From the beginning of life, young children's learning and activities depend on their cognitive capabilities and development.

To cope with the environment they live in, children need to learn about their physical and social worlds; acquire language; regulate their bodies, emotions, and thoughts; and gain competence in literacy, mathematics, science, and other knowledge domains. This collection of readings from books and Young Children articles outlines important dimensions of their early cognitive development and describes approaches for promoting it.

An Essential Resource for Teachers of Children in First, Second, and Third Grades

Edited and compiled just for teachers, this resource explains developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) so teachers can apply DAP in their work with children in first, second, and third grades. Chapters include:

• What Is Developmentally Appropriate Practice? - A brief introduction to the main ideas of DAP
• Teaching Children in First, Second, and Third Grades - Connecting DAP to excellent teaching
• An Overview of Development in the Primary Grades - Overview of learning and development in first, second, and third grades
• Developmentally Appropriate Examples to Consider - Examples of key DAP practices, as well as contrasting practices that are less likely to serve children well
• Supporting Children's Learning While Meeting Standards - Connecting standards to DAP
• Young Children Articles

Ten articles from Young Children that provide examples of applying developmentally appropriate practice when working with children in first, second, and third grades.