Baby Steps to School Readiness
Marisa D. Barrett [email protected]
Inspiredbythechild.weebly.com
ImplementingAResponsiveCurriculum
January2017
§ Between birth & 3 most significant period of brain development
§ 3 year old toddler’s brain is 2 times as active as an adult’s brain & 2 times as many neural connections.
§ 90-95% of the brain’s capacity is developed by age 3.
“In high-quality infant/toddler programs, the interests of the child and the belief that each child has a curriculum are what drive practice. The adult role is to discover the infant’s curriculum and support its implementation.” –Ronald Lally, WestEDPITC
Infant-toddler programs often look like
either watered-down versions of preschool
or glorified versions of baby-sitting.
YOUNG INFANTS: SECURITY
MOBILE INFANTS: EXPLORATION
TODDLERS: INDEPENDENCE
DEVELOPMENTAL ISSUES
“Ourdatastronglyindicatethatitisthe
natureoftheteacher-childrelationshipand
thekindsofconversationsthattheyhave
thatmakesthebiggestdifferencetoearly
languageandliteracydevelopment.”
QUALITY INFANT CAREShould have the same components of quality parenting
Caregiving geared towards the needs of the infant
ResponsiveConsistent
dimensions of responsive caregiving
4§ relational climate
§ teacher sensitivity
§ facilitated exploration
§ language modeling
Developmental Domains
Physical Health and Motor – Gross Motor– Fine Motor– Health and Wellbeing
Social and Emotional– Trust and Emotional Security– Self-Awareness– Self-Regulation– Relationships with other
Language and Communication – Listening and Understanding– Communication and Speaking– Emergent Literacy
Cognitive – Exploration and Discovery– Problem Solving– Memory– Imitation and Make Believe
relational climate theconsistencyofpositive behaviors,physicalcloseness, sharing attention,andthedegreeofaffectionshowntowardinfants/toddlers.
Responsive Caregiving
Respond appropriately
Child receives the response
and needs are met
Observe the child’s needs
Why Responsive Caregiving is Important
• Promotes secure attachment with caregivers– Adults are trustworthy and will meet my needs
• Promotes emotional and behavioral regulation
• Builds a solid foundation upon which later relationships and learning are based
UNIV. OF MINNESOTA STUDY
• CHILDREN NOT RECEIVING RESPONSIVE EARLY CARE WERE AT HIGHER RISK FOR POOR OUTCOMES INCLUDING:
• DIFFICULTY FORMING RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEERS IN PRESCHOOL & ADOLESCENCE
• LOWER LEVEL SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT, ESPECIALLY IN ADOLESCENCE
How Can Caregivers Be Responsive?• Tone of voice
• Reflecting a child’s tone and emotion
• Facial Expressions
• Giving affection
• Open ended questions
• Positive limit setting
• Offering limited, appropriate choices
• Using language that reflects emotion
CaregiverResponses
• Engageinface-to-faceplaywithinfants• Organizetheenvironmentandkeepmaterialsinconsistentlocations
• Readfavoritebooksoverandoveragain• Playmemorygamesandsingfavoritesongsfrequently
• Askwhattheywouldliketosing/read• Askthree-year-oldssimplequestionsaboutpastexperiences
Round & Round The Garden
Round and round the
garden goes the teddy
bear. One step…Two
steps…tickle under
there. Bailey,RebeccaAnne. Iloveyourituals.NewYork:HarperCollinsPublishers, 2000.Print.
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little StarTwinkle, twinkle, little star,
What a wonderful child you are!
With bright eyes and nice round cheeks,
Talented person from head to feet.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
what a wonderful child you are! Bailey,RebeccaAnne. Iloveyourituals.NewYork:HarperCollinsPublishers, 2000.Print.
teacher sensitivity • Awareness and cue detection reflects the consistency of teachers’ attention to and awareness of infants.
•Responsiveness captures the teachers’ response to the individual needs of infants.
•Infant comfort encompasses the general level of infants’ contentment and the degree to which infants seek out teachers when upset or happy.
RespondingtoFeelings
Responsive Caregiving
Respond appropriately
Child receives the response
and needs are met
Observe the child’s needs
Schedules & Routines
• Postpictureorphotoschedules• Reviewandacknowledgewhenatoddler
showsunderstandingoftheroutines• Includechildreninroutine• Askfamiliesabouttheirroutinesathome• MAP it(model,addvisuals,practice)
Using
Tosupport socialemotionaldevelopment
-CSEFELInfant/ToddlerModule1http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/
When teachers interact with groups of children, rather than with a single child, they change how they talk with children (What are some of the differences?
• While teachers talk as much as parents, teachers direct less language specifically to individual children.
• Speech is likely to be more directive and prohibitive when teachers interact with groups of children. Only about 20% of teachers’ talk to children was for something other than being directive or to control children’s behavior
• Children’s language is less well developed and their vocabulary is smaller when teachers use language that is more controlling
• When interacting with groups of children, teachers tend to have less of the good-quality, one-to-one, just for the pleasure of it, kind of conversational exchanges that Hart and Risley found make a difference in children’s development.
Responsive Caregiving0-8 Months• Hold,cuddle,andlaughwithinfants• Holdinfantsduringbottlefeedingtime;talk
totheminacalmandsoothingtone• Notice,understand,andfollowthesignals
ofinfants,suchascriesofhungerorpain,turningawaywhenfull,orwhenreadytostopinteracting
• Displaycourteousness,warmth,andsensitivitywheninteractingwithadultsandchildren
Responsive Caregiving8-18 Months• Notice and be responsive to words, gestures, laughs, and cries
• Stay close and visible while infants explore
• Reassure them that you will return, explaining where you are going and when you will be back
• Introduce them to new people and allow them time to become comfortable.
18-36 Months• Provide encouragement for trying activities and playing with new people
• Accept that toddlers will need comfort items
Available for order and download from the Texas Early Learning Council.
http://www.earlylearningtexas.org/itelg.aspx
• English
• Spanish
• Vietnamese
The ITELG is not:
• Developmental checklist
• Assessment tool
• Curriculum
• Permanent and unchanging
• Exclusive
Ages• 0-8 month infants• 8-18 month older infants• 18-36 month toddlers• 36-48 month three-year-olds
Organization
Talk & ShareIntheearlylearningguideonyourchair,findtheskillindicatorsrelatedtoexplorationanddiscovery.
Sharewithapartnerhowyousupportchildreninyourclassroomintheirdevelopmentofoneormoreoftheskillindicators.
•teacher’s active involvement during an invitation
•consistency of following the child’s lead and providing explorations
•expanding and encouraging the child’s explorations
facilitated exploration
• Ideasarebasedonexperience,notexplanation• Canonlyfocusononecharacteristicofanobjectatatime
• Over-generalizesinformationduetolimitedexperience
• Adjustsideasandconceptsonlythroughexperimentation
PreoperationalThinking
Facilitate the exploration vs. Direct Instruction
SpaghettiPlay
Exploration and Discovery
Indicators:• Pays attention and exhibits curiosity in people
and objects• Uses senses to explore people, objects, and the
environment• Shows interest in colors, shapes, patterns, and
pictures• Makes things happen and watches for results
and repeats actions
ExplorationandDiscovery8-18Months• Lookatbooks• Enjoytoys/objectsthatmakesounds,suchasdrumsorbells
• Lookcloselyatsmallobjects,examiningthedetail
• Stackblocksorobjects• Manipulatetoysorobjectsrepeatedly
§ 6 cups water (distilled is best but tap water is fine)
§ 1/2 cup blue Dawn dish detergentI used the ultra concentrated, but NON ultra (original) is supposed to work even better.
§ 1/2 cup corn starch§ 1 tbsp baking powder (not baking
soda)§ 1 tbsp Glycerine
ExplorationandDiscovery
18-36Months• Expressinterestinanimalsandinsects• Examinerocks,sticks,andoutdoorobjects• Pour,scoop,andexploresandandwater• Matchcolorsandshapes,sortlikeobjects• Push/pullridingtoys
MAKINGTHECLOUDDOUGHWASEASYPour1CupRiceCerealintoacontainerAdd3TablespoonsofMeltedCoconutOiltothericecereal.Mixandletthemixturecool.
Math skills• Size• Conservation• Counting• Timing• Matching• Classifying & Sorting
Math concepts• More/Less• Full/Empty
Science Concepts• Gravity
Talk & Share
What are some of the novel
experiences that you have
invited children for exploration?
Caregiver Responses
• Provide an enriched environment with a variety of objects to promote exploration indoors and outside
• Rotate materials often• Allow uninterrupted play time• Model curiosity, finding answers together
rather than providing them• Engage and play alongside
EffectiveFeedback:Gorillareading
ProblemSolving
Indicators:• Experimentswithdifferentusesforobjects• Showsimagination,creativity,andusesavarietyofstrategiestosolveproblems
• Appliesknowledgetonewsituations• Beginstodevelopinterestsandskillsrelatedtonumbersandcounting
language support§ Teacher talk reflects the consistency with which
teachers provide language in the classroom.
§ Communication support captures teachers’ initiation and repetition of sounds in direct interactions with infants.
§ Communication extension encompasses teachers’ efforts to extend communication attempts by adding words to actions and sounds and modeling turn-taking
• 17%oftheirdayengagedinmeaningfultalkwiththeirteacher,
• 18%talkingwithpeersand• 59%nottalkingatall
Harvard Research Study found thatchildren spent:
*remaining%non-sustainedtopics
Free play, or choice time, is the ideal
opportunity for children to engage
in pretend talk, a type of extended
discourse that predicts stronger
language and literacy development.
CaregiverResponses
• Providelargeblocksofuninterruptedfree-playtime
• Providereal-worldexperiences• Planopen-endedactivities• Askopen-endedquestions
Is the puppy sad?
How do you think the puppy is feeling?
ImitationandMakeBelieve
Indicators:• Usesobjectsinnewwaysorinpretendplay
• Usesimitationinpretendplaytoexpresscreativityandimagination
ImitationandMakeBelieve
0-8Months• Copycaregiveractions(stickingouttongue,clappinghands)• Differedimitation:imitatinganewactafteradelay
8-18Months• Pretendwithrealisticobjects(phone,cup)• Self-directedplay(pretendingtoeat)
ImitationandMakeBelieve
18-36Months• Pretendwithlessrealisticprops• Directplaytowardsobjects(feedthedoll)• Socio-dramaticplay(pretendwithpeers)
36-48Months• Nopropsarerequired• Detachedparticipant(thedollfeedsitself)• Socio-dramaticplaybecomesmoreelaborate
CaregiverResponses
• Playwithinfantsandtoddlers• Songsandfinger-playwithrepetition• Providespaceandtimeforpretendplay• Offeravarietyofmaterialstoscaffoldpretendplay
• Encourageandengageinplaywithoutcontrollingit
I/Tvs.Pre-K
Focusisonprocess. Learningevolves through relationships and responsive care giving
Focusisoncontent. learning emerges through exposure to concepts, play, and activities.
The End
School Readiness Actions Steps for I/T
1. Establishschoolreadinessgoals2. Create&implementprogramplansand
individualizedplans3. Assesschildprogressonanongoingbasis&
aggregatedatemultipletimesthroughouttheyear
4. Examinedataforpatternsandreflectonyourpractice.
InclusionStrategies
• Modifyenvironment• Adjustexpectations• Providevisualsupports
– Projectcards– Pictureschedules
• Monitorreactions
Snack Read Home
ScenarioWhen Rowan, 19 Months, gets hungry and has to wait to eat, she
cries loudly and is difficult to comfort. She follows you around and
hangs on your leg as you try and care for the other children and get
ready for lunch. Due to her home schedule, usually Rowan is hungry
before the rest of the children. Today you decide to feed everyone a
little early to prevent Rowan from getting upset. As you start
washing everyone’s hands for lunch, Rowan hurries to her seat.
Naomi, 26 months, doesn’t want to eat yet. When you call her to
wash her hands, she runs behind a shelf.
ExplorationandDiscovery
0-8Months• Reachtotouchobjects• Putobjectsintheirmouthtotouchandtaste
• Turntoysoverandovertoexplore,bangtoys
• Hitorkicktoystomakethemmove,overandover
CognitiveDevelopment
JeanPiaget’sStagesofCognitiveDevelopmentAge DevelopmentalStage
Birth– 2Years Sensorimotor
2-7Years Preoperational
Early cognitive development is based on actions, which lead to processes, which lead to changes in mental operations, the way we think.
• Infant Play– Mutualgaze—firstawarenessoftheother– SensorimotorPlay—
• Focus is on interactions with motion and objects in the environment
• Some level of novelty is preferred• Repetition of actions is frequent• Toys over which infants can assert control tend
to be preferred and build a sense of agency (Bandura, 1977; c.f. Erikson, trust—mistrust)
Infant and Toddler Play
• Toddler Play– With language, mobility, and cognitive
development, toddlers move to more socially mediated play
– Coordinated imitation—tend to repeat others’ actions
– Early toddler play remains focused on motion and objects (e.g. block stacking)
– As maturation occurs, more social role play begins;
• ToddlerPlay– More advanced levels of social play (negotiating
roles, changing roles) tend to be related to more lasting friendships across childhood
– Conflicts arise!• Distraction and diversion tend to work best with
toddlers• Conflicts tend to be based on possession of
objects or turns at some desired activity• Possession is ownership (similar to dog rules)
• Toddler Play– As language and symbolic thought improve,
toddlers begin make-believe play– Imaginary roles and substitution of one object for
another (shoe becomes a truck) occurs– Children can appear to be much more cognitively
advanced in play with peers than alone.
InformationProcessing1. Memorybeginswithsensorymemory2. Informationgainedfromsensorymemorythenmovesintoshortterm
memory3. Toberememberedforanylengthoftime,informationmustbemoved
fromshort-termmemoryintolong-termmemory
Conservation
ObjectPermanence
BeforeObjectPermanence• Anobjectisforgottenwhenitishidden
• Reappearancecausessurprise
AfterObjectPermanence• Infantseeksoutthehiddenobject
MemoryIndicators:
• Showsabilitytoacquireandprocessnewinformation
• Recognizesfamiliarpeople,places,andthings• Recallsandusesinformationinnewsituations• Searchesformissingorhiddenobjects
ExplorationandDiscovery
36-48Months• Talkaboutandaskaboutobjectsinnature• Noticeanddiscusschangesinweather• Namecolorsandshapes• Copysimplepatterns• Experimentwithdifferentobjectsduringplaytocomparetheireffects
• Repeatactionstoimproveresults
Responsive Caregiving36-48 Months• Connect with three-year-olds
on a daily basis, such as naptime or arrival
• Respond with affection and care when approached by an upset or hurt three-year olds
• Encourage independence and participation in new situations (“Go ahead, you can do it!”)