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Early Learning

This page focuses on families who have children from Birth to 5 years of age and includes resources on physical, mental and emotional development.
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Showing Results 1 - 50 of 232
Description: Challenging Behavior Tips for Families - Young children need help from adults to learn how they are expected to behave in social situations. Check out these helpful tips for how families can promote their child’s positive behavior during common routines that can sometimes be challenging. Disabilities coordinators can download and share the handouts with educators to use during home visits and family nights, or directly with families. Coordinators and education staff may consider creating a...
Description: New Resources for Supporting Quality Inclusion (Resources Within Reason, DEC) Every quarter a concise set of free resources on a key early childhood/early childhood special education topic is posted. Whether the topic is family engagement (May 2018) or the evidence for inclusion (January 2017), this one-page summary highlights great materials to use or share. Resources to Support Practice Resources Within Reason From Article to Action DEC Recommended Practices Monograph Resources
Description: The Virginia Family’s Guide to Special Education is a revision of the former A Parent’s Guide to Special Education that was originally published in 2010. This new state guide was developed by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) to help those involved in special education, whether as families, teachers or school administrators, advocates, or students. Meeting the needs of children with disabilities requires an understanding of rights and responsibilities which include the...
Description: Behavior Problems - Behavior issues are a common problem for many families. Understanding what’s behind a child’s behavior is often the first step to helping. Additional information is provided on the following topics: Behavior Basics Toddlers and Young Children, Managing Big Emotions, Common Behavior Issues, Behavior and School, Strategies for Managing Behavior, Mental Health and Problem Behavior and Treatment for Problem Behavior.
Description: Before they start school, most children develop an understanding of addition and subtraction through everyday interactions. Learn what informal activities give children a head start on early math skills when they start school.
Description: The 2022 VATTS: Resource Guide provides instructional strategies, AT solutions, modifications, accommodations, and examples used to address areas of need identified through the AT consideration process to support student success. There are two Resource Guide PDFs: an ADA Compliant version and a printable table version.
Description: A child’s social, emotional, cognitive, and academic development is strengthened when educators and families work together. When a child sees a positive relationship developing between educators and family, the child recognizes that the important people in his or her life are working together and trust each other, and he or she will do the same. This collaboration also provides a strong foundation for communication about children’s learning. To foster family involvement, interactions...
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: 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: SSA’s Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program helps children with qualifying disabilities and their families. For this program, a child must meet all of the following requirements to be considered disabled and medically eligible: The child must have a medical condition, or a combination of conditions, that result in “marked and severe functional limitations.” This means that the condition(s) must very seriously limit the child’s activities. The child’s...
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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: A core component of a high-quality early education experience is that children are provided opportunities, experiences and materials that allow them to engage deeply within developmental/early learning domains to build their school readiness skills. Virginia's Foundation Blocks for Early Learning articulates the skills and knowledge young children need to demonstrate by the end of preschool in order to be successful in kindergarten. Using effective curricula helps ensure that children are...
Description: VCU-ACE has resources for families about raising and supporting young children with ASD. They also have resources for educators and providers as they learn more about ASD and how to use evidence-based practices. For Parents: Raising a child diagnosed with ASD can be confusing and overwhelming. Many times, parents and family members struggle to understand the diagnosis, how to support their child's success, and how to problem-solve through challenges. Information from our seminars, webcasts, and...
Description: All young children (Birth to 5) with and without disabilities have the right to experience settings, relationships, and interactions that will support and futher their development and learning. This infographic from VCPD helps families to understand the importance and value of inclusion in early childhood.
Description: The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is a professional membership organization that works to promote high-quality early learning for all young children, birth through age 8, by connecting early childhood practice, policy, and research.  Developmentally Appropriate Approaches to Literacy: Books Articles Blog Classrooom Favorites: Articles To Share with Families Articles Most Recent Articles
Description: It’s fascinating to watch young children learn about their world and develop new skills. And, it’s natural to find variation in the pace of development of different skills. The information and resources in this section will help parents and educators understand and support preschool-aged children's development. Early Literacy Early Math Early Childhood Resource Locator
Description: Research shows that engaging families in education is critical not only to a child’s success, but to the entire family’s economic and social well-being. The National Center for Families Learning (NCFL) promotes family education solutions across three approaches by engaging families, educators, administrators, and advocates to drive results and ultimately reduce education inequities. Our work supports multigenerational learning for families from early childhood through adult...
Description: The National Early Literacy Panel looked at studies of early literacy and found that there are many things that parents and preschools can do to improve the literacy development of their young children and that different approaches influence the development of a different pattern of essential skills. Identification of the domain of early literacy skills Six early skills predictive of later literacy achievement Five early skills moderately predictive of later literacy achievement Instructional...
Description: VCU-ACE has developed a series of resources over the summer that are designed to support early childhood professionals as they plan remote learning opportunities for young learners.  While we know that in-person instruction is optimal for young children, communities face a variety of COVID-19 related challenges in the coming year that may require the use of remote education. The following webcast resources may help early childhood professionals as they design and implement remote learning...
Description: The goals of the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI) are to assist states and programs in their implementation of sustainable systems for the implementation of the Pyramid Model for Supporting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children (Pyramid Model) within early intervention and early education programs with a focus on promoting the social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes of young children birth to five, reducing the use of inappropriate discipline...
Description: "Helping Your Kid With..." Videos - The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk (MCPER) is dedicated to generating, disseminating, and supporting the implementation of empirically validated, evidence-based practices to significantly affect student outcomes and support educators, researchers, policymakers, families, and other stakeholders who strive to improve academic, behavioral, and social outcomes for all learners. Educational experts at MCPER have created videos to help...
Description: Social Emotional Wellness Considerations for Teachers and School Staff Quick Guide, Social Emotional Wellness Considerations for Early Learners Quick Guide, Social Emotional Wellness Considerations for English Learners Quick Guide, Social Emotional Wellness Considerations for Military-Connected Learners Quick Guide, Social Emotional Wellness Considerations for Parents and Caregivers Quick Guide, Social Emotional Wellness Considerations Students with Disabilities Quick Guide,...
Description: A tremendous amount of social and emotional development takes place during the early years of a child’s life. The emotional well-being of young children is an important consideration for educators and caregivers supporting early learners (pre-K - grade 3) during this critical time.
Description: The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) is focused on promoting the social emotional development and school readiness of young children birth to age 5. The Promoting Social and Emotional Competence training modules available on this site provide evidence-based practices for promoting children's social and emotional development and preventing challenging behaviors.
Description: The resources are organized by the following topics: Early Childhood Education Resources Counseling Resources Online Learning Resources Math Education Resources Culturally and Diverse Learner Resources Health and Physical Education Resources
Description: This brief provides guidance to parents, family members, and caregivers about using the power of play to build resilience and support healing. Some of the ideas outlined in the brief include:  Create opportunities for young children to communicate their fears and express their big feelings in constructive ways. Support children in releasing the extra energy charge that accumulates in their bodies after a stressful or traumatic experience. Teach infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children...
Description: Bring the World to Your Classroom (English Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, Science and more) WETA and PBS have curate FREE, standards-aligned videos, interactives, lesson plans, and more for teachers. You can browse by Subject or by Grade. Featured lesson plans in this collection contain full contextualization for the media they include. Plan and adapt our lessons in creative ways, using the Lesson Builder tool, Google Classroom, Remind, and more. For early educators, we’ve...
Description: VAAEYC serves Virginia early educators with local public policy support, accreditation support, professional development, and connections. Our Mission VAAEYC acts and speaks on behalf of all young children in Virginia. Our Vision All children will grow up valued, respected and provided with the nurturing and resources necessary to ensure their optimal development.
Description: This manual was developed by the Virginia Department of Education and the state system of Training and Technical Assistance Centers to help local school divisions meet federal and state mandates that children with disabilities be educated in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). The manual contains 8 modules and extensive resources which provide critical information for understanding, building, supporting, and sustaining inclusive placement opportunities for young children with...
Description: Reading Tip Sheets for Parents - Reading, and a love for reading, begins at home. Our one-page Reading Tip Sheets are available in thirteen languages and offer easy ways for parents to help kids become successful readers. Even though these tips are divided by age, many of them can be used with children at various ages and stages - parents are encouraged to choose the ones that work best for their child. These tips were created with the generous support of the American Federation...
Description: The VCPD Inclusive Practices Task Force has compiled a list of state and national resources in support of inclusive practices for young children birth to age five. The "VCPD Inclusive Practices State and National Resources November 2019" includes awareness and rationale, evaluation of inclusive programs, high quality inclusive practices, and systems level supports. Websites, books, and technical assistance center resources are described. If you cannot locate it through the link below, search for...
Description: Learning to read can, at times, seem almost magical. A child sits in front of a book and transforms those squiggles and lines into sounds, puts those sounds together to make words, and puts those words together to make meaning. But it’s not magical. English is an alphabetic language. We have 26 letters. These letters, in various combinations, represent the 44 sounds in our language. Teaching students the basic letter–sound combinations gives them access to sounding out approximately...
Description: Preschool refers to the time before a child is old enough to go to kindergarten or elementary school.  In Virginia, preschoolers who are eligible for special education and related services are entitled to placement in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) alongside their peers without disabilities with supplementary aids and services.  Inclusion in early childhood programs is supported through years of research and reinforced by a strong legal foundation and can set a trajectory for...
Description: National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome/Abusive Head Trauma (SBS/AHT) - Shaken Baby Syndrome/Abusive Head Trauma (SBS/AHT) is a term used to describe the constellation of signs and symptoms resulting from violent shaking or shaking and impacting of the head of an infant or small child. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) describes SBS as a subset of AHT with injuries having the potential to result in death or permanent neurologic disability. Can Tossing My Baby in the Air or Rough Play...
Description: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges. CDC is committed to continuing to provide essential data on ASD, search for factors that put children at risk for ASD and possible causes, and develop resources that help identify children with ASD as early as possible. What is Autism Spectrum Disorder? Screening  & Diagnosis Treatments Materials & Multimedia Research & Tracking Data &...
Description: Ready to learn the ins and outs of Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) early intervention? Hearing First just launched the Fundamentals of LSL Learning Series, a new 12-course learning program that will give professionals and parents a solid foundation of knowledge to help children with hearing loss learn to listen and talk. If you're new to LSL or just seeking to up level your learning, this program is for you! The first learning experience of the series starts in July, but you can learn...
Description: This online module from the ECTA Center addresses strategies to engage parents in activities to build their competence and confidence in providing learning opportunities for their child. The module is divided into 4 lessons ranging from 10-15 min. each, and includes short video demonstrations, checks a learner's understanding through a variety of interactive formats, and; includes a family capacity-building checklist for self-assessment or planning home visits.