Theories Guide Practice In Early Childhood Education
Child development theories guide teaching practices of children from birth to 11 years of age.
One key issue shaping curriculum design is the development of learning standards. The arrival of standards into programs serving children from birth to 11years of age has challenged those who want to ensure the implementation of developmentally appropriate practices during a standards-based climate that emphasizes accountability.
In the late 2000s, leading researchers in early childhood education were beginning to provide guidance for ensuring that the needs of young children are appropriately addressed within this context.
The practices that early childhood educators implement with children from birth to 8 have the greatest impact on child outcomes. Knowledge of those practices and the underlying theoretical orientation that supports them is essential in order for young children to receive “critical experiences.”
There are four broad theoretical perspectives that guide practice in early childhood development: behaviourism and social learning theory, cognitive-developmental theory, sociocultural theory, and ecological systems theory.
B. F. Skinner (1904–1990) is most noted …show more content…
According to Berk and Winsler (1995) there are a number of tenets that are unique to social constructivism. First, because children's culture influences the activities, language, and education to which children are exposed, these variables affect children's development. Second, while some development is innate or influenced by biology, higher level development is affected by culture. Finally, the theory incorporates the zone of proximal development, that is, the range in children's development between their ability to perform a task independently and their ability to perform a skill with the assistance of a more competent member of their culture (adult or older
One key issue shaping curriculum design is the development of learning standards. The arrival of standards into programs serving children from birth to 11years of age has challenged those who want to ensure the implementation of developmentally appropriate practices during a standards-based climate that emphasizes accountability.
In the late 2000s, leading researchers in early childhood education were beginning to provide guidance for ensuring that the needs of young children are appropriately addressed within this context.
The practices that early childhood educators implement with children from birth to 8 have the greatest impact on child outcomes. Knowledge of those practices and the underlying theoretical orientation that supports them is essential in order for young children to receive “critical experiences.”
There are four broad theoretical perspectives that guide practice in early childhood development: behaviourism and social learning theory, cognitive-developmental theory, sociocultural theory, and ecological systems theory.
B. F. Skinner (1904–1990) is most noted …show more content…
According to Berk and Winsler (1995) there are a number of tenets that are unique to social constructivism. First, because children's culture influences the activities, language, and education to which children are exposed, these variables affect children's development. Second, while some development is innate or influenced by biology, higher level development is affected by culture. Finally, the theory incorporates the zone of proximal development, that is, the range in children's development between their ability to perform a task independently and their ability to perform a skill with the assistance of a more competent member of their culture (adult or older