For New Orleans teen parents, summer school is hands-on

By Danielle Dreilinger, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune

15-year-old Lashuntia Copelin plays with her 8-month-old daughter Londyn, while Jamal Gibson, 17 plays along during a break in a teen parenting class. Landry-Walker High School and the Center for Development and Learning are piloting a program for teen parents, Wednesday, July 2, 2014. In the background, Alice […]

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• Early Childhood
• Literacy
• Parents

Reading and Brain Change

By Daniel Willingham, Ph.D.

 Is there a critical period of brain plasticity for literacy? We know that brain development progresses with age. If a child does not learn to read at the right age, has the brain lost its plasticity such that learning to read will be more difficult?  

For at least one aspect of brain plasticity, we […]

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• Early Childhood
• Reading

Where the Wild Words Are

By Lucy Hart Paulson

Children’s books are one of the most valuable resources for developing and expanding language and early literacy skills in preschool and in primary grades. Using thematic units revolving around a central storybook is an effective strategy in early childhood education settings. Storybooks are read repeatedly during the thematic unit time period. With […]

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• Early Childhood
• Literacy

Response To Intervention (RTI) In Early Childhood

By the National Professional Development Center on Inclusion 

Background and Purpose

Response to Intervention (RTI) is an approach that is gaining acceptance in kindergarten-Grade 12 in many schools throughout the U.S. RTI has a dual focus – improving the quality of instructional practices for all students, and as providing additional instructional and behavioral supports for some students […]

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• Differentiated Instruction and RtI
• Early Childhood

Developing Early Literacy

Report of the National Early Literacy Panel 

Introduction 

The ability to read and write is fundamental to full participation in American society. Our nation of farmers and mechanics has been transformed into one in which economic, civic, and social success depend on educational attainment for all, particularly in literacy. The rapid influx of technology into our daily […]

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• Early Childhood
• Literacy
• Reading

The NICHD Study Of Early Child Care And Youth Development

By the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development 

 In the early 1990s, the majority of children began some non-maternal care by 6 months of age. results from the NICHD Study of early child care and Youth Development show that, in its demographically and ethnically diverse sample of more than 1,000 children, the average child spent […]

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• Early Childhood
• Reading
• Research-Based/Evidence-Based

Testimony To Congress On Head Start

By G. Reid Lyon Ph.D.

National Institutes of Health Statement by G. Reid Lyon, Ph.D. Chief, Child Development and Behavior Branch National Institute of Child Health and Human Development On HEAD START Before The Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions United States Senate Washington, D.C.

THE CRITICAL NEED FOR EVIDENCE-BASED COMPREHENSIVE AND EFFECTIVE EARLY […]

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• Early Childhood
• Research-Based/Evidence-Based

Seven Essentials For Helping Your Child Grow And Learn

Guiding Principles to Help Your Child Every Day
By Craig Ramey and Sharon Ramey

1. Encourage exploration with all the senses, in familiar and new 1 places, with others and alone, safely and with joy.

Example: Show your baby a new object and encourage him to feel its texture. Explore classic movies 2 and different types […]

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• Early Childhood