The Developing Brain
Birth to Age Eight
- Marilee Sprenger - Aurora University, IL
—Stephanie Malin, Elementary Instructional Coach
Beaverton School District, OR
"The author has managed to untangle a very complex topic and make it applicable to everyday learning and teaching. The continuous application of research to learning is a strength of the book. A true gift to a broad band of educators."
—Laura Linde, Literacy Coach
Hoover Elementary School, North Mankato, MN
Finally, a book for early childhood educators that combines child development and brain research!
How can early childhood teachers, administrators, and parents translate discoveries on early brain development into strategies that nurture cognitive growth? Synthesizing information from neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and child development, The Developing Brain offers brain-compatible teaching practices that are linked to NAEYC principles for working with young children.
Best-selling author Marilee Sprenger covers the basic structure, vocabulary, and current research on the brain from an early childhood educator's point of view and provides an abundance of illustrations and descriptions. This user-friendly guide includes:
Background information on brain development from birth through age two
Scenarios and snapshots of each year from age three through eight
Reproducible developmental checklists
Over 100 brain-based activities for classroom or child care settings
Through an understanding of the phases of language, motor, and social development at each age level, educators can create enriching educational experiences that enhance children's growth and foster an enduring love of learning.
"I truly enjoyed the book and had trouble putting it down. The developmental checklists at the end of each chapter are awesome! I have pored over them and learned so much about my children, niece, and neighbors. Thanks for providing such a neat way to communicate expectations and guidelines."
"The author has managed to untangle a very complex topic and make it applicable to everyday learning and teaching. The continuous application of research to learning is a strength of the book. A true gift to a broad band of educators."
"This tool shows how classrooms can differentiate instruction, spend time on what really matters, and make sure that all children are making progress. I love the practical applications for each age level and what teachers can do to support optimal learning in their classrooms. Fantastic!"
"The author took difficult information on the brain and synthesized it so that it is reader-friendly and easy to understand. She provided ideas that could easily be implemented in a classroom or at home and identified the curriculum areas for growth."
"Chapters cover the basic research on the brain as it relates to educators and child development issues, pairing this survey with development checklists and over 100 brain-based activities for classroom or child care environments."
