Experiencing Reggio Emilia: implications for pre-school provision. Edited by Lesley Abbott and Cathy Nutbrown. (Open University Press, 14.99, 01280 823388).
Reviewed by Linda Thornton, head of early years service in Cornwall
The Hundred Languages of Children Exhibition, which toured the UK during 2000, inspired many early years practitioners to discover more about the work of the infant-toddler centres and the pre-schools of Reggio Emilia in northern Italy.
This book is a compilation of the reflections of 13 participants, including early years educators, academics and parents, on a UK study tour to Reggio Emilia in April 1999.
It covers the key issues which face early years educators in the UK today - early years philosophy and pedagogy, the value of play, children with special needs, staff development and working with parents.
While each chapter focuses on the perceptions of its author, common threads appear throughout the book. The contributors revisit themes which are vital to the work in Reggio Emilia - the historical, social and political history of Reggio Emilia, and the co-operative relationships between children, educators and parents.
The authors provide a wealth of information for those readers seeking to know more about the Reggio Emilia system or those exploring the theory and practice of early education.
