Understanding Early Childhood: Paradigms, Theory, and Foundations of Inquiry

This comprehensive textbook provides a clear introduction to the major theoretical frameworks and key theories that shape how we understand development, learning, and teaching in young children. By introducing students to broad, foundational perspectives on the young child, this book encourages critical reflection on how different theories position children and inform educational practices. The behavioral, constructive, sociocultural, critical and poststructural theoretical frameworks are examined, with specific early childhood theories, developmentalism, reconceptualism, trauma, and attachment explored in detail with historical context and practical examples for the early childhood education context. Through clear definitions, visually engaging charts and tables, and chapter prompts for reflection, the book highlights relationships, intersections, and contradictions between these theories, making complex ideas more accessible for students in early childhood education and professional programs. Perfect for early childhood graduate studies, this text serves as both a primary and supplementary resource, offering an insightful exploration of the underlying beliefs that inform early childhood theories and ultimately helps educators understand how young people grow, develop, and learn.

• Publication date: 30 October 2026
• Page count: 334
• Dimensions: Height 251 mm; Width 178 mm; Thickness 22 mm
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Format: Paperback
• ISBN-13: 9781041109259