Early Childhood
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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 VDOE Early Childhood Special Education Consortium grant provides tuition support for teachers pursuing a Master’s degree or fulfilling requirements for their provisional Birth-5, Children with Disabilities license. The grant is through Radford University (RU) and the University of Lynchburg (UL). Eligible students are those who are non-degree seeking (just taking courses to fulfil their license) or degree seeking (pursuing a Master’s degree). All courses are offered online, both...
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 Resources - 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...
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. Use the guiding questions provided to connect the message from this webinar to your classroom.
Description: Institute for the Advancement of Family Support Professionals - 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.
Description: Promoting Staff Well-being includes: Staff Wellness Staff Mental Health Staff Physical Health Adult Immunizations
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: Brief 2. Caring for Ourselves as We Care for Others - 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: 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.
Description: This website is designed as a home base for attendees of CTERM, AMSET, the Content Teaching Academies, Creating Connections to Shining Stars, and the Journey Into Teaching Academy to find resources, demonstrations, and trial information related to UDL (Universal Design for Learning) and assistive technology (AT) tools described in our sessions. Use the category tabs (UDL, Reading AT, Writing AT, Math AT, Science AT and Early Childhood) at the top of the screen to begin your playtime!
Description: This document is designed to guide the Program Leadership Team around considerations for supporting children, families, and staff as they return to the program. The guidance includes Pyramid Model practices you know and encourages you to think about those strategies from a trauma-informed perspective. While the leadership team may not know who among children, families, and staff have or are experiencing trauma, a trauma-informed approach guides programs in providing a safe and nurturing...
Description: This guidance document is designed to assist Virginia’s school divisions and early childhood communities in identifying, developing, and sustaining inclusive opportunities within high-quality early childhood programs for young children with disabilities. The guidelines are presented in three sections: 1. Why Inclusion? 2. What is Inclusion? 3. How to Implement Inclusion. In addition to other changes, the revised guidelines contain important updates to the research supporting early...
Description: The Advancing Effective Interactions and Instruction (AEII) initiative is all about helping education leaders make data-driven decisions that support teachers and provide high-quality learning experiences for children in Virginia’s early childhood classrooms.
Description: This document is Virginia's new set of comprehensive early learning and development standards for young children, birth to age five. The new standards focus on five Areas of Development: Approaches to Play and Learning; Social and Emotional Development; Communication, Language, and Literacy Development; Health and Physical Development and Cognitive Development. All birth to five programs are expected to implement the new standards by Fall 2021.
Description: This webpage includes the recorded webinars that are posted within 24 to 48 hours after the session concludes. Presenters ofth provide additional resources that may include handouts, and links. The resources are listed in reverse order, with the most recent session listed first. (Please note: You must register to view the recording.)
Description: When a child endures a traumatic experience, the whole family feels the impact. But adults hold the power to help lessen its effects. Several factors can change the course of kids’ lives: feeling seen and heard by a caring adult, being patiently taught coping strategies and resilience-building techniques, and being with adults who know about the effects of such experiences. The resources provided include printables, videos and more on topics to help families.
Description: Included here are guidance, considerations, and resources for state staff and local practitioners who are determining Preschool Special Education eligibility remotely, due in part to COVID-19. To accomplish this, many states are now exploring a variety of approaches such as teleconference, videoconference, and sharing information and video synchronously and asynchronously. Effective state policies, procedures, and practices are important to appropriately identify children eligible for Part B...
Description: This open house provides information on Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC), Computer Access Assistive Technology, Early Childhood/Play Assistive Technology, Literacy Assistive Technology, Low-Tech Assistive Technology, Math Assistive Technology, Organization Assistive Technology, and Sensory Assistive Technology.
Description: Young Athletes is a unique sport and play program for children ages two to seven with and without intellectual disabilities. Our focus is on fun activities that are important to mental and physical growth. Children enjoy activities that develop motor skills like balance, flexibility, strength, and coordination. In fact, in a recent study, children with developmental delays who participated in a structured eight-week Young Athletes program showed...
Description: Developing self-regulation is a real challenge for young children because it involves doing what does not come naturally to them. Yet, it is the foundation for their capacities to focus attention, manage emotions, direct their thinking skills, and get along with others. Learn about the development of self-regulation in young children. Discover how teachers can promote young children's self-management skills. Note: The evaluation, certificate, and engagement tools mentioned in the video were for...
Description: Self-control enables children to cooperate with others, to cope with frustration, and to resolve conflicts. Learn how you can help your infant and child begin to develop this skill that is necessary for success in school and healthy social development. Self-control means being able to express and cope with strong emotions in appropriate ways—for a toddler, this may mean saying “I’m mad at you” instead of biting. Self-control also involves thinking skills, as we decide...
Description: Featuring: Erin Saxon, Education Specialist, TTAC ODU—Narrator, Jessica Braun, CCC-SLP, Alicia McCarthy and Anna Ashleson, Co-Teachers As many educators expand their knowledge and skills in providing virtual instruction, this webinar highlights some high-tech options for those looking to level up their implementation of instruction that engages younger students. Three educators from Norfolk Public Schools have worked to expand not just their skills, but creativity in providing virtual...
Description: Every day, and especially during these very challenging times, it is important to organic ways to keep stress levels low. Stress inarguably challenges immune systems and a challenged immune system leaves adults and children susceptible to myriad physical and mental challenges. The access to organically managing stress is to understand and use the power our minds have over our bodies. In the same way, we take out bodies to the gym for physical strength, Mind Care & Emotion Regulation Expert,...
Description: Self-Management Information Packet - Self-management is used to teach children (typically 4 years of age and older) to pay attention to their own behavior and to complete activities or engage in interactions using appropriate behavior. Self-management can help children use appropriate play and social interaction skills, participate in classroom routines, and engage in instructional activities. For example, self-management can be used to teach children what is expected of them, such as tasks they...
Description: It's been said that "necessity is the mother of invention". When the pandemic struck last year, practitioners in early education and early childhood special education, and parents came together to support young children and their families through remote service delivery. This multi-part video series, developed by Larry Edelman, features preschool staff and families from five states and illustrates their working together to use technology to make the virtual learning experience exciting,...
Description: On-Demand Videos- PEATC has on demand videos on a variety of topics. Connecting the Dots Early Intervention Homework Strategies Tutoring Tips Keeping Students Engaged And much more
Description: Q. How can teachers and family support staff engage parents around children’s learning and development during COVID-19? When creating family engagement plans and strategies to support children’s learning and development under non-traditional circumstances, schools should make sure families have everything they need for their children to learn. Communicating with families around what type of support they need and how they would like to receive this support is important. The only way...
Description: Q. How can I support families during COVID-19 and social distancing? You’re stuck at home, either alone or with everyone in your family—and the only outing is a trip to the supermarket. Humans are social animals after all. We’re evolutionarily wired for proximity to each other. So, these new protocols (staying six feet apart, voluntarily quarantining as much as possible) are necessary, but may not be natural. Even when you’re totally healthy, not having social...
Description: Q. What actions or steps should I take to comfort a preschooler whose parent has died? What is my role as teacher if a child experiences death in the family? Bereaved preschoolers need extra connection with caring adults during such a lonely time in their lives. Teachers have an important role in supporting the child and surviving family members by helping establish normal routines and activities. They may want to tell this story many times because it relieves some of the hurt. You do not need...
Description: Each month, ECE-Virginia will focus on strategies, recommendations, and professional development resources to help you promote children’s development.
Description: State and district personnel, faculty, and school personnel often find it difficult to locate reliable, effective resources that translate the latest research on evidence-based practices into practical information that educators can use to improve learning and behavior outcomes for all children. The IRIS alignment tools are a user-friendly way to learn more about which of the IRIS resources align with high-leverage practices (HLPs), state-identified measurable results (SiMRs) topics, and the...
Description: These learning modules are highlights of higher education courses from the EarlyEdU Alliance. EarlyEdU follows an innovative competency- and practice-based framework. Although this approach is similar to the 15-minute In-service Suites, these learning modules go a bit deeper than the In-service Suites. They combine theory and the latest early childhood education research with students' field-based learning. Trainers and instructors can use these modules for professional development or higher...