This book includes two distinct environment rating scales—one for supporting young children’s play (PERS) and one for supporting their creative abilities (CERS). Both scales are based on Vygotsky’s cultural-historical approach. They can be used with one classroom or group at a time with children aged 2–6 years old. PERS is a research-based scale designed to analyze and evaluate conditions to support mature (or developed) play that nurtures young children's imagination and contributes to the development of self-regulation, emotions, communication, social skills, cooperation among peers, speech, storytelling, and literacy. Mature play is also very important for school readiness, children's self-esteem, learning motivation, and successful transition to school. Each item of the scale is focused on a specific and meaningful aspect of complex play support: space for play; program structure and free time for play; play materials; adult’s support of children's play; and peer interaction. CERS is a research-based scale designed to analyze and evaluate conditions to support the development of creative thinking and imagination in young children so that they can come up with new ideas, make discoveries, and solve nonstandard tasks. While most early childhood professionals know that encouraging creativity is important, many do not have the tools to do so on a day-to-day basis. This assessment tool measures both environmental provisions and teacher–child interactions that affect several areas: understanding the development processes; asking and supporting questions; being inventive and transforming contradictions; and using imagination. Use the PERS and the CERS to improve the quality of work in early childhood settings, to develop the skills of classroom teachers, and to conduct research. Based on the Environment Rating Scale® principles of scales’ construction, these development scales expand on the widely used Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale® (ECERS-3).
Igor Shiyan, PhD, is a leader of the laboratory of child development and has conducted many studies on the evaluation and development of creative abilities in early years, based on Vygotsky's approach. He has supervised national and international research in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) quality and contributed greatly to the distribution of ECERS in the post-Soviet countries. He is also a founder of the masters program Assessment and Development of ECEC (Cultural-Historical Approach of Lev Vygotsky).
Anna Iakshina, PhD, is an educational and developmental psychologist. She conducts research in the cultural-historical approach on play and imagination and in-service trainings for teachers about play support in kindergartens.
Previously, she worked as a preschool teacher in the Golden Key program, based on Vygotskian approach.
Tatiana Le-van, PhD, is an associate professor and cocreator of the masters program Assessment and Development of ECEC (Cultural-Historical Approach of Lev Vygotsky). She is also an ambassador of child play and promotes the ideas of Vygotsky's understanding of play through vocational trainings, festivals, and professional competitions among teachers.
Olga Shiyan, PhD, is engaged in research on developing creative abilities in early years and adults based on the cultural-historical approach. She is the creator of the Transformations curriculum for preschoolers, which is aimed at developing creative thinking and imagination. She has supervised several studies in ECEC quality.
Irina Vorobeva, PhD, is an associate professor and cocreator of the masters program Assessment and Development of Preschool and School Education (Cultural-Historical Approach of Lev Vygotsky). She has published articles on the assessment and development of ECEC quality, participatory design of public spaces for kids, and professional development of ECEC teachers. Irina also consults parents.
Anastasia Belolutskaya, PhD, conducts research based on the structural-dialectical approach in psychology, where the main subject of analysis is the mental mechanisms of creative thinking. She actively participates in international research projects in the field of early child education, including those in the European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA) and ECERS communities.
Olga Kholodova, MEd, is experienced in the practice and assessment of preschool learning environments. Olga is the author and coauthor of more than 20 articles and books in ECEC content and quality development, including Developmental Dialogue in Kindergarten as a Tool for the Development of Cognitive Abilities, a handbook for ECEC teachers.
Larisa Loginova, MEd, has more than 40 years of experience in ECEC as a teacher and a head teacher. She has contributed several studies in ECEC quality assessment development and is the author of Educational Events in Kindergarten, a handbook for ECEC teachers.
