ABSTRACT
- What are the risks and benefits of non-parental care for young children?
- What are the short- and long-term effects of academically vs. play-focused environments for learning?
- How and when should we teach reading?
- What are the purposes of Education?
- What is the best way to teach mathematics to children, from preschool and beyond?
Contemporary Debates in Childhood Education and Development is a unique resource and reference work that brings together leading international researchers and thinkers, with divergent points of view, to discuss contemporary problems and questions in childhood education and developmental psychology. Through an innovative format whereby leading scholars each offer their own constructive take on the issue in hand, this book aims to inform readers of both sides of a variety of topics and in the process encourage constructive communication and fresh approaches.
Spanning a broad spectrum of issues, this book covers:
- Phonic and whole language reading approaches
- The developmental effect of non-parental childcare
- The value of pre-school academic skill acquisition
- The most effective methods of teaching mathematics
- Standardized assessment – does it work?
- The role of electronic media and technology
- The pedagogical value of homework
- The value of parents’ reading to children.
This book combines breadth of vision with cutting edge research and is a ‘must have’ resource for researchers, students and policy makers in the fields of education and child development.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
part I|24 pages
What are the purposes of education?
part II|24 pages
What is the effect of non-parental childcare on child development?
chapter 4|11 pages
Why non-maternal childcare can be good for children and families
part III|20 pages
Is shared-book reading an indispensable ingredient of responsible parenting?
part IV|23 pages
What should be done to foster children's mathematical development in the preschool years?
part V|28 pages
What is the role of digital media in early education?
chapter 10|10 pages
Extending opportunities for learning
chapter 11|16 pages
The inappropriateness of ICT in early childhood
part VI|22 pages
How is school readiness best fostered?
chapter 13|10 pages
School readiness and school's readiness
part VII|26 pages
Is academic skill acquisition important during preschool and kindergarten?
part VIII|22 pages
Is it important for children to acquire reading skills in preschool and kindergarten?
part IX|23 pages
What are the best ways to develop primary school children's mathematical abilities?
part X|23 pages
Is phonological awareness causally important in the acquisition of reading and spelling?
part XI|22 pages
What form should reading instruction in kindergarten and elementary school take?
chapter 22|9 pages
Contemporary reading acquisition theory
part XII|24 pages
What is the pedagogical value of homework?
part XIII|19 pages
Is regular standardized assessment important for childhood education?
chapter 26|6 pages
The benefits of regular standardized assessment in childhood education
part XIV|20 pages
What is the role of the modern educator in fostering moral values and virtues?