Key to Learning is a unique programme of cognitive development activities for the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 based on the concepts of Lev Vygotsky, one of the 20th century’s most influential theorists in the field of early years education.

Key to Learning is a unique programme of cognitive development activities for the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 based on the concepts of Lev Vygotsky, one of the 20th century’s most influential theorists in the field of early years education.

Sandra Smidt takes the reader on a journey through the key concepts of Lev Vygotsky, one of the twentieth century’s most influential theorists in the field of early education. His ground-breaking principles of early learning and teaching are unpicked here using every-day language, and critical links between his fascinating ideas are revealed. Introducing Vygotsky is an invaluable companion for anyone involved with children in the early years. The introduction of Vygotsky’s key concepts is followed by discussion of the implications of these for teaching and learning. Each chapter also includes a useful glossary of terms. This accessible text is illustrated throughout with examples drawn from real-life early years settings and the concepts discussed include: mediation and memory culture and cultural tools mental functions language, concepts and thinking activity theory play and meaning. Essential reading for all those interested in or working with children, Introducing Vygotsky emphasises the social nature of learning and examines the importance of issues such as culture, history, language, and symbols in learning.

Over the past decade, early childhood education and care has moved onto the policy agenda in many countries. There is growing recognition that early access to quality education and appropriate care provides young children with a good and fair start in life. While scientific research constantly brings new insights into brain development and the enormous importance of the first years of a child’s life, the early 20th century theories of one Russian psychologist, Lev S. Vygotsky (1896–1934), have had profound and diverse impacts upon the early childhood education traditions in both the East and the West and remain highly relevant today. Recently, more than 750 early childhood education researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and NGO activists from around the world met in Prague at “Exploring Vygotsky’s Ideas: Crossing Borders,” the 17th Annual Conference of the European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA), hosted by the International Step by Step Association (ISSA). In an effort to share many of the intriguing ideas and practices discussed during the conference with a broader audience, ISSA invited leading presenters to explore their experiences in early childhood through the prism of Vygotsky’s theories and ideas. The result of ISSA’s initiative is this volume of papers which examine Vygotsky’s legacy on early childhood education systems in both the East and the West, offering ideas which can be used to work for the benefit of children and societies across the globe.

Drawing upon in-depth analyses of Lev Vygotsky’s theories of early childhood and investigating the ways in which his ideas are reflected in contemporary educational settings, this book brings into sharp relief the numerous opportunities for preschool learning and development afforded by Vygotskian approaches. Discussion of recent developments in the understanding and implementation of Vygotsky’s ideas in Western and Russian contexts facilitates comparison, and provides readers with fresh impetus to integrate elements into their own practice. Chapters are clearly structured and address the multitude of aspects touched upon by Vygotsky, including cognitive development, communication and interaction, play, literacy and the quality of preschool settings. Providing a comprehensive exploration of current stances on Vygotsky's ideas in diverse cultural-historical contexts, Vygotsky's Theory in Early Childhood Education and Research will be of interest to researchers, practitioners, educators and politicians involved in early years education.

Now in its third edition, this classic text remains the seminal resource for in-depth information about major concepts and principles of the cultural-historical theory developed by Lev Vygotsky, his students, and colleagues, as well as three generations of neo-Vygotskian scholars in Russia and the West. Featuring two new chapters on brain development and scaffolding in the zone of proximal development, as well as additional content on technology, dual language learners, and students with disabilities, this new edition provides the latest research evidence supporting the basics of the cultural-historical approach alongside Vygotskian-based practical implications. With concrete explanations and strategies on how to scaffold young children’s learning and development, this book is essential reading for students of early childhood theory and development.

Theorising Play in the Early Years is a theoretical and empirical exploration of the concept of pedagogy and play in early childhood education. The book provides an in-depth examination of classical and contemporary theories of play, with a focus on post-developmental perspectives and Vygotskian theory. In this book, Marilyn Fleer draws on a range of cross-cultural research in order to challenge Western perspectives and to move beyond a universal view of the construct of play. Culture and context are central to the understanding of how play is valued, expressed and used as a pedagogical approach in early childhood education across the international community. Designed as a companion to the textbook Play in the Early Years, but also useful on its own, Theorising Play in the Early Years provides indispensible support to academics and TAFE lecturers in early childhood education in their course development and research.