Understanding Children's Development: 4th Edition

This fully revised and updated edition of a fundamental New Zealand psychology text examines how and why children develop and how they are influenced by the people and events in their lives. Discussed are theories of development and learning, the importance of early experience, intelligence and assessment, and the family. The development of social behavior, gender roles, language, and thinking are also covered. The question of mainstreaming-the integration of children with special educational needs into regular preschools and classrooms-is also debated. There is a strong emphasis on local conditions and the New Zealand historical and social context. This new edition also deals with the important issue of giving children themselves a voice, in order to better understand their development and to involve them in decisions about their lives.

Anne Smith is the director of the Children's Issues Centre at the University of Otago. Keith Ballard is an associate professor of education at the University of Otago.