'The authors who have contributed to this book bring a wealth of expertise and a wide range of research findings. This gives the reader the opportunity to link theory with practice in a helpful and illuminating way' - Early Years Update Praise for the first edition: `...represents an enormously rich body of research and expertise focused on the objective of taking into account the social, historical and cultural dimensions of everyday activities in order to better understand children. ...will undoubtedly be of interest and value to anyone with a similar concern' - Early Years Journal `...an international state-of-the-art early childhood education publication that sets out research-based evidence and critically links this with theory and practice. It is pitched at the graduate level and beyond. Readers will gain more from the book if they have a thorough base understanding of relevant learning and social-cultural theories and an open-mind to appreciate the perspectives presented in this book' - Childforum, New Zealand This fully revised and up-to-date edition examines sociocultural and historical approaches to current theories of learning in early childhood education. It sets out research-based evidence linking theory and practice in early childhood settings. Written by leading figures in the field, the book extends a strong and traditional theme - the importance of the child's perspective and respect for each child's individual background. Within the context of early years settings, the book is structured around four overall themes: - the dynamics of learning and teaching - the nature of knowledge - assessment - evaluation and quality. This book is essential reading for undergraduate and advanced courses in early childhood studies.