Head Start programs must ensure teachers and relevant staff provide responsive care, effective teaching, and an organized learning environment. They also must promote children's healthy growth and development in ways that align with school readiness goals.

Early childhood education includes the following categories:

• Dual Language Learners
• Learning Environments and Engaging Interactions
• Highly Individualized Teaching and Learning

Teachers and caregivers use responsive strategies to enhance the development of culturally and linguistically diverse children, including those who are dual language learners (DLLs). They also use a variety of assessment practices to determine and address the individual needs of children with disabilities, or those who may require special accommodations and curricular adaptations.

Professional development providers, education managers, and supervisors can use the resource sets below to support staff engaged in early education and care for all children ages birth to 5. Explore resources for successfully conducting workshops and sessions targeted toward improving teaching practices. Materials include presentations and handouts.

Dual Language Learners

See how professional development providers can work with teachers to help young children who are DLLs maintain their home languages and learn English.

• Dialogic Reading that Supports Children Who Are Dual Language Learners and Their Families
• 60 Minutes from Catalogue to Classroom (C2C)—Using Journal Articles for Professional Development:
  • Module 1: The Relationship Between Language and Culture
  • Module 2: Empathy and Cultural Competence Reflections from Teachers of Culturally Diverse Children

Learning Environments and Engaging Interactions

Learn how to design environments that are responsive to children's active learning and promote relationship-building. Effective instructional strategies can build positive relationships with adults and peers.

• Designing Environments
• Classroom Transitions
• Zoning to Maximize Learning
• Environmental Support
• Schedules and Routines
• Creating a Caring Community
• Peer Support
• Teacher-to-Teacher Talk
• Adult Support
• The Teaching Loop
• Digging Deeper: Looking Beyond Behavior to Discover Meaning
• Making Learning Meaningful
• Activity Matrix: Organizing Learning Throughout the Day

Highly Individualized Teaching and Learning

Observe children to determine their individual strengths and abilities. Learn to effectively address these differences to promote learning and development for all children.

• SpecialQuest Multimedia Training Library
• Activity Simplification
• Invisible Support
• Materials to Support Learning
• Materials Adaptation
• Break It Down: Turning Goals into Everyday Teaching Opportunities
• Child Preferences
• Putting It Into Action
• Special Equipment
• Following Children's Lead
• Using Checklists
• Using Data to Inform Teaching
• Planning for Assessment
• Collecting and Using Anecdotal Records
• Collecting and Using Work Samples
• Collecting and Using Video

Last Updated: May 23, 2018