Facts In Action

As part of the Bush Administration's effort to ensure that "no child is left behind," the Administration asked leaders from the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services to convene a task force to develop a guide for preschool teachers and family child care providers on best practices to promote the healthy development of the young children in their care. The guide, Teaching Our Youngest: A Guide for Preschool Teachers and Child Care and Family Providers, was released in April 2002. It provides information and tips on providing care for children aged birth to five years old, including activity ideas, talking to children, and enhancing young children's learning and development.

The guide presents a list of competencies that effective providers should possess, including:

• knowing when children can figure out new ideas and concepts on their own and when they need step-by-step explanations;
  
• listening to what children say and expanding on their language;
  
• knowing when to teach directly, when to provide time for exploration and discovery, when to practice skills, and when to encourage creativity;
  
• planning activities that are both purposeful and challenging;
  
• encouraging respect for one another; and
  
• promoting early literacy through activities such as reading aloud to children.

To enhance learning environments and skills, the guide recommends that providers:

• Teach about books, letters, and words by reading aloud with children, ask questions while reading, encourage children to talk about books, and read many different kinds of books, such as alphabet books, number books, concept books, nursery rhymes, traditional literature, and wordless picture books.
  
• Explore numbers with children by offering counting activities, asking "how many" questions, displaying number puzzles, and offering opportunities for grouping objects and shapes.
  
• Help develop listening and speaking skills by encouraging conversation between children, playing games that require listening skills, reinforcing rules of good listening and speaking, and having children take turns following or giving directions.
  
• Encourage children to recognize print and understand it has meaning by keeping books and printed materials at eye level, labeling areas of the classroom, offering props for play such as old phone books, menus, and price tag stickers.
  
• Build background knowledge and thinking skills by providing opportunities to explore equipment and materials in a variety of ways, encouraging dramatic play, taking field trips to new places, and having visitors in the classroom.

The guide also recommends that early care and education providers keep track of the progress children make, as well as share the children's progress and experiences with parents and family members.

The first years of a child's life are a time of great growth and change. Children develop basic knowledge, understanding and interests, but need enriching experiences during these years to enable them to learn and grow into successful learners, readers, and writers. Early care and education providers and others who spend time with young children have the ability to help nurture this growth and development.

Source:
Teaching Our Youngest: A Guide for Preschool Teachers and Child Care and Family Providers, Early Childhood-Head Start Task Force, U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2002.

For more information:
contact ED Pubs, Education Publications Center, U.S. Department of Education, P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398, by email at edpubs@inet.ed.gov, or online at http://www.ed.gov/teachers/how/early/teachingouryoungest/index.html.

Facts in Action, August 2002