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Trackers

"Thank you for co-ordinating these books, what a find for us! We now have far more time to be with the children ... and the books are very 'family friendly', enabling parents to contribute and share observations and to have a lovely keepsake of their child's development. The books have also helped with our staff development too." (Lianne Piggott, Manager at Bridges Childcare, Hereford)

"... our recent very successful Ofsted inspection praised your Trackers!  Thank you!" (Arnold School)

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If you use Trackers why not try Making Birth to three matters work for you? Most of those who use Trackers

also use this book because it's an easy way to draw up activity planners to guide and support staff -

full of sample activities and proformas - makes activity planning a pleasure . . . really!

 

Trackers 3-5 by Dr Hannah Mortimer

Although the new EYFS Trackers 0-5 are now available, we will continue to supply this version to those early years settings wishing to use them.   In early years settings there is a requirement that staff observe and record what children do. These observations should then be used to help plan the next steps of children's play, learning and development. With this in mind Trackers 3-5 (and the earlier Trackers 0-3) were developed to provide a simple method of meeting this requirement. The Trackers link into the Government's Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage (QCA, 2000). This relates to children aged three to five years. The Trackers are divided into various types of play activity and the six areas of learning. Within each area of learning, the Government has identified Early Learning Goals which most children will be expected to have achieved by the end of their Reception year. Each of these goals is divided into smaller sections called Stepping Stones. Each page of the Trackers carries the title of one type of play activity within a particular Area of Learning, yet weaves in some of the developmental and skills-based stages which users will already be familiar with and also builds in approximations to the Stepping Stones and Early Learning Goals.   Clearly laid out and very easy to use, these booklets are now widely used by nurseries throughout the country.   See sample pages   ISBN 1 898873 35 6     Published 2004     A5     44  pages             Read reviews of this book

Price £2.50  (for single copies ... 10 or more copies only £2 each)   (delivery FREE in the UK; add £1 if outside the UK)

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Making 'Birth to three matters' work for you by Helen Rowlands

How would you like to draw up activity planners for each of your age groups in minutes instead of hours?   Now you can.   Here is a manual that makes the job of drawing up activity planners a pleasure . . .  really! It is 173 pages of practical hints, tips, sample activities and pro-formas that will help you develop a consistent approach across your setting. This wonderfully practical manual will help you: record spontaneous events in a consistent format; evaluate your planning; make relevant comments each time an activity is carried out to keep other practitioners informed; further identify gaps to be addressed in your children’s development by transferring observations made to developmental Trackers. Making ‘Birth to three matters’ work for you was developed by Helen Rowlands and staff at Hope Park Community Nursery in Liverpool. The manual was then trialled in many nurseries in different parts of the country.   ISBN 1 898873 42 9     Published 2005     Wirobound A4     174  pages

Price £15     (delivery FREE in the UK; add £1 if outside the UK)  Special Offer ... just £10   If you are interested in Birth to three matters have a look at our EYFS Trackers. These go hand in hand with Birth to three matters and the Early Years Foundation Stage and make the observation and recording process so much easier for you.

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An A-Z of Tricky Behaviours in the Early Years by Dr Hannah Mortimer

How often have you wished for an instruction manual when trying to deal with tricky behaviour? Of course every child is unique and there are no ‘recipes’ when it comes to dealing with difficult behaviour. However, here are some imaginative ideas for managing some of the more common tricky behaviours you are likely to have to deal with on a day-to-day basis in a nursery group, crèche, playgroup or childminding setting. These include biting, bossing, climbing, crying, ditching the dummy, kicking and smacking, lack of confidence, not doing as asked, pulling and tugging, running off, scratching and gouging, soiling, spitting, swearing and temper tantrums. Each has a brief pen picture of a child displaying that kind of difficulty, how staff worked out what to do, what they did and why it worked.   ISBN  978 1 898873 03 7     Published 2006     A5     40  pages

Price £5    (delivery FREE in the UK; add £2 if outside the UK)   Available Now

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Behaviour Management in the Early Years by Dr Hannah Mortimer

What is ‘typical’ behaviour in young children? How do you set about changing problem behaviour? What do we mean when we talk about behaviour management? How do I draw up a Behaviour Policy for the nursery? What is the best way of observing and assessing behaviour? What sort of interventions should I try, and what happens when those don’t seem to be working? How should we support parents who have a child with challenging behaviour? Hannah Mortimer deals with these important questions in her usual easy-to-read style, providing a helpful and practical framework for dealing with young children’s behaviour. This book forms a companion to An A-Z of Tricky Behaviours in the Early Years which provides specific information and guidance about particular behaviours such as biting, kicking or throwing temper tantrums. Behaviour Management in the Early Years provides you with the general approaches that you need in order to manage behaviour in the early years.   ISBN  978 1 898873 15 0     Published 2006     A5     56  pages

Price £6    (delivery FREE in the UK; add £2 if outside the UK)  Available NOW

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Developing an Inclusion Policy in your Early Years Setting 2nd edition by Dr Hannah Mortimer & Alan Johnson

Writing an inclusion policy, putting it into practice and then providing evidence that you are following it presents a challenge for early years settings. We so want to ‘get it right’ that it can be quite daunting. Covering important issues such as special educational needs, anti-discrimination, behaviour, bullying, disability and equal opportunities, this book will help you develop an inclusion policy for your setting and provide you with practical ideas with its day-to-day implementation. Provided also, is a sample Inclusion Policy for you to adapt to your own setting.   ISBN  978 1 898873 56 3     Published 2008     A5       pages

Price £6    (delivery FREE in the UK; add £2 if outside the UK)

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The Observation and Assessment of Children in the Early Years by Dr Hannah Mortimer

This book provides some practical examples of how you can assess and observe children learning. The focus is on using assessment to establish starting points for teaching and learning; identifying and assessing children who might have special educational needs; different observation techniques; assessments carried out by other professionals; and involving children and adults in assessment and planning. ISBN 1 898873 21 6     Published 2001     A5     43 pages          Read reviews of this book

Price £6     (delivery FREE in the UK; add £1 if outside the UK)

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Music Makers: Music circle times to include everyone by Dr Hannah Mortimer

No need to be a music specialist . . . here is a book that will help you to use music to include all children in their learning and development. There are over 40 activities divided up into sections including: • music for enjoyment; • songs and action rhymes; • looking and listening games; • movement and rhythm games; • concepts and understanding; • band time. Music is such a powerful tool – it captures children’s attention and holds the interest of children who, in other situations, might experience considerable learning or communication difficulties. Each activity provides information about the skill being learned and how the activities link with the Early Years Foundation Stage framework so that you can show how your music sessions are contributing towards your curriculum or framework. There is clear information about what to do, suggestions for supporting children with additional needs, extension activities and follow-up ideas. There are also record-keeping and planning sheets to help you (and keep Ofsted inspectors happy). This is a practical resource book for childminders, early years educators running toddlers’ groups and Sure Start sessions, and staff in reception classes.   ISBN  978 1 898873 48 8     Revised 2008     A4     78  pages

Price £12    (delivery FREE in the UK; add £2 if outside the UK)        Read review

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Accelerating Babies' Communication by Tania Allen

The Accelerating Babies' Communication (ABC) programme was developed  in response to the need to provide a fun way for carers to learn how to introduce baby signing and create the optimum communication environment for infants. The programme runs over four sessions and combines two excellent approaches: teaching babies British Sign Language (BSL) based on Joseph Garcia's Sign with your Baby programme; and teaching strategies from Tania Allen's Time to Talk, preverbal communication programme. The ABC programme can be used with parents interested in teaching their babies to sign, as a preventative tool where infants may be at risk of language delay or as a remedial tool where infants are already displaying a delay in their communication. The pack contains all you need to run the ABC programme and includes: four session plans; presenter's guidelines for each session; attractive, colour transparencies (OHTs); ready-prepared handouts for copying; tips to help you make the programme a success;   Also available is Joseph Garcia's Sign with your Baby Complete Learning Kit. This includes a book, training video, British Sign Language reference book, and a quick reference guide. (£49.95 + VAT) ISBN 1 898873 40 2     Published 2004     A4 File     71  pages

Price £49.95     (delivery FREE in the UK; add £3 if outside the UK)

 

Sign with your Baby Complete Learning Kit by Joseph Garcia

Babies have control over their hands long before they develop the fine motor skills required for speech. By teaching their infants to sign, starting as early as eight months, more and more parents, grandparents and carers are recognising the benefits of this early communication. This comprehensive package provides you with an easy-to-follow method to help you and your baby begin signing. There are illustrations and demonstrations of the most effective signs to use. You will be amazed at how much babies can communicate with their hands - 'I'm hungry', 'I'm thirsty' or 'I have an earache' - many months before they can speak! The kit includes a book, training video, British Sign Language reference book, and a quick reference guide

Price £54.55 incl VAT     (delivery FREE in the UK; add £3 if outside the UK)

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Complete Guide to Baby Signing by Joseph Garcia

Babies have control over their hands long before they develop the fine motor skills required for speech. By teaching their infants to sign, starting as early as eight months, more and more parents, grandparents and carers are recognising the benefits of this early communication. This book provides detailed instruction and a wealth of illustrations to show you how and when to use the various signs. There is also a DVD dictionary with live-action video clips to make it even easier. Written especially for British readers, it uses British Sign Language (BSL) throughout. ISBN 1 904840 00 0     Published 2005 by Match Media Publishing     188  pages + DVD

Price £29.99 incl VAT     (delivery FREE in the UK; add £3 if outside the UK)

 

Special offer Buy the set and get all the books at half price (total cost £15)

 

Making Connections by Dr Hannah Mortimer

Making Connections is all about how to set up a therapeutic group for parents or carers who have attachment difficulties with their young children. This will help you understand more about patterns of attachment and provides practical ways of designing interventions that will help build self-esteem in parents and carers and their children and help form attachments. In her usual readable style, Hannah Mortimer provides the underpinnings of attachment theory and then focuses on the practical steps needed to make support groups like this really work. ISBN 1 898873 47 X     Published 2006     A5     52  pages

Price £6     (delivery FREE in the UK; add £1 if outside the UK)     Read a review

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MUSIC AND PLAY by Dr Hannah Mortimer

Music and Play groups have proved to be an excellent way of introducing group work in a community. They are an enjoyable and non-threatening method of ‘getting families through the door’, enabling you to move on to more supportive ways of working later on. They also serve as a gentle introduction to running a group and building up your own confidence in group working. The aim is to provide a constructive session for parents and their young children to share together. This book will help you:   consider when and why you might like to run such a group and how it might fit in with the provision you offer;   with ideas about what you need in terms of equipment and skills;   with suggestions for the music session that are accessible at any level of musical ability (you do not need to be musical yourself);   by providing suggestions for supported play activities;   evaluate your sessions;   with a list of useful resources and helpful contacts.   ISBN 1 898873 45 3     Published 2005    A5     44  pages

Price £6     (delivery FREE in the UK; add £1 if outside the UK)     Read reviews of this book

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RUMPUS by Dr Hannah Mortimer and Catterick Garrison Health Visitors

RUMPUS stands for ‘Are you Mas and Pas under stress?’ and is a user-friendly title for what is effectively a pre-school behaviour group. Developed by educational and child psychologist, Hannah Mortimer, and a team of community health visitors in Catterick Garrison, the groups aim to support young parents and their early years children where there are particular difficulties in managing behaviour. A combination of approaches has been developed by the team to put parents at their ease, improve the attention skills of the children, encourage early language and lap play, build up family relationships and provide practical advice based on realistic expectations and week by week management of behaviour. In this book these approaches are described and explained. ISBN 1 898873 43 7     Published 2005    A5     56  pages

Price £6     (delivery FREE in the UK; add £1 if outside the UK)     Read reviews of this book

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Step by Step by Dr Hannah Mortimer

Step by Step groups are a helpful way of working with parents or carers whose young children need extra support to encourage their development. Their development might be delayed in some sense (perhaps related to a condition such as Down’s Syndrome), they might have other special needs or they might need extra stimulation and structure to make progress. The benefits of working in groups with parents or carers of young children are to promote friendship and mutual support, reduce isolation, and help adults share information and advice in a palatable and non-threatening manner. This book will help you set up and run such a group – providing information on planning your provision, the type of sessions that work, suggestions for step by step teaching and finally, evaluating and reporting back to management. ISBN 1 898873 44 5     Published 2005     A5     46  pages

Price £6     (delivery FREE in the UK; add £1 if outside the UK)     Read reviews of this book

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