Supporting Children's Learning in the Early Years

Supporting Children’s Learning in the Early Years is aimed at early years practitioners who are developing their knowledge and understanding of professional practice through studying at undergraduate level. The book encourages readers to consider their professional development as reflective practitioners, building on and supporting the government agenda to provide quality provision for young children and their families.
Combining theory and practice, and bringing together current research and thinking in a broad range of areas, the book covers:


Learning environments: young children as learners, assessment of learning, well being and children’s rights, diversity and inclusion.


Learning and development: children’s development including social and emotional development, literacy and mathematical development, the potential of ICT, fostering creativity, musical development and knowledge and understanding of the world.


Reflective practice: the learning environment, safeguarding and wellbeing, the reflective practitioner.
Throughout, the contributions in this book encourage the reader to consider the diverse range of experiences which young children bring to early years and early primary settings and suggest ways in which they can be supported. The book will also be a valuable and unique resource for training providers of a range of courses at further and higher education level that prepare people to work with, and lead in, early years settings in the UK.

Linda Miller is Emeritus Professor of Early Years at The Open University.
Carrie Cable is a Senior Lecturer in Education at The Open University and Director of a DCSF funded research project into language learning in primary schools.
Gill Goodliff is a Senior Lecturer and Head of Awards for Early Years at The Open University.

Acknowledgements Introduction Carrie Cable, Linda Miller and Gill Goodliff Part 1 Roles, provision and practices Linda Miller Introduction 1. Young children as learners Angela Anning and Anne Edwards 2. Promoting children’s welfare by respecting their rights Gerison Lansdown 3. Identity, self-esteem and learning Iram Siraj-Blatchford and Priscilla Clarke 4. Parent partnership and inclusion in the early years Alice Paige-Smith 5. Living and learning Claire Young 6. A folk model of assessment – and an alternative Margaret Carr 7. Listening to children Alison Clark 8. Observing children Jane Devereux Part 2 Learning and Development Carrie Cable Introduction 9. Children’s social and emotional development Naima Browne 10. Children from birth to three playing, growing and learning through moving and doing Julie Manning-Morton and Maggie Thorp 11. Young children becoming literate Robin Campbell 12. Science and ICT Rosemary Feasey and Margaret Still 13. Creative practice and pratice which fosters creativity Anna Craft and Bob Jeffrey 14. Great communicators Marian Whitehead 15. Born mathematical Linda Pound 16. Problem solving Sue Gifford 17. Knowledge and understanding of the world developed through a garden project Jane Devereux and Ann Bridges Part 3 Learning environments – children and adults Introduction Gill Goodliff 18. The democratic and reflective professional: rethinking and reforming the early years workforce Peter Moss 19. Reflection and developing a community of practice Alice Paige-Smith and Anna Craft 20. Exploring children’s expressions of attachment in nursery Peter Elfer 21. Emotional wellbeing Marion Dowling 22. The physical environment Sue Robson 23. The future of childhood Jennie Lindon 24. Creating contexts for professional developmnent Angela Anning and Anne Edwards