Transitions for Young Children: Creating Connections Across Early Childhood Systems

Smooth early childhood transitions are key to ensuring positive outcomes for young children the world over¿but in today¿s fragmented early education systems, it¿s difficult to ensure continuity among programs and services. Early childhood professionals will help change that with this book, the first to propose a comprehensive, practical framework for repairing fissures in the system and making transitions successful for young children globally. A groundbreaking resource for a wide range of professionals, this book brings together the best thinking on early childhood transitions from leading researchers and practitioners around the world. Focusing on both vertical and horizontal transitions, the expert contributors give readers the in-depth guidance they need to develop a coherent, connected framework of curriculum and instruction across the pre-K¿Grade 3 continuum; enhance and improve transitions; address the specific issues of dual language learners; align early learning standards, curricula, and assessments; improve all aspects of school readiness; establish continuity between the child¿s home and school environment; and understand how transitions are affected by a wide range of factors including poverty, and cultural and linguistic diversity. Through the invaluable case studies and clear analysis of up-to-date research, policy, and practice, professionals will see where the field is today and where it needs to go to support better transitions. Readers will be ready to move the field closer to one of its critical goals: a cohesive system of services that supports effective, meaningful transitions for all young children.