How do young children learn, and what do educators need to know and do to teach them? Covering the full birth-8 early childhood age range, this introductory text delivers up-to-date answers through a unique lens: a deep focus on the neurological foundations of developmentally appropriate practices. Preservice and inservice educators will explore the basic neurological concepts that affect learning and development--and discover specific ways to apply this knowledge to their classroom teaching practices to help young children thrive. Practical enough to use in the field, this unique foundational text is filled with strategies, figures, illustrations, and examples that are easy for all early childhood educators to understand and apply. Learn effective techniques for: (1) structuring a classroom and choosing instructional materials; (2) planning and organizing the curriculum; (3) creating an engaging classroom that responds to all students' needs; (4) helping children develop strong social-emotional skills; (5) supporting play and active learning; (6) providing both general behavior supports and advanced behavior interventions; (7) teaching students with processing disorders and disabilities; and (8) using assessments to make data-based decisions.