Understanding Children's Worlds – serie

This book will be of interest to psychologists, educators and philosophers. It highlights the child's increasing insight into the complexity and subtlety of our mental life.

Children Doing Mathematics provides a reliable and up to date review of the substantial recent work in children' mathematical understanding. The authors also present important new research on children's understanding of number, measurement, arithmetic operation and fractions both in and out of school. The central theme of Children Doing Mathematics is that there are crucial conditions for children's mathematical learning. Firstly, children have to come to grips with conventional mathematical systems. Secondly, but equally important, they have to be able to present mathematical knowledge in a way that solves problems. The book also discusses how mathematical activities and knowledge involve much more than what is currently viewed as mathematics in the school curriculum. Most recent work illustrates how children can be successful in mathematical activities outside school whereas they fail in similar activities in the classroom. Through these two underlying themes the authors bring together discussions on conventional mathematical learning and on real life mathematical success. In so doing, they also highlight new and better ways of analysing children's abilities and of advancing their learning in school.

Bullying at School is the definitive book on bullying/victim problems in school and on effective ways of counteracting and preventing such problems.

This is the second edition of a textbook that has met with enthusiastic acclaim since its publication in 1988. It explores in detail theories and discussions of how children think and learn. It also looks at the practical implications of research and acknowledges some of the difficult problems teachers face when trying to put theory and research into practice in the classroom. Discusses important new research in developmental psychology that has taken place since the first edition was published in 1988Provides an excellent resource for both psychology students and educationalistsIncludes substantially revised chapters on mathematics and classroom education

This is a fully updated and revised edition of a book that bridges the gap between research and practice in the field of child and family psychology. Making Decisions About Children summarises our knowledge of the sorts of issues that are of concern of those working with children including the effects of maternal employment and of divorce, the implications of different family types and the comparative fitness of men and women as parents.

At time when separation and divorce are increasingly common, this book supplies much-needed insights into why some children survive change in families better than others.

This book demonstrates how children's imagination makes a continuing contribution to their cognitive and emotional development.

This book extends models of early literacy, analyzing how children’s reading and spelling skills develop throughout their school career. An account of how a child’s reading and spelling develop which goes beyond the early yearsShows that there are radical changes in the way children read and spell as they get olderDescribes a new theory about the learning that goes on in the later stages of reading and spellingMakes clear the educational implications of this theoryThe authors' research has previously contributed to the 'literacy hour' – a government initiative to improve the teaching of literacy skills in UK schools

The role of play in child development is a source of ongoing interest and debate. In this book, renowned expert Peter Smith offers an expansive definition of the term “play”, taking an in-depth look at its impact on children, as well as its adaptive value for birds and mammals, including primates. Using both contemporary and classic research, Smith examines how different age groups and sexes participate in a wide variety of play, including exercise and rough-and- tumble play, fantasy play and imaginary friends, and play with objects. The book gauges the function of play in early childhood education and makes the case for and against recess breaks in school. How play occurs in different societies and among various populations – including children with special needs – is also explored.With its comprehensive coverage of theoretical, historical, cross-cultural, and evolutionary perspectives, Children and Play holds significant insights for parents, educators, and clinicians.

The role of play in child development is a source of ongoing interest and debate. In this book, renowned expert Peter Smith offers an expansive definition of the term “play”, taking an in-depth look at its impact on children, as well as its adaptive value for birds and mammals, including primates. Using both contemporary and classic research, Smith examines how different age groups and sexes participate in a wide variety of play, including exercise and rough-and- tumble play, fantasy play and imaginary friends, and play with objects. The book gauges the function of play in early childhood education and makes the case for and against recess breaks in school. How play occurs in different societies and among various populations – including children with special needs – is also explored.With its comprehensive coverage of theoretical, historical, cross-cultural, and evolutionary perspectives, Children and Play holds significant insights for parents, educators, and clinicians.

This fascinating account of an unusual research project challenges many assumptions about how young children learn and how best to teach them. In particular it turns upside-down the commonly held belief that professionals know better than parents how to educate and bring up children; and it throws doubt on the theory that working-class children underachieve at school because of a language deficit at home. The second edition of this bestselling text includes a new introduction by Judy Dunn. Fascinating account of an unusual research project challenges many assumptions about how young children. Turns upside-down the commonly held belief that professionals know better than parents how to educate and bring up children. Throws doubt on the theory that working-class children underachieve at school because of a language deficit at home. The authors' evidence is the children's own conversations which are quoted extensively and are delightful. The second edition of this bestselling text includes an introduction by Judy Dunn.

G is for Genes shows how a dialogue between geneticists and educationalists can have beneficial results for the education of all children—and can also benefit schools, teachers, and society at large.   Draws on behavioral genetic research from around the world, including the UK-based Twins’ Early Development Study (TEDS), one of the largest twin studies in the worldOffers a unique viewpoint by bringing together genetics and education, disciplines with a historically difficult relationshipShows that genetic influence is not the same as genetic determinism and that the environment matters at least as much as genesDesigned to spark a public debate about what naturally-occurring individual differences mean for education and equality

G is for Genes shows how a dialogue between geneticists and educationalists can have beneficial results for the education of all children—and can also benefit schools, teachers, and society at large.   Draws on behavioral genetic research from around the world, including the UK-based Twins’ Early Development Study (TEDS), one of the largest twin studies in the worldOffers a unique viewpoint by bringing together genetics and education, disciplines with a historically difficult relationshipShows that genetic influence is not the same as genetic determinism and that the environment matters at least as much as genesDesigned to spark a public debate about what naturally-occurring individual differences mean for education and equality

Children and Social Exclusion: Morality, Prejudice, and Group Identity explores the origins of prejudice and the emergence of morality to explain why children include some and exclude others. Formulates an original theory about children’s experiences with exclusion and how they understand the world of discrimination based on group membershipBrings together Social Domain Theory and Social Identity Theory to explain how children view exclusion that often results in prejudice, and inclusion that reflects social justice and moralityPresents new research data consisting of in-depth interviews from childhood to late adolescence, observational findings with peer groups, and experimental paradigms that test how children understand group dynamics and social norms, and show either group bias or moralityIllustrates data with direct quotes from children along with diagrams depicting their social understandingPresents new insights about the origins of prejudice and group bias, as well as morality and fairness, drawn from extensive original data

In Children and Pictures, Richard P. Jolley critiques both the historical and contemporary studies conducted in the field of children’s making and understanding of pictures. Some highlights of Children and Pictures are: What develops, and why, in children’s representational and expressive drawing, both in typical, atypical, and cross-cultural populations.The developing relationship between production and comprehension of pictures.Children’s understanding of pictures as symbolic representations.Practical and applied uses of drawings, particularly in clinical and legal settings.Diverse educational practices of teaching drawing across the world.Presenting up-to-date research and pointing towards future topics of study, Children and Pictures brings the study of children’s drawings into mainstream child development studies. This is an edifying resource for students, researchers, practitioners, parents, artists, and educators in the field.

In Children and Pictures, Richard P. Jolley critiques both the historical and contemporary studies conducted in the field of children’s making and understanding of pictures. Some highlights of Children and Pictures are: What develops, and why, in children’s representational and expressive drawing, both in typical, atypical, and cross-cultural populations.The developing relationship between production and comprehension of pictures.Children’s understanding of pictures as symbolic representations.Practical and applied uses of drawings, particularly in clinical and legal settings.Diverse educational practices of teaching drawing across the world.Presenting up-to-date research and pointing towards future topics of study, Children and Pictures brings the study of children’s drawings into mainstream child development studies. This is an edifying resource for students, researchers, practitioners, parents, artists, and educators in the field.

This book provides a critical review of research into how children come to understand the social world, an area often known as children's "theories of mind". Takes an integrated approach to the development of children's social understandingBrings out the connections between mental state understanding and children's understanding of language, social skills, morality and emotions.Sets research within a historical and theoretical contextContributes unique insights and perspectives, particularly in its discussions of Piaget and Vygotsky, and in its Wittgensteinian focus on the role of language.

This book provides a critical review of research into how children come to understand the social world, an area often known as children's "theories of mind". Takes an integrated approach to the development of children's social understandingBrings out the connections between mental state understanding and children's understanding of language, social skills, morality and emotions.Sets research within a historical and theoretical contextContributes unique insights and perspectives, particularly in its discussions of Piaget and Vygotsky, and in its Wittgensteinian focus on the role of language.

Drawing on evidence from studies on both sides of the Atlantic, this beautifully written book from Judy Dunn, the leading international authority on childhood development, considers the nature and significance of children's early friendships. accessible and comprehensive book on friendship, beautifully written by a world authority;features a foreword by Jerome Bruner, one of the most influential psychologists alive today;stresses the importance of friendships to young children and considers the implications of friendship for our understanding of children's development more generally;draws out the practical implications for parents, teachers and those who care for children;considers how to help children with friendship difficulties and what to do about 'trouble-making' friendships and bullying;latest addition to the Understanding Children's Worlds series.

Children and Social Exclusion: Morality, Prejudice, and Group Identity explores the origins of prejudice and the emergence of morality to explain why children include some and exclude others. Formulates an original theory about children’s experiences with exclusion and how they understand the world of discrimination based on group membershipBrings together Social Domain Theory and Social Identity Theory to explain how children view exclusion that often results in prejudice, and inclusion that reflects social justice and moralityPresents new research data consisting of in-depth interviews from childhood to late adolescence, observational findings with peer groups, and experimental paradigms that test how children understand group dynamics and social norms, and show either group bias or moralityIllustrates data with direct quotes from children along with diagrams depicting their social understandingPresents new insights about the origins of prejudice and group bias, as well as morality and fairness, drawn from extensive original data

Peer Groups and Children's Development considers the experiences of school-aged children with their peer groups and its implications for their social, personal and intellectual development Focuses on the peer group experiences of children attending school in Western societies, from five years of age through to adolescenceConsiders peer groups in classrooms, friendships made within and outside of school, and the groups that children participate in for extra-curricular activitiesIncludes a final summary which brings together the significant implications for theory, policy and practiceUnique in that no other volume reviews and integrates literature relating to peer groups in both classroom and out-of-class settingsAddresses the research interests of psychologists and educationalists, as well as the practical concerns of teachers, parents, counsellors, and policy makers

Peer Groups and Children's Development considers the experiences of school-aged children with their peer groups and its implications for their social, personal and intellectual development Focuses on the peer group experiences of children attending school in Western societies, from five years of age through to adolescenceConsiders peer groups in classrooms, friendships made within and outside of school, and the groups that children participate in for extra-curricular activitiesIncludes a final summary which brings together the significant implications for theory, policy and practiceUnique in that no other volume reviews and integrates literature relating to peer groups in both classroom and out-of-class settingsAddresses the research interests of psychologists and educationalists, as well as the practical concerns of teachers, parents, counsellors, and policy makers

The post-war world has become characterized by fierce new assertions of nationalism and sovereignty. Many regions - such as Bosnia, Somalia and Northern Ireland - are threatened by violent ethnic, religious and cultural strife. Almost daily on our television screens we see the faces of frightened children caught up in war, yet research into the effects of war on children is patchy and not well known. Children and Political Violence provides a critical evaluation of attempts to answer questions about the impact of political violence on such topics as children's aggression, moral development, and interpersonal relations. Much of the material is concerned with children who witness, experience or participate in violent acts, and with the children's stress and coping in violent circumstances. Other chapters deal with the effects on the social fabric of children's lives of the loss of families, destruction of social networks, homelessness, and the challenge of ensuring that the next generation grows up to reject violence as a way of settling political disputes.Written in a highly accessible style with many real-life examples, Children and Political Violence will be of broad interest to students, researchers and practitioners in child psychology and psychiatry, education, conflict studies and peace studies.