Observing Development of the Young Child

Janice J. Beaty’s best-selling Observing Development of the Young Child teaches its audience how to observe, record, and interpret the development of children ages three through five by utilizing a unique checklist to document each aspect of development. This proven resource discusses what these young children are like, and how to support them in their early development with exciting hands-on activities. Even though the new edition has undergone quite an extensive revision, long-time adoptees and fans of the book in its previous editions can rest assured that the author has preserved many of the original features while adapting them to new circumstances of today’s early childhood education environment, the key issues, and new research. Streamlined from previous editions, with 12 chapters instead of 14, this practical, easy-to-use system is based on a progression of children’s skill development in six major areas: emotional, social, physical, cognitive, language, and creative. Used successfully in early childhood programs all over the country since its inception, this unique and mainstay text looks at child development versus child behaviors, preparing its readers to become avid observers, recording what he/she sees, mastering how to interpret the data, and becoming adept at how to use the observations to plan for the young individuals they will encounter.

The new edition of Jan Beaty’s best-selling book has undergone an extensive revision. The book’s original features and organization remain, while new research, issues, and more extensive coverage of observation is included in the new edition. Chapters 1 and 2 were reorganized and expanded to include the basics of observation. The text itself has become more streamlined, more reader-friendly, with fewer chapters (12 instead of 14), yet with many more boxed ideas. Other examples of observation tools that have been added include running records, rubrics, rating scales, portfolios, documentation panels, and other forms of visual documentation. Strategies for working with dual language learners are included throughout the book. The reorganization and restructuring of the text improves on its past success; the simplification and improvements will appeal to students and instructors alike. What emerges is the most current observation text on the market, modernized to reach today’s population of early childhood education students.