Teaching and Learning in the Early Years

How can we help children to become independent learners?

The third edition of this invaluable companion for Early Years practitioners provides a broad-ranging and up-to-date review of current thinking and best practice within Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 education.

Based on the basic truth that an effective Early Years curriculum must start with the children, this book focuses on their needs and their potential. The best teaching must have a strong element of fun, wonder and excitement: David Whitebread and Penny Coltman show how play is a crucial part of this.

Each chapter combines a review of important principles with practical and inspiring classroom examples. This third edition has been fully revised and updated in light of the introduction of the Early Years Foundation Stage, and includes completely new chapters concerned with classroom organisation to support independent learning, outdoor learning, speaking and listening and mathematics in the early years.
The authors review all major areas of the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 curriculum and a range of basic issues and principles, including:


an analysis of current research into how children learn


discussions of general issues such as classroom organisation, curriculum management, and assessment


a detailed section on play and language


chapters covering individual curriculum areas across all six Foundation Stage areas of learning and across the areas of the Key Stage 1 National Curriculum


The book is essential reading for all Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 trainee teachers, their tutors and mentors, and serving teachers working with children in the three to seven age range wishing to reflect upon and develop their practice.

David Whitebread is Senior Lecturer in Psychology and Early Years Education at the University of Cambridge Faculty of Education.

Penny Coltman is Lecturer in Early Mathematics and Science at the University of Cambridge Faculty of Education.

Chapter 1: Introduction: Young Children Learning and Early Years Teaching: David Whitebread

PART A: Basic Principles and Approaches

Chapter 2: ‘Our classroom is like a little cosy house!’: Organising the early years classroom to encourage independent learning: David Whitebread with Rebecca Dawkins, Sue Bingham, Anthony Aguda and Kate Hemming

Chapter 3: 'My mum would pay anything for chocolate cake!' Organising the Whole Curriculum: Enterprise Projects in the Early Years: Penny Coltman & David Whitebread

Chapter 4: "I’m putting crosses for the letters I don’t know" : Assessment in the Early Years: Rachel Sparks Linfield, Paul Warwick and Christine Parker

Chapter 5: "This is the best day of my life! And I’m not leaving here until it’s time to go home!": The Outdoor Learning Environment: Christine Parker



PART B: Play & Language
Chapter 6: ‘You’re supposed to tell me your name now!’: Speaking and Listening in the Early Years: Dominic Wyse & Helen Bradford

Chapter 7: 'It is only a story, isn't it?' Interactive Story-making in the Early Years Classroom: Lesley Hendy

Chapter 8: 'Is there a seven in your name?' Writing in the Early Years: Sally Wilkinson

Chapter 9: 'What's that dog thinking, Mrs. Bromley?' Picture Books and Learning to Read: Helen Bromley

PART C: The Wider Curriculum
Chapter 10: 'We are passing the smile around' Personal, Social & Health Education in the Early Years: Helen Broomby & Sue Bingham

Chapter 11: 'How do I do this better?' From Movement Development to Physical Literacy: Trish Maude

Chapter 12: 'Can I play the drum, Miss?' Music in the Early Years: Jane Edden

Chapter 13: 'Oh . . . I'm just in LOVE with those pots' Young Children's Art: Jane Bower

Chapter 14: 'How many toes has a newt?' Science in the Early Years: Penny Coltman

Chapter 15: ‘How many shapey ones have you got?’ : Number and Shape in the Early Years: Sue Gifford & Penny Coltman

Chapter 16: 'PLEASE can we have another bit?' Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in the Early Years: An Emergent Approach: John Siraj-Blatchford

Chapter 17: 'Mrs Rainbow told us what things were like when she went to school': History in the Early Years: Sallie Purkis & Jayne Greenwood

Chapter 18: 'If the world is round, how come the piece I'm standing on is flat?': Early Years Geography: Dianne Conway, Pam Pointon and Jayne Greenwood

PART D: The Way Forward
Chapter 19: Whatever Next? Future Trends in Early Years Education: Mary Jane Drummond

Index