This text gives pre-service and in-service early childhood and special education teachers the tools they need to best meet the needs of all children in their classrooms. Using a clear, accessible approach, the authors present the ideas in a way that is applicable both at home and in the classroom.

The assessment of young children's development and learning has recently taken on new importance. Private and government organizations are developing programs to enhance the school readiness of all young children, especially children from economically disadvantaged homes and communities and children with special needs. Well-planned and effective assessment can inform teaching and program improvement, and contribute to better outcomes for children. This book affirms that assessments can make crucial contributions to the improvement of children's well-being, but only if they are well designed, implemented effectively, developed in the context of systematic planning, and are interpreted and used appropriately. Otherwise, assessment of children and programs can have negative consequences for both. The value of assessments therefore requires fundamental attention to their purpose and the design of the larger systems in which they are used. Early Childhood Assessment addresses these issues by identifying the important outcomes for children from birth to age 5 and the quality and purposes of different techniques and instruments for developmental assessments.

Clearly babies come into the world remarkably receptive to its wonders. Their alertness to sights, sounds, and even abstract concepts makes them inquisitive explorersâ€"and learnersâ€"every waking minute. Well before formal schooling begins, children's early experiences lay the foundations for their later social behavior, emotional regulation, and literacy. Yet, for a variety of reasons, far too little attention is given to the quality of these crucial years. Outmoded theories, outdated facts, and undersized budgets all play a part in the uneven quality of early childhood programs throughout our country. What will it take to provide better early education and care for our children between the ages of two and five? Eager to Learn explores this crucial question, synthesizing the newest research findings on how young children learn and the impact of early learning. Key discoveries in how young children learn are reviewed in language accessible to parents as well as educators: findings about the interplay of biology and environment, variations in learning among individuals and children from different social and economic groups, and the importance of health, safety, nutrition and interpersonal warmth to early learning. Perhaps most significant, the book documents how very early in life learning really begins. Valuable conclusions and recommendations are presented in the areas of the teacher-child relationship, the organization and content of curriculum, meeting the needs of those children most at risk of school failure, teacher preparation, assessment of teaching and learning, and more. The book discusses: Evidence for competing theories, models, and approaches in the field and a hard look at some day-to-day practices and activities generally used in preschool. The role of the teacher, the importance of peer interactions, and other relationships in the child's life. Learning needs of minority children, children with disabilities, and other special groups. Approaches to assessing young children's learning for the purposes of policy decisions, diagnosis of educational difficulties, and instructional planning. Preparation and continuing development of teachers. Eager to Learn presents a comprehensive, coherent picture of early childhood learning, along with a clear path toward improving this important stage of life for all children.

This handbook discusses early childhood special education (ECSE), with particular focus on evidence-based practices. Coverage spans core intervention areas in ECSE, such as literacy, motor skills, and social development as well as diverse contexts for services, including speech-language pathology, physical therapy, and pediatrics. Contributors offer strategies for planning, implementing, modifying, and adapting interventions to help young learners extend their benefits into the higher grades. Concluding chapters emphasize the importance of research in driving evidence-based practices (EBP). Topics featured in the Handbook include: Family-centered practices in early childhood intervention. The application of Response to Intervention (RtI) in young children with identified disabilities. Motor skills acquisition for young children with disabilities. Implementing evidence-based practices in ECSE classrooms. · Cultural, ethnic, and linguistic implications for ECSE. The Handbook of Early Childhood Special Education is a must-have resource for researchers, professors, upper-level undergraduate and graduate students, clinicians, and practitioners across such disciplines as child and school psychology, early childhood education, clinical social work, speech and physical therapy, developmental psychology, behavior therapy, and public health.

Teaching Exceptional Children is an ideal textbook for introductory graduate and undergraduate courses on early childhood special education and teaching in inclusive classrooms. Bayat’s clear and accessible writing, a visually appealing design, and focused pedagogy in each chapter help make it possible to cover a significant amount of material. This powerful text identifies specific behavioral characteristics and presents theoretical information grounded in neuroscience and child development research for a wide range of disabilities. Research-based best practices for effectively working with children with various disabilities in inclusive classrooms are provided in each chapter. The second edition has been fully updated based on the DSM-5, and includes new sections on contemporary issues in inclusion of children with disabilities in early childhood classrooms, such as challenging behaviors, using technology, at-risk children, promoting mental health, and family issues. A robust pedagogical program, along with online resources for instructors and students, provides full support, including: Chapter Objectives and Key Terms help frame each chapter Discussion, Critical Thinking, Essay/Short Answer, and Review Questions at the beginning, throughout, and concluding chapters prompt students to fully engage with the material Homework/Field Assignments provide opportunities for students to apply their knowledge to real-world situations Real-Life Vignettes illustrate concepts in action Color Photos, Figures, and Tables clarify concepts in a visually engaging way Recommended Resources and References offer guidance for further study The companion website, http://routledgetextbooks.com/textbooks/9781138802209, includes instructor resources for teaching and planning, including an Instructor's Manual with additional ideas for assigntments and projects, web links, and video links with reflection questions; a test bank; and PowerPoint lecture slides. The site also includes tools for students to engage with and master the concepts and terminology introduced in the book.

Part 1: Foundational concepts in assessment in special education. Introduction to Assessment ; Methods of Assessment and Testing Considerations ; Basic Statistical Concepts ; Validity and Reliability ; Scoring Terminology Used in Assessment. -- Part 2: The special education process. Response to Intervention ; The Child Study Team and Prereferral Strategies ;The Multidisciplinary Team and Parental Participation in the Assessment Process ;Assessment of Academic Achievement ; Assessment of Intelligence ; Assessment of Behavior ; Assessment of Perceptual Processing ; Assessment of Speech and Language ; Early Childhood Assessment ; Other Areas of Assessment ; Determining Whether a Disability Exists ; Writing a Comprehensive Report in Special Education ; Eligibility Procedures for Special Education Services ; Development of the IEP.

For Assessment courses in Early Childhood Education. One of the most accessible and practical textbooks available on assessing young children from infancy through age 8. It provides the full range of types of assessment and how, when, and why to use them. An excellent introduction to assessing young children, Assessment in Early Childhood Education continues with the inclusion of all types of assessments that can be used with infants and young children. Key changes and updates to this edition include: updated and streamlined figures, examples, and models of assessment that aid pre-service teachers to learn how to apply the principles of quality assessments; new activities at the end of the chapters provide opportunities for students to apply their own performance activities to demonstrate understanding of chapter contents; the effects of No Child Left Behind have been updated; newly revised information on children from diverse cultures and languages and children with disabilities has been added; and information on new and current trends toward accountability are discussed, as well as the impact of high-stakes testing.