"Understanding the nature of the child/learner, the context in which they live and grow, and building perspective on the whole process of development is the basic framework for all courses in Education. This book focuses on human development and diversity as the dominant themes that cut across early, middle and late childhood and adolescence, which corresponds to the pre-primary, primary, secondary and senior secondary levels of schooling. This book links existing theories in educational psychology with concerns of contemporary Indian society. It covers early childhood care and education, socio-cultural, philosophical, and psychological perspectives to childhood and adolescence, contemporary lifestyle changes affecting these life-stages, concerns of diversity ranging from multilingualism, gender, to intelligence, and development of self and identity. The textually informative chapters cover the historical trajectory and important theories of each life-stage, and raise relevant debates and issues related to each of them"-- Provided by publisher.