Early Childhood Studies: A Multidisciplinary Approach

✍ Scribed by Jenny Willan

• Publisher: Bloomsbury UK (Major Textbooks)
• Year: 2024
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 481
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Fully updated in its 2nd edition, this comprehensive and accessible book is a one-stop introductory text for those entering the field of early childhood studies and early years. Scholarly, and engagingly written, it covers all the key contemporary debates from child development, language acquisition and play to professional practice, health and wellbeing and diversity and inclusion. The new edition includes two new chapters on fostering creativity and sustainability. It covers the urgent post-pandemic need for early childhood practitioners to lead the remedial work for the 2020 generation of babies who lost valuable socialisation opportunities and includes discussion of the current 'schoolification' of early childhood and the pursuit of data as a driver of education and care provision. It also examines the impact of health and income inequalities, Covid-19, global neoliberal policies and Brexit on the early childhood landscape. An excellent all rounder, it covers everything a student of early childhood will need. Each of the eighteen chapters has at least one global case study, and includes reflective exercises, topics for discussion, assignments and further reading lists. Throughout the book, vital connections are made between theory and practice to help students prepare for a career working with a diverse community of children, parents and professionals.

✦ Table of Contents

Cover
Contents
List of Illustrations
Acknowledgements
Introduction
ECS as an academic study
Who is this book for?
The structure of the book
Part I Understanding Early Childhood Studies
1 Studying early childhood
Introduction
Why study ‘early’ childhood?
Studying early childhood
A multidisciplinary subject
‘Early childhood’ as a social construct
A child-centred model of ECEC
Approaches to early childhood
The voice of the child
The future of ECEC
Summary
Topics for further discussion
Challenges
Further reading
Useful websites
References
2 Early childhood in a global context
Introduction
Globalization
A global village
The ‘mobile’ child
A global charter for children’s rights – the UNCRC
Multiculturalism
International aid and ECEC
Models of ECEC around the world
Summary
Topics for further discussion
Challenges
Further reading
Useful websites
References
3 Some theories of child development
Introduction
Thinking about theories
Changing views of child development
The emergence of scientific theories in the West
Theories of heredity and development
Social dimensions of development
The child study movement and theories of ‘normal development’
Psychoanalytic theories of development
Constructivist theories of development
Ecological theories of child development
Neuroscientific theories of development
Epigenetic theories of development
Understanding child development
Summary
Topics for further discussion
Challenges
Further reading
References
Part II Understanding Child Development: Supporting the Unique Child
4 Physical development – the interplay of body and brain
Introduction
Stages of development
Body and brain
Antenatal environments
Birth
Infancy
From neonate (newborn) to two-year-old
From three to eight
Developmental delay and impairment
Supporting physical development
Summary
Topics for further discussion
Challenges
Further reading
Useful websites
References
5 Cognitive development
Introduction
Requirements for successful learning
What do we know about children’s minds?
Theories of learning
Holistic approaches to learning theory
Summary
Topics for further discussion
Challenges
Further reading
Useful websites
References
6 Socialisation, language and play
Introduction
Socialising from the beginning
Theories of language acquisition
Thought and language
The interaction of play, language and social skills
Summary
Topics for further discussion
Challenges
Further reading
Useful websites
References
7 Emotional and moral development
Introduction
Emotions
Emotional attachment
Emotional development
Moral development
Summary
Topics for further discussion
Challenges
Further reading
Useful websites and resources
References
Part III In the Best Interests of the Child: Shaping Children’s Lives
8 Children and families in context
Introduction
A sociological understanding
Socialisation
Social contexts
Social constructs
Discourses around children and childhood
An ecological view of families and children in context
Summary
Topics for further discussion
Challenges
Further reading
Useful websites
References
9 Representations of childhood
Introduction
Memories of childhood
Defining childhood
Historical shifts in adults’ concepts of childhood
Twentieth-century concepts of childhood
Twenty-first century debates about childhood
Summary
Topics for further discussion
Challenges
Further reading
Useful websites
References
10 Early education
Introduction
The emergence of early childhood care and education in the United Kingdom
Early education programmes across the world
The Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (2021)
The importance of play in the early years
Transition from foundation stage to Key Stage 1
Summary
Topics for further discussion
Challenges
Further reading
Useful websites
References
11 Fostering creativity
Introduction
The state we are in
Creativity is applied imagination
Time and leisure
Daydreaming
Is digital play the enemy of creativity?
Creativity in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM subjects)
Learning dispositions and creativity
Lilian Katz and the project approach
Creative approaches beyond the classroom
Finally …
Summary
Topics for further discussion
Challenges
Further reading
Useful websites
References
Part IV Children in Society: Every Child Matters
12 Early childhood social policy
Introduction
Defining social policy
Policy literacy
How social policy is made in the United Kingdom
Historical shifts in UK social policy
Social policy before the welfare state
The welfare state
Market forces: social policy 1979–97
The Third Way: social policy 1997–2010
The Big Society: coalition social policy 2010–2015
Social policy under the Conservative government from 2015
Summary
Topics for further discussion
Challenges
Further reading
Useful websites
References
13 Diversity and inclusion
Introduction
Equality and inclusion
Children’s legal right to equality
Diversity
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
Creating an inclusive culture
Summary
Topics for further discussion
Challenges
Further reading
Useful websites
References
14 Health and well-being
Introduction
The state of the world’s children
A social gradient of health inequalities
The effects of extreme neglect
Health and well-being: bio-medical and ecological perspectives
Promoting health and well-being in early childhood
Summary
Topics for further discussion
Challenges
Further reading
Useful websites
References
Part V The Children’s Workforce: Professional Practice
15 Professional practice for early childhood
Introduction
Becoming a professional in early childhood services
Qualifications
Becoming a reflective professional
Working in a professional team
Multi-agency teams
The professional’s role in safeguarding children at risk
Lifelong learning
Summary
Topics for further discussion
Challenges
Further reading
Useful websites
References
16 Taking the lead in early years professional practice
Introduction
Defining leadership
Theories of leadership
Leadership in early years practice
Leading a multidisciplinary team
Meeting the challenge of leading
Summary
Topics for further discussion
Challenges
Further reading
Useful websites
References
17 Building a sustainable future
Introduction
The pandemic
A wider predicament
Culture wars
Austerity and early childhood provision
Paternity provision
Different models of early education and care. Is our present system sustainable?
Building a sustainable setting
Summary
Topics for further discussion
Challenges
Further reading
Useful websites
References
Part VI Research in Early Childhood: Seeing Children Differently
18 Understanding young children through observation and assessment
Introduction
Background
Observation, assessment and the Early Years Foundation Stage
Attitudes and values in observation
Context and observation
Children’s voices and participation
Observation, assessment and planning cycle
Writing an observational child study
Methods of observation
Analysing and reflecting on your observations
Summary
Topics for further discussion
Challenges
Further reading
Useful websites
References
19 Doing early childhood research
Introduction
What do we mean by research?
Research approaches
Finding a topic
Discovering your research question
Reviewing the literature
Identifying your participants (sampling)
Negotiating access
Ethics (see also Chapter 18)
Research designs
Research methods – collecting data
Participatory research
Analysing and interpreting data
Drawing conclusions and making recommendations
Writing up
Plagiarism and pitfalls
And finally …
Summary
Topics for further discussion
Challenges
Further reading
Useful websites
References
Index