Teaching Young Children: Contexts for Learning

Using play as the method against which all others are compared, this book presents the strengths and weaknesses of different models of teaching, examines various methods of guiding young children's behavior, and shows how to create and maintain a positive learning environment. Finally, it discusses how to work as a team member in ECE settings.

Kristine L. Slentz is Associate Professor of Education at Western Washington University.

To Our Readers and Their Instructors: An Introduction to the Series

xiii

Preface

xv

Playing to Learn---Learning to Play

2

(38)

Objectives

2

(1)

What is Play, and Why Do we Study it?

3

(6)

Defining Play

5

(1)

A Brief History

6

(1)

Theories of Play

7

(2)

Infants and Toddlers: Playing to Interact

9

(8)

Earliest Play

10

(1)

Play as Action

11

(1)

Play as Exploration

12

(2)

Play as Representation

14

(3)

Preschoolers: Learning to Play Together

17

(7)

Primary School Students: Playing to Learn

24

(4)

Realistic Play

25

(1)

Games and Sports

26

(1)

Group Membership

27

(1)

Variations in Play

28

(4)

Individual Differences in Play

28

(1)

Cultural Variations in Play

29

(1)

Environmental Variations in Play

29

(1)

Variations in Ability

30

(2)

Summary

32

(8)

Extending Your Learning

32

(1)

Vocabulary

33

(1)

Internet Resources

34

(1)

References

35

(5)

Teaching and Learning

40

(42)

Objectives

40

(1)

A Brief History of Theory and Philosophy

41

(2)

Methods of Teaching Young Children

43

(1)

Learning Through Play

43

(10)

Play at Home and at Preschool

46

(1)

Daily Routines

47

(1)

Child-Directed Activity

47

(1)

Planned Activities

48

(1)

Play in the Primary Grades

49

(1)

Guidelines for Caregivers and Teachers

50

(1)

Real-Life Examples of Learning Through Play

50

(1)

Emergent Literacy Fostered Through Play

51

(1)

Learning Through Play in the Primary Grades

52

(1)

Assessing Learning Through Play

52

(1)

Learning Through Direct Instruction

53

(6)

Guidelines for Teachers

56

(1)

An Example of Direct Instruction

57

(1)

Assessing Learning Through Direct Instruction

58

(1)

Learning at Activity Centers

59

(4)

Guidelines for Teachers

60

(1)

An Example of Learning at Centers

61

(1)

Assessing Learning at Centers

62

(1)

Learning Alone and Together

63

(5)

Learning Alone

63

(1)

Learning Together

64

(2)

Guidelines for Teachers

66

(1)

An Example of Cooperative Learning

66

(1)

Assessing Cooperative Learning

67

(1)

Learning Through Creating Projects

68

(3)

Guidelines for Teachers

69

(1)

An Example of Project Learning

69

(2)

Assessing Learning Through Creating Projects

71

(1)

Other Ways to Teach

71

(3)

Peer Teaching

71

(1)

Group Discussion

72

(1)

Role Playing

73

(1)

Developmentally Appropriate Practice

74

(3)

Infants

75

(1)

Toddlers

75

(1)

Three-Through 5-Year-Olds

76

(1)

Six- Through 8-Year-Olds

76

(1)

Summary

77

(5)

Extending Your Learning

78

(1)

Vocabulary

78

(1)

Internet Resources

79

(1)

References

79

(3)

Guiding Children's Behavior

82

(46)

Objectives

82

(1)

Some Important Definitions

83

(2)

Developmental Considerations

85

(8)

Emotion and Social Behavior in Infants

85

(3)

Emotion and Social Behavior in Toddlers

88

(2)

Emotion and Social Behavior in Preschoolers

90

(2)

Emotion and Social Behavior in Kindergarten and Primary Grade Children

92

(1)

Approaches to Guiding Behavior

93

(14)

Principle 1: Ground Child Guidance Practices in Knowledge of Early Development

94

(1)

Principle 2: Create an Environment Conducive to Success

95

(4)

Principle 3: Foster Democratic Principles in the Classroom

99

(2)

Principle 4: Approach Classroom Diversity with Sensitivity

101

(3)

Principle 5: Achieve a Well-Managed Classroom Through Self-Awareness

104

(2)

Modeling

106

(1)

When Prevention Alone Doesn't Work: Troubleshooting Strategies

107

(14)

Responding to Common, Everyday Problems

108

(5)

Responding to More Difficult Problems Behaviors

113

(1)

The Forms of Difficult Behavior--Let Me Count the Ways

114

(1)

The Functions of Difficult Behavior--Why Do They Do the Things They Do?

115

(1)

Suggestions for Management of Difficult Behaviors

116

(5)

Summary

121

(7)

Extending Your Learning

122

(1)

Vocabulary

123

(1)

Internet Resources

124

(1)

Useful Resources for Specific Behavior Problems

124

(1)

References

125

(3)

Environments for Learning

128

(40)

Objectives

128

(1)

The Physical Environment

129

(2)

Creating and Using Appropriate Environments

131

(11)

Infants and Toddlers in the Center Environment

131

(2)

Preschool and Kindergarten Children in the Center or School Environment

133

(1)

Primary Children in the School Environment

134

(1)

Environmental Issues for Children With Special Needs

135

(1)

Consider the Full Range of Individual Differences in Your Group When Designing Physical Environments

135

(1)

Ensure Accessibility of Materials and Equipment in the Classroom and on the Playground

136

(3)

Match Elements of Environmental Design, Including Both Physical and Social Interactions, with Instructional Objectives

139

(2)

An Equitable Environment for All Children

141

(1)

The Uses of Space

142

(15)

Indoor Space

142

(6)

Furnishing the Indoor Environment

148

(2)

Activity or Learning Centers

150

(1)

Outdoor Space

151

(6)

Safety

157

(2)

Maintaining Indoor Safety

158

(1)

Maintaining Outdoor Safety

158

(1)

The Children's Role

159

(2)

The Social--Emotional Environment

161

(2)

Summary

163

(5)

Extending Your Learning

163

(1)

Vocabulary

164

(1)

Internet Resources

164

(1)

References

165

(3)

Working With Other Adults: Partnerships and Collaborations

168

(41)

Objectives

168

(2)

Home--School Partnerships

170

(5)

History of Home--School Partnerships

170

(2)

Parent Rights

172

(1)

Legal Rights

172

(1)

Rights Decided by Consensus

173

(1)

Rights Determined by Philosophical Views

174

(1)

Why Work to Establish Partnerships With Parents?

175

(2)

About Families

177

(2)

Families as Systems

179

(9)

Family Characteristics

180

(3)

Family Interactions

183

(2)

Family Functions

185

(1)

Family Life Cycle

186

(2)

Paraprofessionals, Volunteers, Specialists

188

(3)

Working With Teaching Assistants

188

(2)

Orientation and Training

190

(1)

Collaboration With Adults

191

(3)

Skills for Effective Communication

194

(9)

Effective Listening

194

(1)

The Listening Attitude

195

(1)

Attending Behaviors

195

(1)

Verbal Listening Skills

196

(1)

Nonverbal Communication

197

(1)

Expressing Yourself

198

(1)

Common Issues in Early Education

199

(4)

Summary

203

(6)

Extending Your Learning

203

(1)

Vocabulary

204

(1)

Internet Resources

205

(1)

References

206

(3)

Author Index

209

(4)

Subject Index

213

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Teaching Young Children: Contexts for Learning

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials