Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Early Childhood

Introduction - Theodora Papatheodorou and Janet Moyles PART ONE: CHILDREN'S LEARNING CULTURES Introduction - Janet Moyles and Theodora Papatheodorou Seeing the Wood for the Trees: Adults' Roles in Supporting Sensory Play - Sue Gascoyne Valuing Outdoor Spaces: Different Models of Outdoor Learning in the Early Years - Sara Knight The Power of Graphicacy for the Young Child - Maulfry Worthington Young Children's Perceptions of their Classroom Environment: Perspectives From England and India - Mallika Kanyal and Linda Cooper PART TWO: CULTURES OF PEDAGOGY Introduction - Janet Moyles and Theodora Papatheodorou Constructing an Inclusive Culture in Kindergartens - Eva Maagero and Birte Simonsen Pedagogic Activities for Early Education in a Child-to-Child Programme in South Africa - Mary James and Hasina Ebrahim Transition to Preschool Education in Greece: Attitudes of Parents and Educators - Anastasia Papaprokopiou and Athina Kammenou PART THREE: CULTURAL PERSPECTIVES ON CURRICULA Introduction - Janet Moyles and Theodora Papatheodorou Teaching Linear Measurement in the Israeli Kindergarten Curriculum - Ronit Alin How Children's Books Create a Scaffold to Understanding Diversity - Patricia H. Kostell Challenging assessment - Paulette Luff PART FOUR: CULTURES OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Introduction - Janet Moyles and Theodorou Papatheodorou Colliding Discourses: Negotiating Spaces to Enact Pedagogy as an Ethical Encounter - Anne Hunt and Pam Nason The individual as inspiration: A Model for Early Years Teacher Transformation - Jill Sachs International Student Experiences: Influences on Early Childhood Practice - Carolyn Silberfeld Transformation of Early Years Provision Using Discourses for Professional Development for Practitioners - Christine Such, Julia Druce and Hazel Jennings From Parent to Practitioner: Alternative Pathways to Professionalism - Hazel R. Wright Endpiece: Where Are We Now and Where Should We Be Going? - Lilian G. Katz

'Expert contributors from around the world are found throughout this book, making it essential reading for all those studying on early years courses' -Martine Horvath, Early Years Educator