of the world and from a range of disciplines. Key ideas within childhood studies are introduced, from agency to intersectionality to children's rights. Addressing children and young people under the age of 18, the book combines concepts from seminal texts with challenging, critical views and alternatives, to stimulate readers to develop their own analysis and apply the results to their own interests. It reveals how childhood studies draws on a rich and diverse range of perspectives from child development, educational studies, history, human rights, media studies, philosophy, public health, race and ethnicity studies, to social anthropology. The book is organised around five sections: Foundations of Childhood Studies Childhood Studies Meets Other Disciplines Childhood Studies Meets Children's Rights Studies Intersectional Perspectives on Childhood Childhood Studies in Practice Each section includes commentaries from international experts based in Australia (Amanda Third), Brazil (Irene Rizzini), the UK (Erica Burman), the USA (Sarada Balagopalan) and Zimbabwe (Tendai Charity Nhenga). The book has a range of pedagogical features including guiding questions and challenge tasks, quotes from students and other experts, and a glossary of terms. The book has a companion website with videos from authors, students and those working in practice and policy, interactive tasks and other resources.