Observing Learning In Early Childhood

This book is a concise and accessible guide to observation as a tool for supporting learning for children aged 0 - 5. It provides comprehensive coverage of the what, why, and how of observation, brought to life with extensive case studies and contextualised alongside other crucial Early Years’ topics, including child development and play. This book encourages readers to consider their own context and practice, with reflective questions at the end of each chapter and specific chapters on linking observations to the curriculum and sharing insights with parents and colleagues. The focus on both learning and self-reflection makes ‘Observing Learning in Early Childhood’ ideal for students, newly qualified teachers, and current practitioners alike. Dr. Stella Louis is a freelance early years consultant, with 34 years’ experience of working with children and families across the UK, South Africa and Australia.

Child Observation for Learning and Research is an exciting new text, providing a thorough grounding in the methodology, practice and interpretation of observing children. The authors draw on their experience and expertise in childcare, education, social work and research to introduce the fundamental principles and process of observation, preparing you for your first observation and building knowledge and confidence through a wide range of scenarios and activities. The book takes the unique approach of demonstrating how acquiring observational skills can serve as a key learning tool, not only helping you to understand children, but also to recognise, analyse and question theory, helping you make sense of your own learning.

This is a book about the process of finding user-friendly and purposeful ways of observing and planning that will help those who are working with young children in a variety of settings to look with insight at children, providing what they need in order to develop and learn optimally. By examining the historic background of observing and planning, and describing examples of good practice in different group settings, this book will help to monitor a child′s progress - what is needed now and to work out what is needed next. The real life case studies from various settings including day care, nursery school, primary school, private sector and Soweto examine different observation techniques, looking at their strengths, drawbacks and use in everyday practice. Examples from the UK and internationally illustrate the history and importance of observation in a range of contexts, while a glossary clearly explains the key terminology. All the examples given in this book can be used with different National Framework documents worldwide, bearing in mind however the authors′ belief that curriculum frameworks must be used as a resource and never as a limiting straitjacket. Drawing on key theory and research, the book′s chapters cover: Flexible planning Record keeping Working with parents Using technology. Full colour photographs, illustrations and useful charts and diagrams make this an accessible and engaging resource that will no doubt be invaluable to any early years practitioner. This book was originally published as Getting to Know You - part of the 0-8 series.

The main purpose of this text, particularly this edition, is to assist students in developing the skills and knowledge necessary to conduct relevant, professional and meaningful observations of young children in the field of Early Childhood Education. The text is designed for college or university students embarking on a career involving young children. Observing Young Children includes references to various professions: Teachers, Early Childhood Educators, Early Interventionists and Resource Teachers and Consultants – all of whom use observation in a variety of ways for a diverse number of reasons. Observation is a language they all speak and understand. Uncovering the developmental process of a child’s early years and making it visible to others requires the skills and knowledge of a practiced observer. Educators know that one of the best ways to learn about young children is to observe them, and the other way is to talk with their families. Through observation and documentation Educators can co-construct with children and their families a curriculum that is alive with what matters to them.

Written by a prolific, well-respected author, this book teaches how to observe, document, and assess children's development and progress--emphasizing how powerful ethical, responsible observation can be in a teacher's professional life. Focusing on observations as an intrinsic part of authentic assessment, the author advocates a protective, respectful attitude toward it. Provides an overview of various informal and formal observation and assessment strategies, as well as instruction in how to embed observation into the daily routine of the early childhood classroom. Explores ways to prevent problems, ways to solve problems, and ways to work cooperatively with parents. Included is coverage of the ethics of observation and the pros and cons of standardized testing as it relates to observation and assessment. For early childhood teachers.

Systematic observation is essential for educators to evaluate properly the effectiveness of curricula and to address the problems of individual students. This new third edition emphasizes early childhood, and focuses on those skills that will enable the observer to make appropriate, valid inferences and to arrive at decisions based on objective observation data gathered in natural learning environments and diverse educational settings. Includes new focuses on: Procedures for observing environmental factors that affect learning and behavior The importance of understanding the cultural and linguistic characteristics of children’s learning environmentsThe key role of observation in the assessment processThe forms of observation, with illustrative examplesThe exploration of reliability, sampling behavior, recording formats, summarizing observational outcomes, and validity Using photographs, sample worksheets, a simple format, and straight-forward language, the authors cite fascinating real-life examples from early childhood that can be applied to a variety of classroom experiences. “The Classroom Observer provides the foundation for learning how to watch children in systematic and child-focused ways. The authors make the critical and often underappreciated point that keen insight into children’s development may be learned, and that while many early childhood educators already watch children, much can be gained from systematic observation. I believe that this book provides a basis for critical reflection upon one’s own observation skills.” —From the Foreword by Jeanne Brooks-Gunn

This fully revised second edition of Observing, Assessing and Planning for Children in the Early Years provides a detailed analysis of what is meant by the observation of young learners and why this is so vital to early years practitioners and students. In this accessible and insightful text, Sandra Smidt examines the various theories of how young children develop and learn, which have been put forward by thinkers and writers across time and place so the reader has a genuinely global view of early childhood. She then highlights how important it is for practitioners in schools, nurseries and settings to think carefully about what they have seen and heard in light of what they, as adults, already know about the children and their learning. Also included in this text is a helpful ‘Try Your Hand’ section where readers are invited to make their own judgements about what they have read, as well as a section on observing and assessing not only the nursery-aged children but also babies and toddlers.