Developmentally Appropriate Practice ─ Curriculum and Development in Early Education

Thoughtful and comprehensive, DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE PRACTICE: CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT IN EARLY EDUCATION, 5th Edition, is designed to meet the needs of new early childhood students as well as experienced teachers, professionals, and parents. It provides an overview of the concepts and theoretical foundations of developmental practices and discusses the practical implications for teachers and caregivers. Reflecting the NAEYC position statement on Developmentally Appropriate Practice, the book includes content on aligning early childhood teaching practices with national education standards. Section I explores developmentally appropriate practice, including an in-depth section on the theory and research of play as well as discussion of early learning standards in curriculum development. Readers also learn how well known curriculum approaches fit into the principles of developmentally appropriate practice. Subsequent sections, which discuss the physical, social/emotional, and cognitive/language domains, individually address appropriate practice for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and primary-aged children. Section V, available on the book's website, discusses how teachers can make changes that result in more developmentally appropriate practices and how to gain support for those changes with families and communities.