ABSTRACT

The nature of childhood, the consideration of whether a certain age denotes innocence or not, and the desire to teach good citizenship to our children are all issues commonly discussed by today's media. This book brings together a variety of perspectives on the study of childhood: how this has been treated historically and how such a concept is developing as we move into the next century.
The book is divided into five main sections:
* part one sets the scene and provides the reader with an overview of attitudes towards childhood.
* part two surveys the contribution of literature from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries
* part three examines educational issues such as childrens' play, language acquisition and spiritual development
* part four looks at the representation of children in film, television and other mass media
* part five offers further help for study and research
This book draws on a number of academic disciplines including education, literature, theology, language studies and history. It will be of particular use to those on Childhood studies courses and all those studying for a teacher qualification. Teachers of children aged between 4-12 years old will find its contribution to their continuing professional development extremely helpful.

chapter |4 pages

Intr oduction

part |2 pages

Part One Ov er vie w

chapter 1|32 pages

Perspectives of childhood

part |2 pages

Part Two Liter a tur e

part |2 pages

Part Three Educa tion

chapter 4|18 pages

Children at play

chapter 5|16 pages

Language and thought

chapter 6|16 pages

Moral and spiritual growth

part |2 pages

Part Four Cultur al studies

chapter 7|14 pages

Race, class and gender

chapter 8|16 pages

Children in film

part |2 pages

Part Five R esear c h

chapter 10|16 pages

Researching childhood