Explore resources and activities relevant to courses that examines grade/age specific learning standards and how standards inform and develop measurable, substantive instructional objectives. These types of courses also focuses on planning for instruction and assessment, guidance and management, and effective use of the learning environment. They may include an analysis of assessment data to inform instructional decisions.
Course Activity 1: Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP)
Students learning about DAP may use the Developmentally Appropriate Practice Toolkit and the Q & A: Developmentally Appropriate Practice 101 to support their understanding of developmentally appropriate practice. Use the Q & A as a supplement to the NAEYC Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) Statement (2020). Ask students to highlight important phrases in the NAEYC Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) Statement (2020) and then ask them to share which phrases they highlighted during a class discussion. The following questions may be helpful to encourage discussion/reflection in pairs or small groups:
- What does the DAP statement say about individually and culturally responsive teaching practices?
- How have students seen developmentally appropriate practice implemented in their placement setting?
- How would a teacher explain developmentally appropriate practice to a child’s parent?
- What characterizes developmentally appropriate child assessment practices?
Course Activity 2: Approaches to Early Childhood Education
Review the resource, Q & A: Approaches to Early Childhood Education. Which approaches to early childhood education are students most familiar with? Create a chart with students that indicates specific elements or characteristics of each approach. How would the learning environment differ depending on the program’s approach/beliefs about early childhood education?
Course Activity 3: Planning Instruction (Preschool)
The Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards (IELDs) are the learning standards Illinois preschool teachers address as they plan curriculum and instructional practices to use in their classroom. Students may find the page Tools for Teachers helpful for accessing the IELDS in formats to use in their future classroom. Question: Which format(s) would you use when planning instruction? Some teachers display the IELDS in classroom learning centers to remind themselves (and other classroom staff) about benchmarks that children are working on in that center (e.g., math benchmarks may be displayed in the block area).
Students may become more familiar with the IELDS by reviewing a lesson plan format (e.g., Social Studies Lesson Addressing Benchmark 16.A.ECa or Math Lesson Addressing Benchmark 6.B.ECb) that includes IELDS benchmarks. Students may work in pairs to review one or more adapted lesson plans. Questions to discuss: Which benchmark(s) is addressed in the lesson plan? Which individual child characteristics are considered? What next steps would you take to reinforce children’s learning as a follow-up to this activity?
Course Activity 4: Planning Instruction (Birth-Three Yrs.)
The Illinois Early Learning Guidelines (IELGs) are illustrated in several videos on the IEL Project website (e.g., Filling the Trains, You Made It, and Over Here). Students may work together or in small groups to present one of the Guidelines videos and discuss how the teaching staff intentionally planned to address the IELGs shown in the video. The instructor may create a case study of an infant/toddler and their family. Using the case study information, students can design a parent/child activity that is aligned to IELGs.
Course Activity 5: Project Approach
The classic video, Rearview Mirror provides an overview of the Project Approach. The Project Approach Tip Sheets series (see below) provides information about the phases of project work. Using the Project Approach Tip Sheet series, students can work in pairs to plan how to engage children in project work. Students may want to organize their ideas by the three phases of project work. The students’ plans should also include how they will engage children with diverse learning needs. Remind students about creating ways to involve children’s families in the project. This activity would be completed across several weeks of class meetings.
Course Activity 6: Screening and Assessment
Students should become familiar with recommended practices in child assessment. Both the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children (DEC) address this topic. It’s important for students to be aware of the differences between universal screening and developmental screening. Questions for discussion may include: What is universal screening? How is the information gathered about each child used for planning and instruction? How often do EC programs do universal screening? How is it different from developmental screening? Who is involved in developmental screening (e.g., volunteers, medical staff, therapists, etc.)? What is the purpose of developmental screening? (see the resource, What is Developmental Screening? ). Review and briefly evaluate with the students some common developmental screening tools currently in use.
Students can read the blog, Screening and Evaluating Children who are Dual Language Learners: What Every Teacher Should Know . Possible questions for discussion: What does the blog’s author indicate are important recommended practices in screening and evaluating young dual language learners? How can screening and assessment results be made more reliable for dual language learners?
Course Activity 7: State Standards Alignment to Assessment Tools
The Early Learning Guidelines (IELGs) have been aligned with several assessment tools (Early Learning Guidelines: Crosswalks and Alignments). The alignments make it easier to link assessment with instructional planning and learning environments. Students can see how the IELGs and the IELDs (Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards Crosswalks, Alignments & Connections) align with commonly used child assessments.
Bring some early childhood assessments to class (e.g., Teaching Strategies Gold; Ages and Stages, etc.) and have students work in to evaluate them (e.g., the instructor can make up a checklist to facilitate the evaluation). Ask students to explain why (or why not) they prefer a particular assessment. If the students are in a practicum placement have them ask their cooperating teacher how they organize and use assessment data to evaluate children’s progress (e.g., individual child portfolio updates).
Course Activity 8: Open-ended Activities
This video clip, Exploring the Sensory Table illustrates open-ended activities that allow children to explore while an adult facilitates their learning. We know that adult/child interaction is critical for children’s social, cognitive, and emotional development. Questions for discussion/reflection: What do children learn from exploring materials with adult guidance? What intentional strategies do teachers of young children use to create a learning environment where the children feel safe and excited to explore new materials? How might a teacher of young children use environmental arrangement to intentionally address children’s individual goals?
Course Activity 9: Nature Play
Learning environments include outdoor spaces and thinking about how nature can enhance learning both outdoors and inside the classroom (Nature Play: Loose Parts Are the Best Parts). Questions for discussion/reflection: What loose parts would you like to explore with young children? Nature play can get messy. How should a teacher of young children address this aspect of outdoor play with families? What would your ideal nature play setting look like?
Notice how the children in the video clip, The Blue Bowl are very engaged with natural elements. Questions for discussion/reflection: What can teachers do to extend this kind of learning? What would you introduce to this outdoor nature activity? How would you build upon this activity?
Course Activity 10: Child Guidance
Review this resource, Something Happened: Understanding Extreme Stress and Trauma in Young Children. Questions for discussion/reflection: What are some behaviors children might engage in if they have experienced trauma? How can teachers specifically support young children who have experienced trauma? What resources are available to teachers of young children if they believe a child has experienced trauma? Review the resources listed below about Positive Guidance. Questions for discussion/reflection: What strategies have students seen in their practicum setting to help children use self-regulation strategies? How do cooperating teachers use preventive strategies (e.g., consistent routines and schedules, visual schedules, etc.) to positively impact children’s learning and safety in the classroom?