Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8

Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2015-07-23

Total Pages: 587

ISBN-13: 0309324882

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Children are already learning at birth, and they develop and learn at a rapid pace in their early years. This provides a critical foundation for lifelong progress, and the adults who provide for the care and the education of young children bear a great responsibility for their health, development, and learning. Despite the fact that they share the same objective - to nurture young children and secure their future success - the various practitioners who contribute to the care and the education of children from birth through age 8 are not acknowledged as a workforce unified by the common knowledge and competencies needed to do their jobs well. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 explores the science of child development, particularly looking at implications for the professionals who work with children. This report examines the current capacities and practices of the workforce, the settings in which they work, the policies and infrastructure that set qualifications and provide professional learning, and the government agencies and other funders who support and oversee these systems. This book then makes recommendations to improve the quality of professional practice and the practice environment for care and education professionals. These detailed recommendations create a blueprint for action that builds on a unifying foundation of child development and early learning, shared knowledge and competencies for care and education professionals, and principles for effective professional learning. Young children thrive and learn best when they have secure, positive relationships with adults who are knowledgeable about how to support their development and learning and are responsive to their individual progress. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 offers guidance on system changes to improve the quality of professional practice, specific actions to improve professional learning systems and workforce development, and research to continue to build the knowledge base in ways that will directly advance and inform future actions. The recommendations of this book provide an opportunity to improve the quality of the care and the education that children receive, and ultimately improve outcomes for children.


Learning disabilities screening and evaluation guide for low- and middle-income countries

Learning disabilities screening and evaluation guide for low- and middle-income countries

Author: Anne M. Hayes

Publisher: RTI Press

Published: 2018-04-29

Total Pages: 50

ISBN-13:

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Learning disabilities are among the most common disabilities experienced in childhood and adulthood. Although identifying learning disabilities in a school setting is a complex process, it is particularly challenging in low- and middle-income countries that lack the appropriate resources, tools, and supports. This guide provides an introduction to learning disabilities and describes the processes and practices that are necessary for the identification process. It also describes a phased approach that countries can use to assess their current screening and evaluation services, as well as determine the steps needed to develop, strengthen, and build systems that support students with learning disabilities. This guide also provides intervention recommendations that teachers and school administrators can implement at each phase of system development. Although this guide primarily addresses learning disabilities, the practices, processes, and systems described may be also used to improve the identification of other disabilities commonly encountered in schools.


From Neurons to Neighborhoods

From Neurons to Neighborhoods

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2000-11-13

Total Pages: 610

ISBN-13: 0309069882

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How we raise young children is one of today's most highly personalized and sharply politicized issues, in part because each of us can claim some level of "expertise." The debate has intensified as discoveries about our development-in the womb and in the first months and years-have reached the popular media. How can we use our burgeoning knowledge to assure the well-being of all young children, for their own sake as well as for the sake of our nation? Drawing from new findings, this book presents important conclusions about nature-versus-nurture, the impact of being born into a working family, the effect of politics on programs for children, the costs and benefits of intervention, and other issues. The committee issues a series of challenges to decision makers regarding the quality of child care, issues of racial and ethnic diversity, the integration of children's cognitive and emotional development, and more. Authoritative yet accessible, From Neurons to Neighborhoods presents the evidence about "brain wiring" and how kids learn to speak, think, and regulate their behavior. It examines the effect of the climate-family, child care, community-within which the child grows.


Improving Assessment Through Student Involvement

Improving Assessment Through Student Involvement

Author: Nancy Falchikov

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2013-04-15

Total Pages: 305

ISBN-13: 1134395752

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Staff developers, lecturers and researchers in both higher and further education institutions will welcome this comprehensive yet critical guide to achieving effective student involvement in assessment.


Eager to Learn

Eager to Learn

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2001-01-22

Total Pages: 464

ISBN-13: 0309068363

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Clearly babies come into the world remarkably receptive to its wonders. Their alertness to sights, sounds, and even abstract concepts makes them inquisitive explorersâ€"and learnersâ€"every waking minute. Well before formal schooling begins, children's early experiences lay the foundations for their later social behavior, emotional regulation, and literacy. Yet, for a variety of reasons, far too little attention is given to the quality of these crucial years. Outmoded theories, outdated facts, and undersized budgets all play a part in the uneven quality of early childhood programs throughout our country. What will it take to provide better early education and care for our children between the ages of two and five? Eager to Learn explores this crucial question, synthesizing the newest research findings on how young children learn and the impact of early learning. Key discoveries in how young children learn are reviewed in language accessible to parents as well as educators: findings about the interplay of biology and environment, variations in learning among individuals and children from different social and economic groups, and the importance of health, safety, nutrition and interpersonal warmth to early learning. Perhaps most significant, the book documents how very early in life learning really begins. Valuable conclusions and recommendations are presented in the areas of the teacher-child relationship, the organization and content of curriculum, meeting the needs of those children most at risk of school failure, teacher preparation, assessment of teaching and learning, and more. The book discusses: Evidence for competing theories, models, and approaches in the field and a hard look at some day-to-day practices and activities generally used in preschool. The role of the teacher, the importance of peer interactions, and other relationships in the child's life. Learning needs of minority children, children with disabilities, and other special groups. Approaches to assessing young children's learning for the purposes of policy decisions, diagnosis of educational difficulties, and instructional planning. Preparation and continuing development of teachers. Eager to Learn presents a comprehensive, coherent picture of early childhood learning, along with a clear path toward improving this important stage of life for all children.


Assessment in Early Childhood Education

Assessment in Early Childhood Education

Author: Sue C. Wortham

Publisher: Pearson

Published: 2013-11-01

Total Pages: 328

ISBN-13: 9781292041070

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For Assessment courses in Early Childhood Education. One of the most accessible and practical textbooks available on assessing young children from infancy through age 8. It provides the full range of types of assessment and how, when, and why to use them. An excellent introduction to assessing young children, Assessment in Early Childhood Education continues with the inclusion of all types of assessments that can be used with infants and young children. Key changes and updates to this edition include: updated and streamlined figures, examples, and models of assessment that aid pre-service teachers to learn how to apply the principles of quality assessments; new activities at the end of the chapters provide opportunities for students to apply their own performance activities to demonstrate understanding of chapter contents; the effects of No Child Left Behind have been updated; newly revised information on children from diverse cultures and languages and children with disabilities has been added; and information on new and current trends toward accountability are discussed, as well as the impact of high-stakes testing.


Identification of Learning Disabilities

Identification of Learning Disabilities

Author: Renee Bradley

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2002-12-18

Total Pages: 914

ISBN-13: 1135627630

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Identification of Learning Disabilities: Research to Practice is the remarkable product of a learning disabilities summit conference convened by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) in August 2001 and the activities following that summit. Both the conference and this book were seen as important preludes to congressional reauthorization of the historic Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) scheduled for 2002 and subsequent decision making surrounding implementation. The OSEP conference brought together people with different perspectives on LD (parents, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers) and resulted in this book, which examines the research on nine key issues concerning the identification of children with learning disabilities. Coverage includes alternative responses to treatment, classification approaches, processing deficit models, and approaches to decision making. Chapter Structure-- Each of the first nine chapters is organized around a lengthy, issue-oriented paper, which presents the most current research on that topic. These primary papers are then followed by four respondent papers that reflect a variety of viewpoints on the topic. Summarizing Chapter -- A small group of researchers (listed in the final chapter) dedicated an enormous amount of time to summarizing the research and developing key consensus statements regarding the identification of children with learning disabilities. Their work is sure to have a tremendous impact on future discussions in this area. Expertise-- The following well-known scholars have helped summarize the vast amount of research presented in this book as well as the consensus statements derived therefrom: Lynne Cook, Don Deshler, Doug Fuchs, Jack M. Fletcher, Frank Gresham, Dan Hallahan, Joseph Jenkins, Kenneth Kavale, Barbara Keogh, Margo Mastopieri, Cecil Mercer, Dan Reschley, Rune Simeonsson, Joe Torgesen, Sharon Vaughn, and Barbara Wise.


Strategies for Including Children with Special Needs in Early Childhood Settings

Strategies for Including Children with Special Needs in Early Childhood Settings

Author: Ruth E. Cook

Publisher: Cengage Learning

Published: 2016-10-10

Total Pages: 352

ISBN-13: 9781305960695

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This practical, hands-on guide provides strategies and adaptations to accommodate young children with disabilities or special needs. It puts theory into practice with clear examples and directions to ensure all children can participate equally in the inclusive classroom. Adaptations are offered by activity rather than by disability, and the focus is on embedding instruction within daily routines. Short chapters, clear discussion of rationale, and the plentiful examples prepare readers to effectively support children with a variety of common disabilities such as cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, autism, visual impairment, hearing loss, and behavioral challenges. Readers have commented on the usefulness of the strategies, details, and scenarios for working in general and special early childhood education. The text is especially appropriate for seminars accompanying student teaching and internships in general education, special education, and inclusive early childhood classrooms. Important Notice: Media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version.