Early Childhood
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Description: Early Literacy - IES Practice Guide: Preparing Young Children for School (Literacy Sections 5-7) (2022), Elementary - IES Practice Guide Foundational Skills to Support Reading for Understanding in Kindergarten Through 3rd Grade (2016), IES Practice Guide: Improving Reading Comprehension in Kindergarten Through 3rd Grade (2010), IES Practice Guide: Teaching Elementary School Students to Be Effective Writers (2012), IES Practice Guide: Improving Adolescent Literacy: Effective...
Description: Valerie C. Williams, director of the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), released a blog series on discipline and behavior. The newest blog addresses OSEP’s priorities of calling on “state and local leaders to double down on their efforts to reduce their reliance on exclusionary discipline practice,” and “creating safe, predictable learning environments for students and educators.” In addition to sharing how OSEP’s discipline...
Description: Programs can support education staff and families by using the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) Pyramid Model as a framework for understanding children's behavior. Many strategies can support healthy social and emotional development and prevent or reduce behaviors that could negatively affect children's development and learning. Education managers, child development specialists, home-based supervisors, mental health consultants, and coaches can help...
Description: Why is DEC taking a stand? Challenging behavior often can interfere with the development of social-emotional competence. Conversely, children with low social-emotional competence may develop challenging behavior as a way to communicate their needs. Punitive practices don’t teach children needed social and communicative behaviors. Additionally, punitive practices, such as corporal punishment, suspension, and expulsion disproportionately affect young children of color. Professionals and...
Description: Behavior Basics - Behavior issues are a common problem for many families. Understanding what’s behind a child’s behavior is often the first step to helping. Additional information is provided on the following topics: Toddlers and Young Children, Managing Big Emotions, Common Behavior Issues, Behavior and School, Strategies for Managing Behavior, Mental Health and Problem Behavior and Treatment for Problem Behavior.
Description: Social communication is a core area of difficulty for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Children with ASD express fewer gestures to communicate and may be less engaged with others. This webcast will review early core challenges in social communication, including joint attention, among young children with ASD and describe different types of engagement states. As educators play a role in teaching gestures and joint attention, this webcast will also review how to support the development of...
Description: The Virginia Kindergarten Readiness Program (VKRP) aims to build a more comprehensive understanding of school readiness. As an assessment system, VKRP adds measures of mathematics, self-regulation, and social skills in Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten to complement Virginia’s statewide assessment of literacy skills (Pre-K Language and Literacy Screener and PALS K-3). VKRP uses the Early Mathematics Assessment System (EMAS) to measure children’s mathematical thinking. The EMAS is a...
Description: In this Teacher Time episode, explore the math component of STEAM.(STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, art, and math.) Learn how preschoolers explore everyday math concepts through daily routines and interactions. Preschool teachers and family child care providers will learn strategies and teaching practices that help all children explore math. Discover ways to use art to encourage math concepts and skills. Additional resource includes a document with Books That Support Math...
Description: Before they start school, most children develop an understanding of addition and subtraction through everyday interactions. Learn what informal activities give children a head start on early math skills when they start school.
Description: The 2022 VATTS: Resource Guide provides instructional strategies, AT solutions, modifications, accommodations, and examples used to address areas of need identified through the AT consideration process to support student success. There are two Resource Guide PDFs: an ADA Compliant version and a printable table version.
Description: The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Head Start are releasing new documents to encourage collaboration between state educational agencies (SEAs), local educational agencies (LEAs), and Head Start programs to effectively meet the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requirements. These documents make clear that SEAs, LEAs, and Head Start programs all have responsibilities for...
Description: Joint attention is a critical skill that develops early in life for typically developing children, however, those with ASD may struggle with this skill for many years. VCU-ACE has developed a fact sheet on joint attention to help families and professionals support the development of this skill.
Description: It’s back to school time for many children, families, faculty, and early childhood professionals. Many children - and adults - find the start of the school year to be nerve wracking as we figure out new routines and make new friends amongst many other new experiences. We have just the resources for you from STEMIE and from other partners. Having predictable, comprehensible routines is one of the key ingredients to successful inclusion. The National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations...
Description: A child’s social, emotional, cognitive, and academic development is strengthened when educators and families work together. When a child sees a positive relationship developing between educators and family, the child recognizes that the important people in his or her life are working together and trust each other, and he or she will do the same. This collaboration also provides a strong foundation for communication about children’s learning. To foster family involvement, interactions...
Description: This practice guide, developed in conjunction with an expert panel, distills contemporary early childhood and preschool education research into seven easily comprehensible and practical recommendations. The guidance will help to prepare young children to benefit from the learning opportunities they will encounter in school.
Description: Arts integration can inspire children with a lifelong love of learning and of the performing arts. When you bring the arts into the classroom, you create joyful, active learning experiences that engage children in ways that can increase academic and social-emotional development for all kinds of learners. Wolf Trap Institute’s professional development empowers infant, toddler, preschool, and kindergarten teachers to integrate the performing arts into their classrooms. For more than 35...
Description: Preschool LRE Reference Points and Discussion Prompts is a summary of the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) provisions of the IDEA as it applies to preschool aged children with disabilities can be used as both a quick reference guide and training tool. Topics under the five sections outline reference points and discussion prompts. Reference points are drawn from several sources such as IDEA regulations and Federal Register comments. Discussion points are intended to help state and local teams...
Description: A Guide to Adaptations - Adaptations, such as those shared in this guide, can ensure that each and every child, including young children with disabilities, can fully participate and engage in STEM [and other] learning opportunities and experiences at home, in early childhood programs, and in the community.
Description: This guide highlights evidence-based practices to be used by adults or, in some instances by other children, to facilitate children’s participation in everyday routines, learning experiences, and activities. Each section (e.g., prompting, scaffolding, modeling, descriptive talking, wait time, and reinforcement) includes a description of the practice, examples of how it might be implemented, and links to additional information.
Description: Learning Paths are small collections of curated activities that focus on an early intervention topic. To learn about the topic, you will complete each activity on the path. Activities might include reading an article, taking an online module, watching a video, etc. Once you complete the learning path, you will take a final quiz to earn a certificate documenting the professional development hours earned. Autism Pathways Functional Assessment Pathways Transition from Early Intervention Pathways...
Description: When including children with disabilities in regular early childhood programs, it is important to carefully consider class size and the proportionate amount or limits to the number of students with IEPs. This resource outlines requirements and regulations that impact the number of students with IEPs placed in a classroom as well as offers guidance for best practice. This resource should be used to plan and schedule for inclusive classes. This can include VPI, Head Start, Title 1,...
Description: Ready Regions will bring unprecedented levels of coordination, accountability, and family engagement to early education programs in every community in the Commonwealth. Starting in 2022, Ready Regions will help every Virginia community to be: Accountable. Virginia’s early education system must prepare children for success. Parent-centered. Families must be engaged in designing a system that works for them. Responsive. Parents must be able to choose the child care they want and need....
Description: The Making Sound Preschool LRE Decisions guidance document lists important actions in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) development process that should inform placement decisions for young children with disabilities. Organized by important actions within the IEP process. It includes reference to the corresponding IDEA rules and regulations to each action. A guiding principle is listed within each action, followed by additional guidance and resources. Most of the principles in this...
Description: The Early Childhood Virtual Town Hall held on April 19, featured State Superintendent Jillian Balow, Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera, Deputy Secretary of Education McKenzie Snow, and was moderated by Deputy Superintendent Jenna Conway.
Description: The three child outcomes, measured by early intervention and early childhood special education systems, encompass functional skills and behaviors that are meaningful for a child's participation in everyday routines. They cut across developmental domains to represent the integrated nature of how children develop, learn, and thrive. The breadth of these outcomes provides a framework for describing and consistently measuring children's functional skills and behaviors across settings and situations....
Description: Radford University (RU) and the University of Lynchburg (UL) offer tuition support for teachers who are fulfilling requirements for their provisional Birth-5, Children with Disabilities license. This opportunity is funded through the Virginia Department of Education Early Childhood Special Education Consortium grant. Tuition support is available for students who are non-degree seeking (just taking courses to fulfil their license) or degree seeking (pursuing a Master’s degree). Support...
Description: The Ready B5 Recap newsletter will focus on how we work together to support all Virginia children- from birth to age five - to enter school ready. All programs that serve children from birth to age five including schools, Head Starts, child care centers, family day homes, preschools and faith-based programs, will be included. With this quarterly newsletter, we seek to: Appreciate – Ready B5 Recap highlights the incredible work happening in early childhood in Virginia. Build community...
Description: The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), with the collaboration and support of Early Childhood Technical Assistance (ECTA) Center and Center for IDEA Early Childhood Data Systems (DaSy) (for Sections II and III), developed this voluntary self-assessment tool to help local education agencies (LEAs) strengthen their child find system. The goal is to ensure that children eligible for special education and related services are referred and enrolled. This toolkit can also be used by state...
Description: Transitioning from early childhood programs to kindergarten involves a lot of moving parts for all young children. However, transitioning from the preschool to kindergarten classroom for the child with ASD can be especially tricky. This process involves the child, their family, the preschool teacher, the receiving kindergarten teacher, and a multitude of other people including related service providers such as speech and language pathologists (SLPs), occupational therapists (OTs), and other team...
Description: Early childhood encompasses birth to age 8. It is a critical time for child development. Children are learning a variety of academic and social-emotional skills they will need throughout their life. Parents are a child’s first and most important teacher, and you know your child better than anyone. Finding out your child has a disability or developmental delay can be overwhelming. It can be challenging to navigate a new diagnosis, learning how to support your...
Description: This is a listing of vestibular, proprioceptive, tactile, auditory and visual alerting sensory activities.
Description: In this TedX Talk, Grace Lin, award-winning children’s book author and illustrator, shows how the books that are not on a child’s bookshelf are just as important as those that are. Lin shares how books provide children with a window into the larger world, as well as a mirror for self-reflection, both of which foster our ability to build bridges of tolerance.
Description: The Institute offers Family Support Professionals everywhere the opportunity to learn new skills and grow their careers. Through engaging, online modules and a personalized learning map feature, professionals take charge of their growth and advancement. All Institute modules and the career compass are based on the National Core Competency Framework. Supervisor modules are based on the National Supervisor Competency Framework . ...
Description: Self-care during times of crisis is extremely important, certainly for ourselves, but just as much in order to be able to help and support our clients on an on-going basis. Managing your own level of stress will have the dual benefit of sustaining your own well-being as well as making you more effective in your work. Each of us is different, our preferences and possibilities quite varied, so there is no prescription for self-care that will be effective for everyone. Yet there are...
Description: Early learning programs can play a key role in helping children, families, and staff commit to finding ways to reduce stress in their lives. Programs can also create wellness strategies that promote both physical and mental well-being. In the resources below, learn ways to promote a culture of wellness for young children and the adults who care for them.
Description: Are you stressed? Do you stress about things like, work, home, and family? If so, you’re not alone! Join this webinar and a community of like-minded ECE experts, teachers, and peers. Stress is not an event…..stress is our reaction to an event. Stress can motivate you to achieve great things! But in excess, stress can be overwhelming. Learn about the indicators and strategies to combat educator stress to help increase your engagement (both personally and professionally) while working...
Description: Early childhood educators strive to meet the needs of the children and families they serve and tend to neglect their own well-being. However, practicing self-care is important to provide high-quality programs to young children and their families. Join this webinar to rekindle your passion and to discover the red flags of burnout, strategies to develop a self-compassionate state-of-mind, and tips to prevent burnout. Objectives: Understand self-care and signs of burnout to establish protective...
Description: We need to take care of ourselves when we work with people who have experienced trauma. The effects of those experiences on them can affect us, too. They can cause us to experience vicarious trauma. They can also bring back—or trigger—the effects of trauma that we may have experienced in our own lives.
Description: Practicing Self-Care and Professionalism People who take care of others often put their own needs last. Does that sound familiar? Caring for yourself is important for your health and wellness, and it is directly related to your ability to care for others and succeed at work. Although you can’t avoid all stress, too much stress can make it hard to provide care for others, especially infants and toddlers who depend on your physical and emotional availability. Taking care of yourself...
Description: This section contains social skills tips for early Education (pre-K & kindergarten), Elementary School (grade one through five), Middle School (grades six through eight), High School (grades nine through twelve) and Life After High School.
Description: This site covers the following topics: Behavior Basics, Toddlers and Young Children, Managing Big Emotions, Common Behavior Issues, Behavior and School, Strategies for Managing Behavior, Mental Health and Problem Behavior, and Treatment for Problem Behavior.
Description: The Infant Mental Health (IMH) CoP focuses on building capacity for professionals around IMH topics, increasing knowledge of IMH topics within local communities (including parents), supporting higher education in providing accessible courses and/or certification related to IMH, increasing awareness of and advocating for IMH within local/state agencies, and exploring funding opportunities for IMH activities. We encourage DEC membership, but anyone can join regardless of membership status....
Description: A significant number of children experience trauma, and the effects can be profound. It is imperative, therefore, that early childhood settings be safe, trauma-sensitive spaces where teachers support children in creating positive self-identities. A foundation in trauma research and response can help educators optimally support all children— including those whose traumas have been documented, those whose traumas have not been formally recognized, and those who might be affected by their...
Description: Presentation Recordings from VDOE Family Literacy Night Family Literacy Night included presentations on the following topics: Early Childhood: Early Literacy Starts at Home Assessment Supports: An Explanation of Your Student's SOL Reports Family Field Trips: Connecting Literacy to the Commonwealth Family Engagement: Supports for the Home Virginia State Literacy Association: Choosing Books for the Children in your Lives Virginia Association for Teachers of English Equity & Community...
Description: The Social Security Administration (SSA) provides various benefits to certain eligible individuals who experience significant disabilities – including children and adolescents. These benefit programs provide monthly cash payments and in some cases health insurance such as Medicaid and/or Medicare. These programs also include work incentives designed to help beneficiaries become employed and increase earnings over time.
Description: This module offers an overview of young children who are dual language learners. Further, it highlights the importance of maintaining children and families’ home language at the same time they are learning a new or second language, discusses considerations for screening and assessing these children, and identifies strategies for supporting them in inclusive preschool classrooms (est. completion time: 1 hour).
Description: Global Family Research Project elevates the benefits of family engagement and the connections across educational organizations, nationally and globally: at school in early childhood education in community spaces like afterschool programs and libraries through digital media
Description: IECMHC is a prevention-based approach that pairs a mental health consultant with adults who work with infants and young children in the different settings where they learn and grow, such as child care, preschool, home visiting, early intervention and their home. Mental health consultation is not about “fixing kids.” Nor is it therapy. Mental health consultation equips caregivers to facilitate children’s healthy social and emotional development.
Description: Bright Horizons has been changing the way the world works for 30 years. Way back in 1986, our founders saw that child care was an enormous obstacle for working parents. Providing on-site centers became just one way we responded to help whole organizations work better. Today we offer child care, elder care, and help for education and careers -- tools used by more than 1,000 of the world’s top employers and that today power many of the world's best brands.
Description: Ensuring that all children are supported to reach their full potential and have access to learning opportunities that are equitable and strengths-based is central to high quality teaching and professional development. This documents includes some resources that may help you to create spaces and opportunities that value the identities and experiences of all children and families.