Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum: Best Practices in Early Childhood Education: Pearson New International Edition

This best-selling text addresses all aspects of classroom life, including the roles of children and adults, the physical and social environments, and teaching and learning within multiple domains for children age three to eight. It provides a comprehensive, cohesive approach to curriculum development, which results in greater continuity for children and practitioners in group settings in childcare, preschool, and the early elementary grades. Concentrating as much on the "how" of curriculum development as on the "what and why," the authors provide practical, research-based guidelines for translating theory into best practice that accommodates age-appropriateness, individual differences, and social and cultural diversity. Students learn how to conceptualize, plan, implement, and evaluate curriculum through detailed application opportunities in each chapter.

Table of Contents:
Introduction   Part 1 Foundations of Early Childhood Education   Chapter 1Developmentally Appropriate Practice: An Evolving Framework for Teaching Young Children   Why Is There a Need for DAP?   The Early Childhood Profession Responds   General Practices Typically Associated with DAP It Requires Judgment to Determine Developmental Appropriateness  DAP Has Historic Roots There Is Empirical Support for Developmentally Appropriate Programs   DAP Programs Vary in Structure and Content   DAP Is Adaptable Across Program Settings   The High/Scope Approach to Early Childhood Education   The Reggio Emilia Approach to Early Childhood Education The DAP Debate   What Does the DAP Debate Mean for Early Childhood Practitioners? Implications of DAP for Professional Practice   Summary   Applying What You’ve Read in This Chapter   Practice for Your Certification or Licensure Exam   Chapter 2   Teaching and Learning in Developmentally Appropriate Programs   Early Childhood Educators Need to Know About Child Development and Learning Early Childhood Educators Need to Know About Effective Teaching Strategies Which Teaching Strategies Are Best? Common Teaching Strategies  The Cycle of Learning Linking the Cycle of Learning to Teaching   Teaching in the Zone of Proximal Development   Early Childhood Educators Need to Know About Content Addressing Content in Early Childhood Education Benefits of Standards   Challenges in Using Standards   Addressing the Challenges   Summary  Applying What You’ve Read in This Chapter  Practice for Your Certification or Licensure Exam   Part 2  Setting the Stage for Learning   Chapter 3 Planning and Implementing Effective Small-Group Activities   Why Plan?   Characteristics of Effective Planning Planning Basics   Creating Developmentally Appropriate Plans   Aligning All the Parts of the Lesson Plan Using Principles of Developmental Direction to Enhance Your Planning Applying the Principles of Developmental Direction to Your Plans Common Activities in Early Childhood Programs Making and Implementing Plans Summary   Applying What You’ve Read in This Chapter   Practice for Your Certification or Licensure Exam   Chapter 4 Planning and Implementing Effective Group-Time Activities   Planning Effective Group Times Writing Group-Time Plans   Group-Time Preparations and Strategies Variations on Traditional Group Times Common Questions Practitioners Ask About Group Time Adaptation of Whole-Group Instruction for Children of Different Ages and Abilities Pitfalls to Avoid During Group-Time Planning Summary Applying What You’ve Read in This Chapter Practice for Your Certification or Licensure Exam   Chapter 5 Organizing Space, Materials, and Time   Organizing the Physical Environment   Why Use Learning Centers? Characteristics of Effective Early Childhood Learning Centers   <