California Department of Education Child …

1 1 California Department of Education Child Development Division (CDD) Publications How to Order Call toll-free: 1-800-995-4099 E-mail: Mail: California Department of Education CDE Press Sales Office 1430 N Street, Suite 3207 Sacramento, CA 95814-5901 Website: learning foundations At the center of the California Early learning and Development System are two sets of learning foundations one set for infants and toddlers and one set for preschool -age children. The foundations describe competencies knowledge and skills that all young children typically learn with appropriate support. They identify key domains of learning , and the knowledge and skills that teachers seek to help children acquire through intentional teaching.

2 An Infant /Toddler companion DVD is available for purchase; the foundation books are available for purchase or download under Infant Toddler Resources or preschool Resources at Curriculum Framework Aligned with the foundations , the curriculum framework provides general guidance on planning learning environments and experiences for young children. This curriculum framework is an approach to support children s learning through environments and experiences that are: x Developmentally appropriate x Reflective of thoughtful observation and intentional planning x Individually and culturally meaningful x Inclusive of children with disabilities or other special needs The framework presents information about setting up environments, encouraging and building upon children s self-initiated play, selecting appropriate materials, and planning and implementing teacher-guided learning activities.

3 It provides: x Principles for supporting young children s learning x An overview of key components of curriculum planning for young children, including observation, documentation, and reflection 2 x Descriptions of routines, environments, and materials that engage children in learning x A sampling of strategies for building on children s knowledge, skills, and interests Available for download under preschool Resources at Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP ) The DRDP is an observation-based assessment instrument used to assess children s developmental progress. The DRDP (2010) was developed for the following three age groups: x Infant Toddler (I/T) - Birth to 36 months x preschool (PS) Three years to Kindergarten entry x School Age (SA) - Kindergarten through twelve years In the DRDP (2010), the preschool instrument is aligned with the preschool learning foundations , Volume, and the infant/toddler instrument is aligned with the Infant/Toddler learning and Development foundations .

4 The DRDP (2010) instruments in English and Spanish are available for download on the Desired Results website at preschool English Learners Resource Guide Increasing numbers of children who come from homes in which English is not spoken are entering preschool programs. The preschool English Learners Principles and Practices to Promote Language, Literacy, and learning , developed by experts with strong academic and research backgrounds, presents the specific knowledge and tools needed to promote language, literacy, and learning for these young English learners. It is available in English and Spanish and can be downloaded under preschool Resources at World Full of Language: Supporting preschool English Learners DVD This DVD and accompanying booklet provides information on how young children acquire English as a second language.

5 Research-based strategies are featured for teachers to support English learners. The DVD is closed-captioned and formatted so that viewers can see it in its entirety or in sections. Companion DVD for preschool English Learners: Principles and Practices to Promote Language, Literacy, and learning . This DVD is available in both English and Spanish on one disk. 3 learning and Development Guidelines The Prekindergarten learning and Development Guidelines is a user-friendly resource that can help administrators, teachers, and policy makers identify elements necessary for providing quality programming for children prior to their entry into kindergarten. The Guidelines are an essential part of the California Department of Education 's (CDE) overall plan to expand and increase access to quality preschool programs for young children.

6 The Infant/Toddler learning and Development Program Guidelines is a complement to the prekindergarten version. It takes a family-oriented approach and presents research-based guidelines on early care and Education that help prepare young children for success in their school years. A workbook is available that shows how to implement the guidelines in day care programs, including programs that serve children with disabilities and families of various ethnicities. A companion DVD includes conversations with experts, teachers, family childcare providers, and families, along with video clips of best practices. Available for download in English and Spanish under Infant/Toddler Resources at The Guidelines for Early learning in Child Care Home Settings is a complement to the other two versions.

7 Recognizing the importance of home-based Child care settings in today's society, this publication provides guidance to help home-based Child care providers offer high-quality early care and learning experiences to the children and families they serve. The book covers topics such as the roles and relationships involved in home-based Child care; how to create safe, inclusive environments that foster early learning and development; ideas for implementing appropriate curriculum; professional development for home-based providers; and things to consider when infants and toddlers receive care in mixed-age group settings. Available for download under Family Child Care Resources at Inclusion Works! This handbook for providers of Child care programs gives guidance and resources on specific ways to include young children who have disabilities or special needs.

8 Suggestions for ways to adapt the environment are provided, along with examples of inclusive strategies. Appendixes and a glossary make this handbook a practical tool for care providers. 4 Early Childhood Educator Competencies This resource describes the knowledge, skills and dispositions that early childhood educators need in order to provide high quality care and Education to young children and their families. The California ECE Competencies are organized into twelve overlapping areas: (1) Child Development and learning ; (2) Culture, Diversity and Equity; (3) Relationships, Interactions, and Guidance; (4) Family and Community Engagement; (5) Dual-Language Development; (6) Observation, Screening, Assessment, and Documentation; (7) Special Needs and Inclusion; (8) learning Environments and Curriculum; (9) Health, Safety, and Nutrition; (10) Leadership in Early Childhood Education ; (11) Professionalism; and (12) Administration and Supervision.

9 The California ECE Competencies are research-based, and are aligned with the California preschool learning foundations and the California Infant/Toddler learning & Development foundations to guide professional development and related quality improvement Other CDE Publications Available from WestEd: Program for Infant/Toddler Care The Program for Infant/Toddler Care (PITC) has developed high- quality training materials based on sound theoretical principles and research. Developed for trainers, program administrators, and teachers of infants and toddlers, these materials spell out a responsive, relationship-based approach to care in which teachers learn to understand children s cues, interests, and skills and use them as the basis for an integrated intellectual, language, physical, and social-emotional curriculum.

10 The importance of forming a close, caring relationship with each Child and family is emphasized throughout the PITC materials. Getting to Know You through Observation DVD The Getting to Know You through Observation DVD illustrates the importance of observation in early childcare and Education settings. It offers strategies for developing accurate and reliable systems of observation and recording. The DVD is subtitled in Spanish. To order or download the accompanying Getting to Know You through Observation Trainer s Guide and the Training Workbook, visit Watching My Child Grow Watching My Child Grow is an introduction for families to the Desired Results system. It is dubbed in English, Spanish, and Mandarin.