The key to improving the early education of all young children, including those with special needs, is the effective preparation and development of the professionals who work with them. "Practical Approaches to Early Childhood Professional Development" is a comprehensive planning resource for college faculty and consultants engaged in preservice and in-service professional development for early childhood education and early intervention practitioners. Contents include information on adult learning styles, resources for teaching key topic areas in early childhood education and early intervention, and strategies for building collaborations with other professionals and policymakers to improve the quality of early childhood professional development. Each chapter is co-authored by prominent expert practitioners in that field. Chapters 1-2 outline key findings on adult learning styles and explain the importance of needs assessment and follow-up in professional development programs. Chapters 3-11 survey nine key topics that should be a part of early childhood professional development: family-centered practices, cultural and linguistic diversity, early relationships, social competence and challenging behavior, typical and atypical development, alternative assessment approaches, literacy development, inclusive settings and natural learning environments, and collaborating with other adult professionals. Each chapter provides an introduction to current research on the topic, strategies for teaching it in the classroom, and resources, syllabi, and/or sample handouts (on CD-ROM). Chapters 12-13 provide information on working with policymakers and strategies for developing a cross-agency professional development system. The accompanying CD-ROM lists hundreds of additional resources (including in-print, on-line, and on video) for each chapter and contains many activities and course syllabi that can be used in both preservice and in-service training. (Contains index.)