Understanding Early Development from Conception to Four A Guide to Provision and Practice

SECTION ONE – Development and Learning 1. Understanding Early Development 2. The Developing Brain 3. The Developing Personality 4. The Developing Communicator 5. The Developing Body 6. The Impact on the Child SECTION TWO – Key areas of learning 7. Learning Through Play 8. Learning to Communicate 9. Learning How the World Works 10. A New Learning Environment in the 21st Century 11. Learning About Mind and Body 12. Early learning or early years care? SECTION THREE – Supporting learning in the early years 13. Developing the Quality of Our Interactions 14. Developing Our Observation Skills 15. Supporting Language Acquisition and Early Literacy 16. Developing Positive Dispositions to Learning 17. Learning All the Time 18. Language, literacy and learning CONCLUSION

Sheila Nutkins is Senior Lecturer in the School of Education at the University of Aberdeen, UK. Catriona McDonald is Senior Lecturer in the School of Education at the University of Aberdeen, UK. Katrina Foy is Lecturer in the School of Education at the University of Aberdeen, UK.