Understanding Early Childhood

Review of the first edition: 'This book should be essential reading for every student of Early Childhood. Helen Penn is a highly regarded academic who has the rare ability to write simply and lucidly about complex issues. This eagerly awaited new edition provides a lively critical overview of the field. Highly recommended' - Professor Trisha Maynard, Head of the Department of Childhood Studies, Swansea University, UK. "Understanding Early Childhood" provides students with a clear, user-friendly introduction to a number of difficult concepts and theories in early childhood education. Drawing on research evidence from various countries and reviewing studies about children from different disciplines - including anthropology, economics, history, psychology and sociology - it offers broad and insightful perspectives on the ways in which we understand and study young children.Revised and updated throughout, this second edition covers contemporary theories and debates in a concise and accessible style. It's unique features include: A critical discussion of child development; a broad interdisciplinary approach; a general overview of theoretical approaches and research methodologies; new coverage of global trends about childhood; an important new chapter on the economics of early education and care; updates on the relevance of neuroscience and genetic research to early childhood; 'What to read next' at the end of each chapter; and, the ability to be used by varying levels of students. This book concludes with a postscript on the theme of interdisciplinary thinking and a critique of current policy initiatives in the UK. "Understanding Early Childhood" is key reading for early childhood students and practitioners working with young children.

ISBN 0335225500   Pages 232 ISBN13 9780335225507 (What's this?)   Volumes 1 Publisher Open University Press   Weight (grammes) 280 Imprint Open University Press   Published in Milton Keynes Format Paperback   Previous ISBN 9780335211340 Publication date 01 Jul 2008   Height (mm) 228 Library of Congress LB   Width (mm) 154 DEWEY 372.21   Spine width (mm) 18 DEWEY edition DC22   Academic level Undergraduate

1		Remembering childhood		1
2		Researching reality		21
3		Not Piaget again		38
4		Genes, neurons and ancestors		63
5		On the other side of the world		93
6		Past, present and future		113
7		Children's rights		132
8		What it costs and what it's worth: the economics of early childhood		146
9		Practice makes no difference		163
		Postscript: an Interdisciplinary approach?		191
		References		195
		Index		209

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