Preschool Education in Today's World: Teaching Children with Diverse Backgrounds and Abilities

Future early childhood educators need to know how to teach all young learners effectively--including children with diverse cultural, linguistic, and economic backgrounds and children with special needs. This core textbook equips early childhood educators with the knowledge they'll need to succeed in the classroom and ensure the best outcomes for young children.

M. Susan Burns, co-editor of the National Research Council's seminal Eager to Learn report, partnered with two other respected ECE experts (one a current early childhood teacher) to develop a highly accessible text that's perfectly in tune with the realities of today's diverse classrooms. Ideal for teaching the basics of early childhood education to undergraduate and community college students, this textbook is everything future educators need:

• Field tested, both in the author's courses at George Mason University and a Head Start-University partnership for professional development in Washington, D.C.
• Focused solely on preschool settings and the teaching strategies most effective for that specific age group
• Inclusive, so teachers can skillfully meet the needs of the diverse students they're sure to encounter in their classrooms
• Aligned with NAEYC, CEC, and TESOL standards--includes a clear matrix of correlations between the book's content and the standards for easy reference
• Student friendly--packed with learning objectives, case studies, photos, self-reflection and study questions, helpful section summaries, and a glossary
• Concise and clear, so pre-service educators are likely to read the whole text and keep it for years as a reference
• Comprehensive, covering everything from the history and legislation of early childhood education to specific educational strategies

With this expertly organized collection of essential information on early childhood education, tomorrow's preschool teachers will enter the classroom prepared and motivated to give all children a great start in school.

Linda Espinosa, Ph.D., has had experience as a preschool teacher, child care center director, elementary school principal, central office administrator, State program director, and corporate Vice President of Education. Her practical experience and research interests focus on the design and evaluation of optimal learning environments for young children who are at risk for school failure. Dr. Espinosa has worked extensively with low-income Hispanic/Latino children and families throughout the state of California. She completed her B.A. at the University of Washington, her Ed.M. at Harvard University and her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology at the University of Chicago.

M. Susan Burns, Ph.D., is Professor Emerita at George Mason University. She is educated in the disciplines of Education and Psychology and received her Ph.D. from George Peabody College, Vanderbilt University. Her entire career has focused on literacy/cognition and early childhood education (birth through grade 3) of children and families, especially those from culturally diverse backgrounds and low-income backgrounds, and professional development for teachers and others serving these children and families. Her expertise in promoting mental health for young children and their families and the role of play-based education as a foundation for intellectual and literacy development is integrated throughout her professional activities. Major publications include Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children and Eager to Learn: Educating Our Preschoolers, reports of the National Academy of Sciences, and Knowledge to Support the Teaching of Reading, report of the National Academy of Education. Dr. Burnsâ (TM) publication listings (over 75), includes books, chapters, and journal articles.

Richard T. Johnson, Ed.D., Professor, Institute for Teacher Education, College of Education, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1776 University Avenue, Everly Hall 223D, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822

Dr. Johnson is a professor at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where he is on the faculty of the Institute for Teacher Education. His recent research and field-based work includes no-touch policies in education, risk, childhood subjectivity, and visual culture. He has taught and served extensively in various field-based preservice early childhood/ elementary teacher education programs for more than 20 years. He earned his Ed.D. degree at Vanderbilt University.

Mona M. Assaf, M.Ed., Head Start Teacher and Doctoral Candidate at George Mason University, Post Office Box 114, Oakton, Virginia 22124

Ms. Assaf has been a Head Start teacher in a large public school district for the last 8 years, and she has conducted research in community Head Start programs. She is passionate about improving educational opportunities for culturally, linguistically, and ability diverse young children and their families.