The Foundations Of Child Development

This is the first in a series of four books which form part of the Open University course Child Development. They provide a detailed and thorough undergraduate-level introduction to the central concepts, theories, current issues and research evidence in developmental psychology. These books assume no previous knowledge of the field and encourage the reader's active involvement, especially through the use of activities. Examples drawn from case-studies, psychological research and practice stimulate critical appreciation of the issues covered. Selected short readings accompany the chapters to present ideas from a variety of sources. The Foundations of Child Development is a broad and accessible introduction to theory and research, presenting integrated research-based accounts of development in key areas of early childhood, such as perceptual abilities, social relationships, individuality and object knowledge. A focus on modern developmental theories is complemented by detailed consideration of models of developmental processes. A theme that runs through the book is a concern with the ways in which biological, social and cultural influences interact in development.

Child development comprises children’s cognitive, linguistic, motor, social and emotional development, communication, and self-care skills. Understanding developmental periods means that possible problems or roadblocks can be planned for or prevented. Knowledge of child development is necessary for achieving educational goals and is integral to promoting children’s healthy and timely development. The Handbook of Research on Prenatal, Postnatal, and Early Childhood Development is an essential scholarly reference source that compiles critical findings on children’s growth periods and characteristics as well as the principles that affect their development. Covering a wide range of topics such as at-risk children, early intervention, and support programs, this book is ideally designed for child development specialists, pediatricians, educators, program developers, administrators, psychologists, researchers, academicians, and students. Additionally, the book provides insight and support to health professionals working in various disciplines in the field of child development and health.

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.

Children's emerging communication and social skills.

What characteristics do children need to become motivated to learn? How do children’s experiences and relationships affect their cognitive development? How do you provide learning experiences that meet the developmental needs of every child in your care? The Thinking Child thoughtfully discusses the key principles of children’s cognitive and intellectual development alongside descriptions of everyday practice. It clearly explains the cognitive strategies that children use to learn new knowledge, the development of cognitive milestones such as symbolism, memories and the imagination, metacognition and creativity along with research into how the brain processes information. Throughout the book, the author considers the key characteristics of effective learning and shows how play is one of the primary mechanisms that children use to access new knowledge and to consolidate their emerging ideas and concepts. These characteristics are then applied to integral aspects of early years practice to show how pracitioners can: motivate children to learn new knowledge about themselves and the world around them; help children to develop their own ideas creatively and use this knowledge as a base to learn new things; reflect on their own teaching methods to encourage children’s engagement, motivation and creativity through effective observation and planning; engage with parents and carers to help support children’s learning at home whilst maintaining the values of the family; celebrate the uniqueness of each child and provide learning experiences that are appropriate for individuals with particular learning needs, be they physical, emotional or cognitive to ensure that every child has an equal opportunity to succeed. Emphasising the importance of understanding the theory that underpins children’s cognitive development, this accessible text shows practitioners how they can use this knowledge to provide learning opportunities that nourish children’s thinking and creative skills.

Electronic Inspection Copy available for instructors here The Second Edition of An Introduction to Child Development has been fully updated to provide a comprehensive survey of the main areas of child development, from infancy through to adolescence. Equipping students with an appreciation of critical issues in the field and an understanding of empirical research that bears on the study of children, the text provides balanced coverage of topics and theoretical perspectives that represent both classic and cutting edge work in child development. In terms of new content, it now covers more on the biological foundations of development, plus new chapters on moral development and applied developmental psychology. The Second Edition includes the following features: - learning points - section & chapter summaries, - end-of-chapter glossaries - suggestions for further reading - sample multiple choice questions - sidebars featuring in depth discussions of key research findings or points of debate within the field of child development. The text comes with a dedicated website with resources for both students and instructors.

What impact does children’s emotional development and well-being have on their capacity to learn? How do you provide learning experiences that meet the developmental needs of every child in your care? The Feeling Child thoughtfully discusses the key principles of children’s emotional and behavioural development alongside descriptions of everyday practice. It clearly explains how a child’s early experiences influence their particular behaviours towards different people and different situations. Throughout the book, Maria Robinson considers the key characteristics of effective learning and shows how play is one of the key mechanisms that children use in their discovery of themselves and the world around them. These characteristics are then applied to integral aspects of early years practice to help practitioners to: support children to come to new understandings in safe yet challenging ways understand the ways in which children may approach or withdraw from learning opportunities reflect on their own teaching methods to encourage children’s engagement, motivation and creativity through effective observation and planning engage with parents and carers to help support children’s learning at home whilst maintaining the values of the family. celebrate the uniqueness of each child and provide learning experiences that are appropriate for individuals with particular learning needs, be they physical, emotional or cognitive to ensure that every child has an equal opportunity to succeed. Emphasising the importance of understanding the theory that underpins children’s emotional development, this accessible text shows practitioners how they can use this knowledge to provide learning opportunities that nourish children’s thinking and creative skills.

Discover why playing is school readiness with this updated guide. Timely research and new stories highlight how play is vital to the social, physical, cognitive, and spiritual development of children. Learn the seven meaningful experiences we should provide children with every day and why they are so important.