Contemporary Perspectives on Language and Cultural Diversity in Early Childhood Education (Pb)

Publisher Marketing: A volume in Contemporary Perspectives in Early Childhood Education Series Editors Olivia N. Saracho and Bernard Spodek The purpose of the book series is to present reviews of current research in specific areas of early childhood education. Each volume is devoted to a particular area of the field. Within each volume scholars present reviews of research on particular aspects of the field of early childhood education. Each chapter summarizes the current research and provides an extended set of references which will facilitate readers in furthering their inquiries into research in that area. All contributions to each volume are juried, with an Editorial Board and additional scholars reviewing the draft chapters, suggesting ways that the chapters could be improved, and finally recommending them for publication. This process insures the quality of the contributions to the chapter and avoids the possibility of bias in the work, Recent findings suggest that young children's learning experiences are critical to their learning development, which has attracted the attention of researchers, scholars, and policy makers. Interest has focused on the early childhood policy and practice that can help improve the academic paths of children in poverty. Many of these children are from linguistically and culturally diverse families. The purpose of this volume is to review and summarize the current state of knowledge related to linguistically and culturally diverse children. It expanded cultural diversity to include social justice which can contribute knowledge in providing effective teacher preparation programs and high quality programs for linguistically and culturally diverse children. Contributor Bio:  Spodek, Bernard Bernard Spodek is Professor Emeritus of Early Childhood Education at the University of Illinois.  He began in 1952 as an early childhood teacher in the New York City area.  He received his doctorate from Teachers College, Columbia University. His research and scholarly interests are in the areas of curriculum, teaching, and teacher education in early childhood education. He was President of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (1976-78) and is currently President of the Pacific Early Childhood Education Research Association. Spodek was co-editor with Olivia N. Saracho of the "Yearbook in Early Childhood Education" Series (Teachers College Press). They are currently co-editors of the "Contemporary Perspectives in Early Childhood Education" Series (Information Age Publishers). Olivia N. Saracho is Professor of Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Maryland. Her areas of scholarship include family literacy, cognitive style, teaching, and teacher education in early childhood education.  Dr. Saracho was co-editor of the "Yearbook in Early Childhood Education" Series (Teachers College Press). Currently she is co-editor of the "Contemporary Perspectives in Early Childhood Education" Series (Information Age Publishers). Dr. Saracho's most recent books are "Contemporary Perspectives on Play in Early Childhood Education," "Studying Teachers in Early Childhood Settings, "and "Contemporary Perspectives on Language Policy and Literary Instruction in Early Childhood Education," co-edited with Bernard Spodek (Information Age Publishers).