Getting Intentional Tools and Strategies to Support Your

Getting Intentional: Tools and Strategies to Support Your Work in Our Dynamic Field Camille Catlett

Demographics �The number of children under five who are Dual Language Learners (DLLs) has more than doubled in the past three decades �Nationwide, DLL �Nationwide approximately 1 out of 4 children under five are a the majority of school age children who are DLLs speak Spanish (71%)

Research �Children exposed to two languages early in life develop two separate, but interrelated language systems �Learning more than one language at the same time does not confuse young children; rather, the human brain is capable of learning multiple languages at very young ages. These findings also apply to young children with disabilities. �There is no scientific research that suggests that learning multiple languages – or being bilingual – can lead to a developmental delay for children

Challenges �Bilingual children often enter early childhood programs with advantages in certain executive functions and social-emotional skills �On average, children who are DLLs enter kindergarten behind their peers, particularly in the areas of language, literacy, and math.

Evidence-Based Practices �Opportunities to hear, process, and use language during meaningful interactions �Support in both languages �Partnerships with families

Wisconsin Points of Pride

Wisconsin Points of Pride

You’ll find all the clips I showedon supporting young DLLs at https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=H 763 M_p. OITE

Inclusion in early childhood programs refers to including children with disabilities in early childhood programs, together with their peers without disabilities; holding high expectations and intentionally promoting participation in all learning and social activities, facilitated by individualized accommodations; and using evidence-based services and supports to foster their development (cognitive, language, communication, physical, behavioral, and social-emotional), friendships with peers, and sense of belonging. This applies to all young children with disabilities, from those with the mildest disabilities, to those with the most significant disabilities.

Research �Research supports the benefits of inclusion for young children with and without disabilities �Children with disabilities, including those with the most significant disabilities and the highest needs, can make significant developmental and learning progress in inclusive settings

Challenges �Attitudes and beliefs �IDEA interpretation and perceived barriers �Lack of staffing, training, and expertise of the early childhood workforce �Lack of comprehensive services �Limited time and commitment to build partnerships

Recommendations for State Action � � � Create a state-level interagency taskforce and plan for inclusion Ensure state policies support high-quality inclusion Ensure quality rating frameworks are inclusive

Wisconsin Points of Pride

Wisconsin Points of Pride

Exceptional Children’s Assistance Center (ECAC) SCRIPT-NC Supporting Change and Reform in Preservice Teaching in North Carolina

Black preschool children are 3. 6 times as likely to receive one or more out-of-school suspensions as white preschool children Black boys make up 18% of preschool enrollment, but 48% of preschoolers suspended more than once

While boys represent 54% of preschool enrollment, they represent 78% of preschool children receiving one or more out-of-school suspensions.

Students who are expelled or suspended are as much as 10 times more likely to drop out of high school, experience academic failure and grade retention, hold negative school attitudes, and face incarceration than those who are not

Children with disabilities and English learners are not disproportionately suspended in public preschool BU T Students with disabilities in grades K-12 are disproportionately suspended from school

Build the capacity of the early childhood workforce to • Promote children’s social-emotional and behavioral health and appropriately addressing challenging behavior • Form strong, supportive, nurturing relationships with children • Form strong relationships with parents and families • Have a strong understanding of culture and diversity • Employ self-reflective strategies and cultural awareness training to prevent and correct all implicit and explicit biases, including racial/national origin/ethnic, sex, or disability biases • Eliminate all discriminatory discipline practices

Wisconsin Points of Pride

Wisconsin Points of Pride

Rosemarie Allen’s TED Talk on suspension is at https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=f 8 nkc. RMZKV 4

Family Engagement Helps Children to Succeed • Higher preschool performance and promotion to next grade • More positive engagement with peers, adults, and learning • Buffers negative impact of poverty on academic and behavioral outcomes

What does the new DHHS-DOE policy say about family engagement? Family engagement refers to the systematic inclusion of families in activities and programs that promote children’s development, learning, and wellness, including in the planning, development, and evaluation of such activities, programs, and systems.

How does the new policy statement define family? The term “family” as used in this statement is inclusive of all adults who interact with early childhood systems in support of their child, to include biological, adoptive, and foster parents; grandparents; legal and informal guardians; and adult siblings.

Challenges �There may be a perception that family engagement practices are supplemental, rather than necessary, to successfully promote children’s learning and development �Insufficient attention to preparing professionals to be culturally and linguistically responsive, and strategically analyzing the effects of implicit biases within systems and programs. This results in ineffective engagement with diverse families of young children.

Opportunities �Promote a vision for family engagement that is consistent across systems and programs, and that can set the stage for families’ involvement in their children’s development and education at all ages �Ensure to the maximum extent possible, that the environment, children’s curricula and learning, and all family engagement opportunities respect, reflect, and embrace families’ cultures, are devoid of bias, and are linguistically accessible �Build practitioner capacity to implement family engagement practice principles

Wisconsin Points of Pride

Wisconsin Points of Pride

Model the use of words and images. . . that reflect each child and family

Switch from parents to family or parents & family

The “assume nothing” clip about the Thai family is at http: //www. huffingtonpost. com/2014/02/24/think-twice-beforejudge-anotherparent_n_4826485. html? ncid=fcbklnkushpmg 00000037