Promoting School Readiness And Early Learning

Grounded in cutting-edge developmental research, this book examines what school readiness entails and how it can be improved. Compelling longitudinal findings are presented on the benefits of early intervention for preschoolers at risk due to poverty and other factors. The volume identifies the cognitive, language, behavioral, motor, and socioemotional skills that enable young children to function successfully in school contexts. It explores specific ways in which school- and family-based interventions--including programs that target reading and language, math, self-regulation, and social-emotional development--can contribute to school readiness. The book also addresses challenges in the large-scale dissemination of evidence-based practices.

This guide to understanding school readiness in young children is essential reading for early years practitioners. It explores the concept of school readiness by unpicking what the term means for children and how we can define it in the context of the characteristics of effective learning. This includes ideas for promoting playing and exploring, active learning and creating and thinking critically. The book also considers how we can ensure schools are ready to receive children and suggests ways in which preschools and nurseries can work collaboratively with schools and engage parents and carers to ensure a smooth transition.

This book presents a comprehensive overview of children’s transitions to kindergarten as well as proven strategies that promote their readiness. It presents theories and research to help understand children’s development during the early childhood years. It describes evidence-based interventions that support children in developmental areas essential to school success, including cognitive, social-emotional, and self-regulatory skills. Chapters review prekindergarten readiness programs designed to promote continuity of learning in anticipation of the higher grades and discuss transitional concerns of special populations, such as non-native speakers, children with visual and other disabilities, and children with common temperamental issues. The volume concludes with examples of larger-scale systemic approaches to supporting children’s development during the transition to kindergarten, describing a coherent system of early childhood education that promotes long-term development. Featured topics include: Consistency in children’s classroom experiences and implications for early childhood development. Changes in school readiness in U.S. kindergarteners. Effective transitions to kindergarten for low-income children. The transition into kindergarten for English language learners. The role of close teacher-child relationships during the transition into kindergarten. Children’s temperament and its effect on their kindergarten transitions. Kindergarten Transition and Readiness is a must-have resource for researchers, clinicians and related professionals, and graduate students in child and school psychology, educational psychology, social work, special education, and early childhood education.

Grounded in cutting-edge developmental research, this book examines what school readiness entails and how it can be improved. Compelling longitudinal findings are presented on the benefits of early intervention for preschoolers at risk due to poverty and other factors. The volume identifies the cognitive, language, behavioral, motor, and socioemotional skills that enable young children to function successfully in school contexts. It explores specific ways in which school- and family-based interventions--including programs that target reading and language, math, self-regulation, and social-emotional development--can contribute to school readiness. The book also addresses challenges in the large-scale dissemination of evidence-based practices.

By exploring what school readiness means in the context of work with very young children, program leaders can better understand how they can support the lifetime learning of infants and toddlers in their programs. This book, designed for infant-family program leaders, examines the important role that cognitive and social-emotional skills play in preparing children for school. The material is organized into six major sections: (1) "What is School Readiness for Infants and Toddlers?," defining the concepts of school readiness and explaining its linkage to seven critical social-emotional skills; (2) "How Very Young Children Learn," discussing how infant and toddlers construct knowledge in the context of relationships and through everyday routines and experiences; (3) "Early Literacy Skills in Infants and Toddlers," outlining the process by which children develop prereading and language skills; (4) "Early Numeracy Skills in Infants and Toddlers," presenting some ways to help children develop foundational mathematics skills; (5) "Social-Emotional Skills Make the Difference in School Readiness," highlighting the crucial role that social-emotional skills play in school readiness, adjustment, and success; (6) "How Does Culture Affect Development?," exploring the influence of culture on very young childrens development as well as on relationships between staff members and families; and (7) "Critical Connections: Linking Relationships and School Readiness," examining how relationships at all levels of the program (with supervisors, staff, and families) affect children's readiness to learn. The book concludes with recommendations for staff members and for program leaders for supporting school readiness. (Contains a 28-item bibliography and 14 additional resources.) (KB).

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.

Comprehensive and authoritative, this forward-thinking book reviews the breadth of current knowledge about early education and identifies important priorities for practice and policy. Robert C. Pianta and his associates bring together foremost experts to examine what works in promoting all children's school readiness and social-emotional development in preschool and the primary grades. Exemplary programs, instructional practices, and professional development initiatives?and the systems needed to put them into place?are described. The volume presents cutting-edge findings on the family and social context of early education and explores ways to strengthen collaboration between professionals and parents.