Interactions for Development and Learning: Birth Through Eight Years - Softcover

Eddowes, E. Anne; Ralph, Kathleen S.

9780023313424: Interactions for Development and Learning: Birth Through Eight Years

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0023313420 ISBN 13: 9780023313424

Publisher: Merrill Pub Co, 1997

This book is the first of its kind to emphasize the importance of different types of interaction for development and learning. A theoretical rationale is provided for the importance of appropriate interactions between an adult and child, between a child and older and younger peers, or between a child and an object. For those who work in real situations with young children, this is an invaluable guide that presents methods of planning, program implementation, and evaluation.

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From the Back Cover:

This unique book stresses a positive interactive curriculum for development and learning based on five developmental areas: personal-social, physical, cognitive, communication, and creative. The revised edition ties developmental theory to real-life situations in a variety of settings. This helpful book provides methods of planning, program implementation, and evaluation for those who wish to enhance the quality of interaction with children from birth through age eight. Theoretical Perspective for an Interactive Curriculum; Developing an Understanding of Young Children; Physical Environments Supporting Interactive Curriculum; Planning for Interactive Curriculum; Types of Interactions; Personal-Social Development; Physical Development; Cognitive Development; Communication Development; Creative Development.

Interactions for Development and Learning: Birth Through Eight Years is about positive interactions and the important role that they play in development and learning. As the 21st century begins, the technological revolution is bringing many changes to the home, school, and workplace. Information is shared and communicated in new ways. This new emphasis on technology may make some individuals feel isolated. At best, it provides a less personal form of interaction than when one person responds to another face to face. Because of this aspect of technology in the lives of individuals, personal interaction skills are becoming ever more complex than they are today. It is even more important to emphasize the humaness in daily exchanges. It is particularly important for young children to have quality interactions with the adults whose lives they share.

Interactions occur continually during the early childhood years in different settings. These exchanges take place between adults and children, between peers, between children of different ages, and between children and objects in a variety of activities. In addition, the physical surroundings may play a role.

We believe that high-quality interactions will never be replaced by technology. Furthermore, adults must understand appropriate forms of interaction, their context, and how to use them with young children. We provide information concerning the role that positive interactions can play in all areas of development and learning throughout the early years. It is written for parents, caregivers, and teachers who wish to enhance the quality of their interactions with children from birth through eight years of age.

CHANGES IN THE SECOND EDITION

As is reflected in the title, Interactions for Development and Learning, the emphasis in this edition is on using reciprocal interactions as a basis for curricular development. New materials include additional theoretical support for a child-centered interactive curriculum (from Bruner, Dewey, Montessori and Reggio Emilia); a new chapter on "Developing an Understanding of Young Children," with a focus on working with children and families in culturally diverse communities; specific suggestions for planning, using a developmental area framework; and ties to other methods of curriculum planning being used in early childhood education. New material is included and previous material has been reorganized to make it more reader-friendly. The developmentally focused activities are arranged by strands of development and age levels near the end of each of the last five chapters. In addition, the activities are coded to indicate the type of interaction they support: adult-child, child-child, or child-object.

The interactive curriculum is a unique lens to curriculum development for programs serving young children from birth through age eight. It has a dual focus. The first focus is on promoting reciprocal interactions between adults and children, among children, and between children and objects. The second focus is on developmental areas, including personal-social, physical, cognitive, communication, and creative. With a dual focus, an interactive curriculum is a comprehensive approach to planning for children throughout early childhood. The planning process shifts from thinking about what adults do to children to considering ways of creating a learning environment that fosters reciprocal interactions. For example, interactions initiated by either children or adults feature the scaffolding or co-constructing role of teaching.

Secondly, the use of developmental areas for planning is more balanced than a traditional approach to curriculum planning based on subject matter areas. In the primary grades in particular, a developmental focus is often overlooked. Elementary schools tend to center on the cognitive and communication areas, viewing physical and creative development as supplementary to the core curriculum. Personal-social development is even less likely to be a focus of curriculum planning in the elementary school.

WHY HAVE A BOOK FOCUSING ON INTERACTION?

Most books concerning child development and early childhood education make little mention of the value of appropriate interactions with young children. The emphasis has been on the adult as a facilitator of children's learning through the provision of materials and activities in the environment. There have been few suggestions in the literature concerning ways in which interactions can support and extend the learning of young children. Although there are times when adult-child interaction is inappropriate, in many instances the development and learning of individual children can be enhanced by supportive reciprocal interaction.

Interactions take place all of the time, whether or not the participants give them any thought. Although young children can learn much on their own, thoughtful positive reciprocal interactions support and extend their development and learning (Piaget, 1948/1973; Vygotsky, 1978). The early childhood years are a time when growth and development proceed rapidly. Learning takes place continually. Adults must know the kinds of interactions that are most supportive of development and learning.

Positive adult-child interactions must take place in some areas of development, if change is to occur at all. For example, without appropriate interactions between the caregiver and infant in the first year of life, trust does not develop. Another critical area is communication. The development of spoken language depends on the interaction of adults and children. Adult-child interaction can also assist children in learning skills and concepts. For example, most children could use the assistance of adults to learn to tie shoes or to understand how a map works. In the area of creativity, adults can provide materials and support their use in new ways.

Positive interactions can enhance development and learning throughout the early childhood years. We focus on the types of interactions that are most beneficial throughout the young child's development. Examples of appropriate activities are provided in each area of development for young children. Specific interaction activities are described for each of the following age groups: (1) birth to one, (2) one to two, (3) two, (4) three and four, (5) five and six, and (6) seven and eight years.

WHO WILL FIND THE BOOK USEFUL?

The book is written for all adults who interact with children at one time or another. Caregivers in child-care programs will find information concerning those settings and many appropriate activities to use in the daily program. We use the term caregiver to refer to any staff member of a child-care program who works directly with children. Whether they are family child-care providers caring for children in their own home or workers in part-day programs or in full-day child-care centers, they can use a variety of interaction activities with children. Child-care programs in community colleges and technical schools will find it a useful text, first for introductory child development or preschool education courses, and then for continued use throughout the practicum courses. The content is related to the Child Development Associate (CDA) competencies and functional areas (Council for Early Childhood Professional Recognition, 1992). The book could be used in connection with CDA training, in-service child-care staff training, or other types of child development education.

Teachers in kindergartens and primary grades will also find information related to their classroom environments and activities for children in their classes. We use the term teacher for the person in a classroom who has primary responsibility for instruction. Teachers are usually certified by the state in which they work. The book can be used in preservice programs in colleges and universities. It is an appropriate text for introductory early childhood courses, practicum courses, and student teaching. The book could also be a resource for beginning teachers and school in-service activities. In addition, there is information concerning school-age child-care programs for caregivers in schools, child-care centers, and community agencies.

Parents will find information and activities that are helpful in the home. Since many parental caregivers fill this role, we use the term parent to refer to such people as a child's guardian, stepparent, foster parent, or adult relative. The book is an appropriate text for parent education, parent-child interaction classes, and home visitor programs.

ORGANIZATION OF THE BOOK

The book is arranged in three parts. Part 1 includes chapters 1 through 4, which provide a theoretical background and the foundation for interaction, information on planning, and ideas for creating a physical environment, all of which enhance reciprocal interactions. In Part 2, chapters 5 through 10 include a description of types of interactions and examples of activities in each area of development for children up to eight years old. A variety of resources for interaction are found in the five appendixes in Part 3.

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