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Page 1
Volume 38, Number 1
D imensions
Winter 2010
Southern
Early Childhood
Association
Inside this issue:
• Individualizing
Instruction
• Online Professional
Development
• Sign Language
With Babies?
• Working With
Interpreters
of
Early Childhood
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Southern
Early Childhood
Association
Editor - Janet Brown Stivers
Cover photo by Subjects & Predicates
Dimensions of
Early Childhood
Copyright ©2010, Southern Early Childhood
Association (SECA). Permission is not required to
excerpt or make copies of articles in Dimensions
of Early Childhood if they are distributed at no cost.
Contact the Copyright Clearance Center at (978)
750-8400 or www.copyright.com for permission
for academic photocopying (coursepackets, study
guides, etc.). Indexes for Dimensions of Early Childhood are posted on the SECA web site at
www.SouthernEarlyChildhood.org. Additional
copies of Dimensions of Early Childhood may be
purchased from the SECA office by calling (800)
305-SECA. Dimensions of Early Childhood (ISSN
1068-6177) is SECA’s journal. Third Class postage
is paid at Little Rock, Arkansas. SECA does not accept responsibility for statements of facts or opinion which appear in Dimensions of Early Childhood.
Authors are encouraged to ask for a copy of
SECA’s manuscript guidelines. Submit manuscripts
that are typed and double spaced with references
in APA style. E-mail manuscripts for review to the
editor at [email protected].
SECA serves the interests of early childhood educators concerned with child development, including
university researchers and teacher educators; early
childhood, kindergarten, and primary-grade teachers;
and early childhood program administrators and proprietors. The association has affiliates in 13 Southern
states. Non-affiliate memberships are available to anyone living outside the 13 affiliate states. For information about joining SECA, contact the executive offices
at P.O. Box 55930, Little Rock, AR 72215-5930, (800)
305-7322. Members receive a one-year subscription to Dimensions of Early Childhood and discounts
on SECA publications and conference registration
fees.
Southern Early Childhood Association
P.O. Box 55930
Little Rock, AR 72215-5930
(800) 305-7322
e-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.southernearlychildhood.org
Winter 2010
Dimensions
of Early
Childhood
Volume 38, Number 1
Winter 2010
—Refereed Articles—
3
Individualizing Instruction in Preschool Classrooms
Mary B. Boat, Laurie A. Dinnebeil, and Youlmi Bae
12
Online Professional Development:
Choices for Early Childhood Educators
Heather Olsen, Ana J. Donaldson, and Susan D. Hudson
21
Sign Language With Babies: What Difference Does It Make?
Susan Kubic Barnes
31
Working Effectively With Interpreters
Anarella Cellitti
—Departments—
2
President's Message
Janie Humphries
19
Meet the 2010 SECA President-Elect Candidates
38
Volume 37 Index
Dimensions of Early Childhood
39
Book Reviews: Books for Early Childhood Educators
E. Anne Eddowes, Editor
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Volume 38, Number 1
1
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Dr. Janie Humphries
President
2310 Lily Drive
Ruston, LA 71270
Georgia Lamirand
Past President
2013 Rocky Point Drive
Edmond, OK 73003
PRESIDENT’S
MESSAGE
AFFILIATE REPRESENTATIVES
Dee Ard
1805 Townshend Trace S.W.
Decatur, AL 35603
-Alabama-
Dr. Joanna Grymes
Arkansas State University
PO Box 2350
State University, AR 72467-2350
-Arkansas-
-Florida-
Sister Roberta Bailey
PO Box 2450
Saint Leo, FL 30044
-Georgia-
Terrie Buckner
655 Singley Drive
Lawrenceville, GA 31406
-Kentucky-
Katie Shaughnessy-Williams
500 Metro Street, 17th Floor CPT
Frankfort, KY 40601
-Louisiana-
Cynthia Ramagos
815 Bourbon Avenue
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
-Mississippi-
Beverly Peden
21 Crossgates Drive
Brandon, MS 39042
-Oklahoma-
Susan Carrigan
2427 Foliage Drive
Ada, OK 74820-4626
-South Carolina-
Crystal Campbell
235 Woodhouse Dr.
Irmo, SC 29063
-Tennessee-
Lisa Maddox-Vinson
548 Bumpus Mills Road
Dover, TN 37058
-Texas-
Mary Jamsek
7603 Basil Cove
Austin, TX 78750
-Virginia-
Joyce P. Jones
802 Cub Ridge Court
Chester, VA 23836
-West Virginia-
Melanie Clark
3272 Birch River Road
Birch River, WV 26610
MEMBERS-AT-LARGE
Carol Montealegre
1322 Castille Avenue
Coral Gables, FL 33134
Dr. Herman T. Knopf
133 Old Pond Lane
Columbia, SC 29212
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE
Nancy Cheshire
Connie Casha
West Virginia
Tennessee
Stephen Graves
Anita McLeod
Florida
South Carolina
Jaesook Gilbert
Cynthia Simpson
Kentucky
Texas
Wilma Robles-Melendez
Florida
STAFF
Glenda Bean
Executive Director
2
Volume 38, Number 1
Dr. Janie Humphries
As I start my term as Southern Early Childhood Association (SECA) President,
I feel honored to be president of an organization that I have admired, respected, and
been a member of for more than 30 years. I have watched SECA grow and observed
its members work to meet the needs of the children and families of the South. I am
proud of SECA’s history of honoring diversity and acceptance, its history of helping
introduce and support programs for children such as Shots for Tots, good-quality
child care and education programs, and efforts to bring teachers’ salaries to the
Southern Regional Educational Board average in the South. I am proud of our
journal, Dimensions of Early Childhood, and the service it provides to the SECA
membership and to the early childhood community. I am honored to follow in the
footsteps of past presidents who have led SECA.
While history and past accomplishments are important, I want us to plan for the
future of SECA and the future of the children and families of the South. To
strengthen our association, we must
• train and maintain strong advocates for Southern children and their families;
• continue to develop and support good-quality programs for young children
in our Southern states;
• maintain membership, retaining and involving current members, and
inviting students and beginning early childhood professionals to become
active members of SECA; and
• continue to help members make connections: connections with each other
within their states and connections across states, connections within their
communities, with families, with community leaders, with state leaders,
and with federal leaders.
To improve the quality of early childhood education in the South, SECA
also needs to
• identify the current status of children’s programs within the Southern states;
• identify ways to improve children’s programs and work to provide goodquality early childhood programs for all children throughout the South; and
• build collaborations among Head Start programs, child care programs,
public school programs, higher education institutions, faith programs, and
state agencies to build and maintain good-quality programs for all children
of the South. SECA should be the uniting voice—the glue to make this
collaboration work.
continued on page 10
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Winter 2010
Increasing numbers of young children with diagnosed disabilities and unique learning needs are
enrolled in early childhood programs. Individualizing learning opportunities is one widely accepted practice for successful inclusion.
Individualizing Instruction in
Preschool Classrooms
Mary B. Boat, Laurie A. Dinnebeil, and Youlmi Bae
In 2003, 34% of young children with disabilities
received special education services in community-based
early childhood programs such as child care centers, Head
Start classrooms, and nursery schools (U.S. Department
of Education, 2005). These services are provided by early
childhood special educators.
However, these special education professionals usually
spend just a few hours each week with the children. If early
childhood inclusion is to be a successful educational
approach, it is imperative that ALL early childhood
teachers understand and are able to provide individualized
instruction to young children with special needs. This
article describes teaching techniques that preschool
teachers can use to support the learning needs of all
children with whom they work, including young children
with disabilities and special needs.
The term instruction refers to the methods used to teach
a curriculum (Bredekamp & Rosegrant, 1992). In early
childhood education, instruction encompasses many
different types of learning experiences ranging from nondirective to directive (Wolery, 2005; Wolery & Wilbers,
1994).
Just as children’s learning falls along a continuum from
passive to active, so does the process of instruction.
Instruction may be as basic as modeling how to put on a
coat, or it can be as complex as helping children learn to
read. The degree to which teacher direction or guidance is
used depends on the objective of the experience and the
children’s individual needs. Thus, for teaching to be
instruction, it must be intentional. The result of
appropriately individualized instruction is meaningful
learning for all young children.
Winter 2010
What is instruction?
Instruction refers to intentional teaching methods.
When is something teachers do or say considered
to be instruction? When a teacher draws a young
child in to a conversation about a picture or
experience, is that teacher providing instruction?
Perhaps it is, if the teacher is creating an
opportunity for the child to express herself verbally
or practice turn-taking skills. Teaching is instructive
if it is done intentionally to provide support or opportunities for children’s learning.
Teachers who are aware of children’s learning
needs continuously look for ways to support their
learning.
How to Individualize Instruction
The process of individualizing instruction consists of
four primary steps (Pretti-Frontczak & Bricker, 2004):
• Get to know each child’s interests, needs, and
abilities
• Create opportunities for learning that build on
children’s interests
Mary B. Boat, Ph.D., is Associate Professor and Program
Coordinator, Early Childhood Education, University of
Cincinnati, Ohio. She has worked directly and conducted research with young children with, or at risk for, disabilities.
Laurie A. Dinnebeil, Ph.D., is the Judith Daso Herb Chair
in Inclusive Early Childhood Education at the University of
Cincinnati. She is a former preschool special education
teacher and has worked extensively in the fields of early intervention and early childhood special education.
Youlmi Bae, M.Ed., is a doctoral student and research assistant in Early Childhood Special Education at the University
of Toledo, Ohio. She was an early childhood teacher in Korea
and has worked with preschool Korean American children in
a Korean Academy in Toledo.
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Volume 38, Number 1
3
• Scaffold children’s learning
through supportive
interactions
• Monitor children’s progress
toward achieving important
goals
These components are interrelated
and form the framework for decision
making around individualization.
To successfully create engaging
learning opportunities for children,
teachers must know
• what children enjoy and value,
• what children are capable of
doing, and
• what adults can and should
expect from each child (skills
as well as appropriate content
standards)
Teachers who know about the
children can then create learning
opportunities based on that information and support their learning
through instructional strategies that
promote growth.
Skilled teachers determine whether
children are making appropriate
progress toward achieving goals by
monitoring progress (assessment) and
using that information to change
instructional strategies and intensity
as appropriate.
their typically developing peers.
Teachers who successfully work
with children who have special needs
are diligent in identifying child
interests by collaborating with families
and other service providers who know
the child. This knowledge, coupled
with teaching skills, is essential to
determine how to use individual
information about children to work
toward desired outcomes for them.
For example, identifying familiar,
common objects is a skill mastered by
most preschool children and is a goal
on many individualized education
plans (IEPs). Some young children,
however, have little interest in typical
objects in early childhood classrooms.
This does not mean that these
children are not interested in objects,
but rather that their interests fall
outside the spectrum of items that
appeal to most young children.
Teachers certainly want to encourage young children to be able to
identify and name common objects.
This skill is necessary for language and
literacy development, and provides a
common frame of reference for interactions with peers. Teachers who
know children well can identify what
is likely to motivate them to develop an
interest in everyday early childhood
learning materials.
Create Opportunities for
Learning
The ability to generate and sustain
children’s interest in learning is a
Get to Know Each Child
Most children are naturally curious
about their surroundings and eagerly
participate in learning activities. For
some children, however, it is difficult
to identify what motivates them to be
more fully engaged. Teachers who pay
attention to what children do and say
can usually find out what motivates
them. This is true for all children, but
even more so for children with
disabilities because they may not
exhibit the same kinds of behaviors as
4
Volume 38, Number 1
Subjects & Predicates
Teachers who successfully work with children who have special needs are diligent in
identifying child interests by collaborating with families and other service providers who
know the child. This knowledge, coupled with teaching skills, is essential to determine how
to use individual information about children to work toward desired outcomes for them.
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Winter 2010
Table 1: Teaching Strategies That Pique Children’s Interest
1. Comment about an event that appears to interest the child. This technique
prompts the child to repeat, respond to, or expand on the comment. A
teacher looking at a child’s painting might say, “Look at all of the bright colors you used! I see pink, green, and purple.”
2. Expand on a child’s statement. Elaborate with one or two key words that
are likely to build the child’s expressive vocabulary. A child may say, “I have
truck,” and the teacher may elaborate by saying, “Yes, you have a red fire
truck.”
3. Introduce an unexpected event. Set up situations that capture a child’s attention through novelty and create cognitive dissonance. A teacher might
do something that is inconsistent with the daily routine or the way children
typically perceive their environment. For example, hold a child’s name card
upside down or start to dress a doll by putting a shoe on its hand.
4. Initially provide inadequate portions or insufficient materials. Without
sufficient quantity to complete a task, the child is likely to ask for more. If
only a small ball of modeling compound is available, the child may ask for
more to roll out and use a cookie cutter to make shapes.
5. Block access. When a teacher subtly denies a child access to a preferred object or event, the child is likely to request the object or ask for assistance.
The teacher might set out bright balls in a plastic container with a tight lid.
A child who is interested in playing with the balls will request help to open
the container.
6. Create opportunities to choose. When children are given choices among
objects, events, or activities, they are more likely to actively participate.
Choices provide children with opportunities to develop expressive language
and cognitive skills. Some choices may be routine, such as offering either
crackers or cereal at snack time. Other choices capitalize on children’s interests by building on their activities: “Would you like the letter you wrote
to go in the mailbox? Or do you want to take it home with you?”
7. Make a direct request to say or do something that requires more than a yes
or no answer. For example, insist that a child state the name of an object
before it is available for play: “Please say ‘ball’ if you want the orange ball.”
critical skill for effective early
childhood teachers. Teachers who can
pique children’s curiosity and then use
appropriate instructional strategies to
convey information and skills provide
children with rich learning environments (Sandall & Schwartz,
2008).
Maya, a 4-year-old, was diagnosed with a language delay.
Maya’s teacher, Mr. Flores, is
working with her on using words
for common objects and activities
in the classroom rather than gestures such as pointing or grabbing
Winter 2010
objects. Mr. Flores seeks a way to
motivate Maya’s use of vocabulary. He carefully observes what
interests Maya and uses this information to set up learning opportunities.
Mr. Flores notes that Maya enjoys
working in the art center and especially painting and cutting
paper. To provide her with an opportunity to practice using words
for common objects, he places
crayons and scissors just out her
reach, creating a situation in
which Maya must ask for the
items. He does not hand the obDIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
jects to her until she names or attempts to name them.
Mr. Flores may further support
Maya’s learning by modeling the
correct words and asking Maya to
repeat them. She is then rewarded
by receiving the objects she desires.
This scenario may be repeated,
but should be utilized only to
help Maya use her vocabulary to
obtain what she desires or get her
needs met. Mr. Flores actively reinforces Maya’s independent attempts to use her vocabulary,
because independence is the ultimate goal.
The strategy described here works
well for Maya, but effective teachers
know that it will not work for every
child. Thus, it is imperative that
teachers know individual children’s
interests, cultures, and values before
determining the best way to create
learning opportunities (Copple &
Bredekamp, 2009). For example, a
Native American child whose family
culture teaches that it is not polite to
ask for objects may not respond to the
strategy that worked for Maya.
Early childhood teachers use a
variety of strategies to facilitate
learning opportunities for children.
The seven techniques in Table 1 vary
in level of teacher direction as well as
in the degree to which a child must
respond (Ostrosky & Kaiser, 1991).
The first several strategies do not
require a child’s response for an
activity to continue. The later
strategies are much more directive.
When creating opportunities for
learning, make sure that children are
ultimately in control of the situation.
Even though the intent is to entice a
child into the interaction, the child
may or may not respond. Teachers try
Volume 38, Number 1
5
to create opportunities that interest
and engage children in learning, but
there is no way to make them be
interested.
All of the strategies mentioned here
are effective ways to engage all
children, not just those who have
disabilities. Instructional strategies are
intended to provide the minimal
assistance necessary for the child to
successfully attempt the skill (Wolery,
2005; Wolery, Ault, & Doyle, 1992).
When using these strategies, do not
single out children or foster their
dependence. Drawing attention to
differences in how children are
supported may decrease the likelihood
the target children will participate in
the opportunity. When planning an
intervention, always ask if the strategy
is appropriate for the individual child,
necessary, and sufficient to promote
success.
Scaffold to Support
Learning
When teachers support learning,
the key is to determine what type and
intensity of support will be most
helpful to individual children. A
teacher’s simple glance may draw one
child’s attention to an inappropriate
behavior. Another child may need a
verbal reminder. Yet another may
benefit from specific guidelines or
examples of positive behavior. One
child may follow when the teacher
demonstrates how to properly hold
scissors to cut paper, while another
may need hand-over-hand support for
the same activity.
In all likelihood, children only
need support temporarily, so savvy
teachers know that fading their
support is critical to children’s
independence. Effective teachers
6
Volume 38, Number 1
Table 2: Match Support to Children’s Needs
Support
Child Needs
Examples of Teaching Strategies
Time
Time to process information and to
act on a request.
Ask a child to begin cleaning up.
Provide plenty of wait time after the
request to see if the child complies before making a further intervention.
Ask a child to share something he enjoyed about a field trip. Provide
enough wait time for the child to reflect and respond.
Gesture
A reminder to perform a skill.
Point to the trash can as child gets up
from snack and leaves her milk carton.
Make a “shh” sign to remind
children to be quiet during a story.
Verbal Prompt
More explicit infor- Verbally remind a child to put away
mation to success- the toys she used in one center before
fully perform a
moving to another.
skill.
Verbally remind a child to put on a
smock before waterplay.
Model or Demon- How to do a chal- Demonstrate how to put on a glove.
stration
lenging skill or help Show how to spread fingers and pull
remembering how on the glove one finger at a time.
to perform a skill.
Suggest that a child watch how a peer
holds a pitcher to pour a beverage.
Physical Prompt
When acquiring a
skill, child needs
physical guidance
to be successful.
Use a hand-over-hand technique to
help a child figure out how to balance
table blocks.
Physically help a child grasp and hold
a coat zipper.
know how to individualize support to
be just the right amount of help.
What criteria facilitate this decisionmaking? Beyond knowing children’s
individual interests and preferences,
there are indicators that may help
teachers think about individual
situations. Table 2 provides examples
of how support from teachers
or families may be matched to
children’s needs.
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Scaffolding Strategies
Response-prompting strategies
(Wolery, 2005; Wolery, et al., 1992)
is a phrase used to describe the process
of providing help (or prompts) in
order for the learner to make a desired
response. Levels of prompting can be
ordered from most-to-least or least-tomost.
• A most-to-least strategy can
be implemented if the child is
Winter 2010
learning a complex motor skill
such as dressing. At first, adults
provide children with a great
deal of help and gradually
reduce the amount of
assistance as the child acquires
the skill.
• Least-to-most prompting can
be used when the child knows
how to do something, but
must be supported to use the
skill. For example, children
often need help to generalize
the skill of turn taking to new
situations. While they might
be proficient at taking turns
when playing Peek-a-Boo with
an adult, they might not be
comfortable taking turns when
they play with a stacking toy.
The teacher provides the least
amount of help necessary for
the child to successfully take
turns, providing more help as
needed in order for the child to
be successful.
The amount of help provided is
planned and structured to match the
child’s skill level and desired outcome.
Peer-mediated strategies are another
type of technique that can be used to
support individual child learning
(DiSalvo & Oswald, 2002; Kohler &
Strain, 1999; Robertson, Green, Alpers,
Schloss, & Kohler, 2003). These
strategies are implemented when a more
accomplished peer is paired with one
who needs to develop or hone skills.
Peer mediation often occurs naturally in preschool settings. Children
typically observe and interact with
others in ways that scaffold development. An important aspect of designing curriculum and the learning
environment is to make sure that
young children have ample opportunities to interact with and learn from
one another.
Subjects & Predicates
When teachers support learning, the key is to determine what type and intensity of support will be most helpful to individual
children. Effective teachers know how to individualize support to be just the right amount of help.
Winter 2010
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Volume 38, Number 1
7
Formal peer-mediated strategies go
a step further, when a teacher intentionally pairs children. A teacher
typically identifies a peer who
possesses a desired (target) skill and
works with that child to show him or
her how to support a child who has
yet to develop the skill.
• First, the teacher coaches the
more accomplished peer on
how to interact with the target
child in a supportive manner,
typically through role playing.
• The teacher then structures
situations in which the peer
“mentor” and the child
developing the skill can play
or work together utilizing the
target skill.
For example, Matthew may have
difficulty entering peer group play
situations. He often resorts to
disrupting the group or aggressive
behavior when his attempts to join are
rebuffed. The teacher may coach
Tarin, a socially-skilled child who is
frequently a part of the group
Matthew tries to join, to prompt
Matthew to use appropriate words to
request participation or materials. The
teacher role-plays (practices) with
Tarin the specific prompts he might
use. In turn, Matthew is prompted to
use more appropriate interaction
strategies. The teacher provides Tarin
with statements he can use with
Matthew to positively reinforce his
use of the target skill(s).
Pay attention to what
children do and say.
Just as learners have choices about
whether or not to engage in an
instructional interaction, more
accomplished peers must also be given
8
Volume 38, Number 1
choices about their involvement as or not instruction is effective must be
an evidence-based process in which
mentors with other children.
children’s learning is documented. To
accomplish this:
Monitor Children’s
• First give a strategy time to
Progress
work—most meaningful
Effectively individualizing instruction
learning does not occur
is a cycle that involves knowing
overnight.
individual children, knowing effective
• Then, determine the best way
instructional strategies, and deterto collect and use evidence of
mining whether or not the choices
children’s learning.
made resulted in child learning. The
Identify the target skill or behavior
final step in this cycle of individualized
in order to keep track of children’s
instruction—monitoring and docudevelopmental or academic progress.
menting children’s progress—is just as
Choose a method of recording obimportant as knowing the best
servations that can be incorporated
strategy to use (Pretti-Frontczak &
into daily routines and activities.
Bricker, 2004).
Focused observation helps teachers
Without this step, the capacity
plan and implement meaningful
of teachers to meaningfully affect
curriculum and teaching strategies.
children’s learning is minimized and
Table 3 outlines some ways to
time is wasted. Determining whether
Table 3: Observation Techniques to Document Children’s Learning
1. Observe and record children’s behavior at specific times of the day or week.
Choose a time during which the target child is likely to use a skill or behavior
AND when enough adults are present.
2. Make quick checks throughout the day. If the skill or behavior is something
that occurs fairly often, a relatively easy way to monitor progress is to pick a
standard time (perhaps every hour) and record whether or not the behavior occurred at that time. While this does not yield detailed information, it
indicates how often the behavior occurred.
3. Use found objects to help keep track. Use objects (in multiple pockets of an
apron, for example) to help keep track of children’s behavior. Claire is trying to
keep track of how often Shoshanna initiates an interaction with a peer during
90-minute center time. Every time she sees Shoshanna initiate an interaction,
she moves a small block (or other object) from one pocket to another. At the end
of the day, she counts the number of blocks and records the number of initiations observed.
4. Record the level of help a child requires. For some children who have disabilities or special needs, it takes a long time to achieve a goal. Break down a task
into smaller steps and document those steps to check for progress. Or track the
amount of help a child needs to be successful. With Shoshanna, at first she might
need very direct verbal prompts to approach another child (Claire asks
Shoshanna to say, “Ashley will you play with me?”). After a while though, the
teacher might just have to say “Shoshanna, what do you want Ashley to do?” in
order to help Shoshanna approach Ashley. Finally, Claire might just need to gesture (point a finger at Ashley) in order to help Shoshanna know what to do.
While Shoshanna still is not initiating interactions independently, she is
certainly learning and making important progress toward that goal.
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Winter 2010
disabilities learn in a given year, nor are
they the curriculum.
IEP annual goals provide outcomes
and direction that help young children
access the general curriculum and
developmentally typical environments.
Although IEPs may include information that supports identifying
appropriate instructional strategies,
often it is up to the classroom teacher
to determine the best way to help a
child achieve his or her goals.
Appropriately individualized
instruction leads to
meaningful learning.
Subjects & Predicates
Effectively individualizing instruction is a cycle that involves knowing individual
children, implementing effective instructional strategies, and determining whether or
not the choices made resulted in child learning.
document observations that can fit
into a busy classroom schedule.
Make Sound Decisions
Based on Data
The information that teachers collect
as they observe and document children’s
learning is critically important to inform
curricular decisions. Understanding
when to introduce new content or
increase support for a difficult skill
depends on using the information
collected as part of the observation
process. Teachers must analyze and use
Winter 2010
the data they gather to determine if their
teaching strategies are effective and make
changes when the data suggests that they
are not (Luze & Peterson, 2004).
The Role of IEPs
Individualization is the foundation
of IEP development. IEP annual goals
and objectives or benchmarks are target
skills for the child to reach. While the
annual goals provide a framework for a
minimum level of accountability for
individual children, they do not reflect
the total of what children with
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Fortunately, all of the strategies
discussed here can help teachers
implement instructional strategies
that support the diverse learning
needs of all children in a classroom.
Effective teachers understand that,
although IEPs may specify annual
goals, these goals will be achieved
when the skills to be learned are
embedded in the classroom routine
with strategies that facilitate children’s
development.
* * *
Individualizing instruction enables
skilled teachers to provide meaningful
learning experiences to all young
children, including those with special
needs (McWilliam, Wolery, & Odom,
2001). In order to provide effective
instruction, teachers must
• be knowledgeable about the
learners, including their
abilities, interests, and needs
• create learning opportunities
that are embedded in daily
routines, activities, or
experiences that capture
children’s interest and draw
them into an instructional
interaction
Volume 38, Number 1
9
integrated preschool classrooms. Topics
• implement a planned and
in Early Childhood Special Education,
structured approach for
19, 92-102.
curriculum content
Luze, G.J., & Peterson, C.A. (2004). Im• make thoughtful decisions
proving outcomes for young children by
about the right kind and
assessing intervention integrity and
amount of support for children
monitoring progress: "Am I doing it
to be successful
right and is it working?" Young Excep• monitor the success of
tional Children, 7(2), 20-29.
McWilliam,
R.A., Wolery, M., & Odom,
instruction to make sound
S.L.
(2001).
Instructional perspectives in
decisions to support children’s
inclusive
preschool
classrooms. In M.J.
learning and development
Guralnick (Ed.), Early childhood incluTeaching is a reflective and insion: Focus on change (pp. 503-527). Baltentional process. When scaffolding
timore, MD: Brookes.
Ostrosky,
M.M., & Kaiser, A.P. (1991).
children’s learning, teachers can
Preschool
classroom environments that
choose from a variety of tools in their
promote communication. Teaching Exinstructional toolbox!
ceptional Children, 23, 6-10.
References
Copple, C., & Bredekamp, S., (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early
childhood programs (3rd ed.). Washington, DC: National Association for the
Education of Young Children.
Bredekamp, S., & Rosegrant, T. (1992).
Reaching potentials through appropriate
curriculum: Conceptual framework for
applying the guidelines. In S. Bredekamp & T. Rosegrant (Eds.), Reaching
potentials: Appropriate curriculum and assessment for young children, (Vol. 1.), (pp.
9-25). Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
DiSalvo, C.A., & Oswald, D.P. (2002).
Peer-mediated interventions to increase
social interaction of children with
autism. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 17(4), 198-207.
Kohler, F.W., & Strain, P.S. (1999). Maximizing peer-mediated resources in
Pretti-Frontczak, K., & Bricker, D. (2004).
An activity-based approach to early
intervention (3rd ed.). Baltimore, MD:
Brookes.
Robertson, J., Green, K., Alpers, S., Schloss,
P.J., & Kohler, F. (2003). Using a peermediated intervention to facilitate children’s participation in inclusive childcare
activities. Education and Treatment of
Children, 26, 182-197.
Sandall, S.R., & Schwartz, I.S. (2008).
Building blocks for teaching preschoolers
with special needs (2nd ed.). Baltimore,
MD: Brookes.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of
Special Education Programs. (2005).
Twenty-fifth annual report to Congress on
the implementation of the Individuals
With Disabilities Education Act.
Washington, DC: Author.
Wolery, M. (2005). DEC recommended
practices: Child-focused practices. In S.
Sandall, M.L. Hemmeter, B.J. Smith, &
M.E. McLean (Eds.), DEC recommended
practices: A comprehensive guide for
practical application (pp. 71-106).
Longmont, CO: Sopris West.
Wolery, M., Ault, M.J., & Doyle, P.M.
(1992). Teaching students with moderate
and severe disabilities: Use of response
prompting strategies. White Plains, NY:
Longman.
Wolery, M., & Wilbers, J. (1994). Including
children with special needs in early
childhood programs. Washington, DC:
National Association for the Education
of Young Children.
President’s Message continued from page 2
The Southern Early Childhood
Association could and should be
The Voice for the children and
families of the South during the
2010 decade. SECA members are
caring and knowledgeable. We are
hard working. By collaborating and
working together, SECA members
can make a difference in the lives of
Southern children and early childhood professionals. We can build
and maintain quality programs. We
can develop and provide goodquality professional development for
early childhood professionals. SECA
members can be the leaders the
South needs.
Thank you for this opportunity
to serve. I look forward to working
for SECA, its members, and for
children and families in the South. I
look forward to working with you,
the SECA members, to see all the
things SECA can achieve.
The Portfolio and Its Use: A Road Map
For Assessment (second edition)
Sharon MacDonald
Used by classroom teachers and in university teacher preparation courses.
Learn how to implement the portfolio method and develop an authentic
assessment system for your program. Includes forms that may be
duplicated and updated references. 85 pp. (2005)
ISBN#978-0-942388-31-2
$17.95 Member / $19.95 Non-member
10
Volume 38, Number 1
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Winter 2010
Put These Ideas Into Practice!
Individualizing Instruction in Preschool Classrooms
Mary B. Boat, Laurie A. Dinnebeil, and Youlmi Bae
Children in early childhood classrooms have diverse learning needs. In order to
support children with diverse learning needs, follow these four steps:
Child
ow Each
n
ildren
K
o
t
t
e
individual ch that
1. G
e
rv
e
s
b
o
y
tl
n
es
✬ Consiste t an individual child do
a
h
w
✬ Identify cess
in
leads to suc
child persists
a
re
e
h
w
d
hen an
✬ Notice w ieve a goal
ving a
trying to ach hild has difficulty achie
hen the c
✬ Note w
to
y
goal and wh families and specialists
h
it
d
w
il
rate
h ch
✬ Collabo rstand and support eac
e
d
n
better u
3. Scaffold Learning
✮ Support a child’s learning opportunities
with
strategies such as verbal reminders or modeling
a
skill
✮ Encourage each child’s independence
✮ Use the learning environment effective
ly
✮ Include peers in the classroom and fam
ilies in this
process
2. Create Opportunities for Lea
rning
✭ Build on situations that interest the
child and in
which the child is successful
✭ Capture the child’s attention with app
ealing items,
textures, or changes in voice
✭ Show interest in what the child is doin
g
ess
en’s Progr
r
d
il
h
C
r
o
ork
4. Monit
gh time to w
u
o
n
e
y
g
te
anges
ra
✫ Give a st
strategy or ch
a
t
n
e
m
le
p
tly im
r change
✫ Consisten bserve for skill or behavio
tly o
formation
✫ Consisten ently enough to get the in
frequ
✫ Observe
to be
needed
ls or behaviors
il
sk
e
th
f
o
✫ Keep track
ons
iew observati
v
monitored
re
d
n
a
n
w
o
anges in
to write d
d to make ch
✫ Find time
re
e
th
a
g
n
o
ti
forma
✫ Use the in d/or teaching strategies
curriculum an
A B C D E
Note: Dimensions of Early Childhood readers are encouraged to copy this material for early childhood students as well as teachers of young children as a professional development tool.
Winter 2010
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Volume 38, Number 1
11
How can early childhood educators overcome barriers of access and convenience to obtain
high-quality professional development online? Before enrolling in any program, explore the
options reviewed here.
Online Professional Development:
Choices for Early Childhood
Educators
Heather Olsen, Ana J. Donaldson, and Susan D. Hudson
More than 6 in 10 children in the United States now are
cared for regularly by someone other than their parents
(National Association for Child Care Resource and
Referral Agencies [NACCRRA], 2006). Early childhood
educators are responsible for providing young children
with the best possible early care and education.
Professional development has a positive effect on the
quality of care young children receive. Research on child
care workers’ education has shown that professional
preparation makes a significant impact on children’s
cognitive and emotional development (National
Association for the Education of Young Children
[NAEYC], 2005; NACCRRA, 2006). Therefore, the need
for high-quality early childhood professional development
has expanded across the United States.
Although 97% of all states mandate some type of
annual in-service work (Smith, 2006), many early
childhood professionals face significant barriers as they
seek to improve their knowledge and practices. These
barriers include
• lack of money,
• accessibility,
• scheduling problems,
• institutional racism,
• language/communication, and
• literacy expectations (Ackerman, 2004; Bailey &
Osborne, 1994; NAEYC, 2005; Smith, 2006).
An increasing number of early childhood professionals
engage in professional development online (Olsen, 2007).
This article explores issues regarding online delivery of
professional development. The discussion is intended to
12
Volume 38, Number 1
help early childhood professionals work through some of
the possible training barriers and decide whether or not
the online learning environment is a viable option.
Online Professional Development
In the 1990s, online professional development courses
were seen as a model for delivering learning experiences to
early childhood educators who often cannot afford to leave
their jobs, homes, or families to travel to distant programs
(Hyatt, 1992; Rowland, Rule, & Decker, 1996). The
expanded availability of the Internet continues to create
new avenues for professional development programs.
Heather Olsen, Ed.D., is Assistant Professor, University of
Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls. She has developed and is the lead
instructor for online training programs for the National Program for Playground Safety. Her research interests include
online professional development, e-learning, and
outdoor play.
Ana J. Donaldson, Ed.D., is Associate Professor, University of
Northern Iowa. She is the coordinator of the Instructional
Technology Division and lead instructor for the Performance
and Training Technology Center at the University of
Northern Iowa. Her research interests include performance
and training and learner-centered teaching approaches with
emphasis on collaboration, communication, and interaction
in the online environment.
Susan D. Hudson, Ph.D., is Professor, University of
Northern Iowa. She holds one of three endowed
professorships in the United States in the area of Leisure and
Youth Services. Hudson has a distinguished record of
teaching, research, and service in the profession.
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Winter 2010
Online education can offer convenience to students while saving time
and expense for instructors, who no
longer have to travel to remote sites
to teach.
Online programs are professional
development tools in which the
curriculum is delivered electronically
via the Internet to learners who are
connected to one another and the
instructor through computers. The
words online education, distance
education, E-learning, and distance
learning are terms that are commonly
used to describe this method of
preservice and in-service education.
Online Professional
Development—What Is It?
Online programs are professional
development tools in which the
curriculum is delivered
electronically via the Internet to
learners who are connected to
one another and the instructor
through computers. The words
online education, distance education, E-learning, and distance
learning are terms that are commonly used to describe this
method of preservice and in-service education.
The early child care and education
profession is increasingly using technology as an educational tool with
both adults and children. More early
childhood centers are encouraging
educators to integrate technology into
their classrooms so that children learn
to use computers. Educators and
families share responsibility to ensure
that children are equipped with the
necessary tools for success in a
technology-based society (Southern
Early Childhood Association, 2008).
Early childhood educators who
have personal computer experiences
are more comfortable and confident
Winter 2010
Subjects & Predicates
The early child care and education profession is increasingly using technology as an
educational tool with both adults and children. More early childhood centers are encouraging educators to integrate technology into their classrooms so that children learn
to use technology. Educators and families share responsibility to ensure that children are
equipped with the necessary tools for success in a technology-based society.
in working with children who use
technology. Enrolling in online professional development is an opportunity to better prepare teachers to
integrate technology in their early
childhood classrooms, as well as improve other teaching practices.
Advantages of Online
Professional Development
Early childhood educators consider
online professional development to
advance their careers for many
reasons. Online professional development courses enable early childhood
educators to study on their own time
and at the place of their choice. Those
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
who choose online professional development courses have the freedom to
decide when they want to engage in
classes or workshops. Many learning
opportunities are offered in a selfpaced learning environment.
Early educators who are online can
have access to knowledgeable instructors, regardless of their location.
Online education offers freedom,
convenience, and the ability to
connect with colleagues all over the
world (Bates, 2005). Online professional development programs reduce travel time and costs associated
with traditional instruction for both
students and leaders.
Volume 38, Number 1
13
Through the Internet, child care
professionals have opportunities to
collaborate with diverse colleagues,
teachers, and scholars. The online
learning environment offers early
childhood educators an opportunity
to create a community where they can
share ideas and exchange information
(Donohue, Fox, & Torrence, 2007).
Imagine how thought-provoking online conversations can be with early
childhood educators from other states,
regions, or countries! At the same
time, some learners in the online
environment feel more comfortable
sharing ideas or challenging the instructor’s or other students’ thoughts
because of the relative anonymity of
the class.
How to Select Online
Learning
As with all professional development opportunities, early childhood
educators are urged to carefully
choose the professional development
courses that best meet their needs and
state or program requirements.
First, people considering online
learning are urged to assess their own
cognitive and psychological readiness
before they enroll in an online class. It
is not easy to be an online learner.
Participants must be self-disciplined
and active learners to succeed in the
online learning environment. These
are a few characteristics of successful
online learners:
• have a high commitment and
drive,
• are willing to communicate, and
• are engaged in their learning
(Donohue, Fox, & Torrence,
2007; Herring & Smaldino,
2005; Moore & Kearsley,
2005).
14
Volume 38, Number 1
Educators who feel that they are
suited to online learning must then
determine that the online courses are
being offered by a reputable, reliable
organization or agency. Early childhood educators are advised only to
take courses that offer a certificate or
diploma recognized by a professional
association. For example, many state
child care agencies endorse specific
professional development programs.
Online courses should follow these
state requirements.
Disciplined, active learners
can succeed in
online learning.
course experience identified four
factors that are essential:
• access to personal computer
with Internet capabilities,
• course quality,
• accessibility of the instructor,
and
• networking opportunities.
Based on these findings, Table 1
lists questions to ask oneself when
considering enrolling in an online
professional development program.
Personal Computer With
Internet Capabilities
Online professional development is
only possible with access to a
computer that has Internet capEarly childhood educators are
abilities. Local libraries and some early
encouraged to ask other colleagues,
childhood programs may have the
professional associations, or resource
necessary equipment and connections
and referral agencies about the quality
for those who do not have personal
of online courses they are considering.
The content of any course should
• be research based,
• recommend best practices,
• provide up-to-date
information, and
• fit educators’ needs and
interests.
For instance, a teacher of toddlers
who wants to learn more about early
math and science explorations would
review the online course syllabus to
determine whether or not the content
is age appropriate for toddlers.
Choosing to Become
an Online Learner
The big question most early
childhood educators face is “Are
online courses the best choice for
me?” A recent study (Olsen, 2007)
looked at factors to consider before
enrolling in an online course. Early
childhood educators who had online
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Photo courtesy of the authors
Any online professional development course
must be relevant to the learner’s career goals
and professional requirements. Course content should be directly linked to
current, high-quality early childhood
programs and state requirements.
Winter 2010
Table 1. Questions to ask oneself about whether online professional
development is a good fit
Factors Related to Success
Questions to Ask
Yes/No
Computer Capabilities & Internet Attitudes
1. Do I feel comfortable using a computer and the
Internet?
2. Do I feel comfortable downloading a program?
3. Does the instructor inform learners about the
software needed and what happens if the
network is down?
Course Quality
4. Am I an active learner?
5. Am I self-disciplined enough to read and turn in
assignments on time?
6. Does the course provide college credit,
certificates of completion, CEUs, or other credit
that applies to my state or program
requirements?
7. Does the instructor communicate learning
objectives for the course?
Course Quality
Accessible Instructor
8. Am I willing to ask if the instructor is available to
answer questions?
9. Is it easy for me to contact the instructor with
questions?
10. Will the instructor answer my questions?
Networking Opportunities
11. Am I willing to ask the instructor if the course
requires networking opportunities?
12. Am I willing to listen, think about, and learn from
what my colleagues write?
13. Does the instructor create a safe environment
for us to communicate?
What the answers mean
• Yes answers to 11 or more of these questions indicate that
online learning is likely to be a suitable choice.
• Yes answers to 8 to 10 questions indicate that personal
preparation may be required before enrolling or extra effort
may be required to participate. Another type of program may
be a better match.
• Yes answers to 5 to 7 questions indicate that additional skills
are needed before online learning could be a successful
experience.
• Yes answers to fewer than 5 of these questions reveal that a
traditional classroom is probably a better choice.
Winter 2010
computers. Find out what options are
available.
Potential online learners also need
to know what types of software
(computer programs) are needed to
access the course. Well-prepared
instructors have guidelines and
handouts that explain types of
software or programs to install on the
computer. Many software programs
have Web sites for further information.
Technical problems frustrate
learners, so find out what to do if
there are issues with the equipment or
connections. Write down on paper
how to communicate with the instructor if the computer or network is
down. If an instructor cannot answer
technical questions, consider investigating another course or find an
additional outside resource.
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Any online professional development course must be relevant to the
learner’s career goals and professional
requirements. Course content should
be directly linked to the professional
knowledge base about current, highquality early childhood programs and
state requirements.
Check out how each online course
is organized. Is it clear what the course
has to offer? Learning objectives should
be clearly written. Prospective learners
deserve to know how the course will be
organized and how information will be
delivered. Know exactly what is
expected before the course begins
(Shea-Schultz & Fogarty, 2002).
Accessible Instructors
The best instructors are available to
answer questions, provide additional
information, and enhance the learning experience for all participants.
Volume 38, Number 1
15
Find out how often, and when, instructors are available. Online course
instructors should fulfill the same
roles—as teacher, leader, facilitator,
lecturer, moderator, and consultant—
that they assume in successful
traditional courses. For instance, if
reminders for assignments are helpful,
ask the instructor if reminders can
be sent.
Online instructors are responsible
for organizing and creating course
activities and stimulating discussions
(Schweizer, 1999). They must also
manage the course, which includes
facilitating conversations, posing
thought-provoking questions about
appropriate content, and responding
to student comments.
Networking Opportunities
Networking with colleagues enables
early childhood educators to share their
success stories and glean best-practice
ideas from each other. Kearsley (2005)
pro-posed that “the most important
role of the instructors in online classes
is to ensure a high degree of interactivity and participation. This
means designing and conducting
learning activities that result in engagement with the subject matter and
with fellow students” (p. 78).
Collaborate with
professionals anywhere in
the world.
Before signing up, find out how
the course will allow for networking
with other students. Ask for demographic information about typical
students who take the course. By
networking and collaborating with
colleagues, learners gather new ideas
that may extend their experiences
(Wang & Gearhart, 2006). In an
16
Volume 38, Number 1
Subjects & Predicates
Instructors of the best online courses are available to answer questions,
provide additional information, and enhance the learning experience for
all participants. Online course instructors should fulfill the same roles—
as teacher, leader, facilitator, lecturer, moderator, and consultant—that
they assume in successful traditional courses.
online learning environment, early
childhood educators can collaborate
and encourage new practices and
techniques with professionals anywhere in the world.
An engaging learning environment
includes meaningful communication
and discussion of real-life situations
(Conrad & Donaldson, 2004). Ask the
instructor what types of communication will be implemented in the
course with the instructor as well as
among students. Networking strategies
that online instructors typically use
include:
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
•
•
•
•
•
online icebreakers,
peer partnerships,
team activities,
reflective activities,
authentic learning
opportunities, and
• games and simulations
(Conrad & Donaldson, 2004).
* * *
Online learners are people who,
because of time, place, or other
factors, choose to pursue their
professional development through the
Internet. Early childhood educators
Winter 2010
who chose online professional
development must be internally
motivated to have a successful
learning experience. Just as the
instructor must take responsibility for
learning about the students in the
class, learners in the online environment must assume ownership
for their learning experiences
(Macfarlane & Smaldino, 1997).
Professional development learning
opportunities are expanding rapidly
across the country. The number of
children in child care, the advocacy
for continuing education by professional organizations and governmental agencies, and the demand for
early childhood expertise will continue to grow. Access to technology
has made professional development
much easier to access and more costeffective for early childhood educators. By knowing what to expect
ahead of time, early childhood educators can make better choices about
their professional development.
References
Ackerman, D.J. (2004). States efforts in improving the qualifications of early care
and education teachers. Educational Policy, 18(2), 311-337.
Bailey, S., & Osborne, S. (1994). Provider
perspectives on the content and delivery
of training for family day care. Child and
Youth Care Forum, 23(5), 329-338.
Bates, T. (2005). Technology, e-learning and
distance education (2nd ed.). New York:
Routledge.
Conrad, R.M., & Donaldson, J.A. (2004).
Engaging the online learner: Activities and
resources for creative instruction. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Donohue, C., Fox, S., & Torrence, D.
(2007). Early childhood educators as
eLearners: Engaging approaches to
teaching and learning online. Young
Children, 62(1), 34-40.
Herring, M.C., & Smaldino, S.E. (2005).
Planning for interactive distance education: A handbook. Bloomington, IN: AsWinter 2010
sociation for Educational Communications and Technology.
Hyatt, S. (1992). Developing and managing
a multi-modal distance learning program
in the two-year college. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No.
ED349068).
Kearsley, G. (2005). Online learning: Personal reflections on the transformation of
education. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications.
Macfarlane, C., & Smaldino, S. (1997). The
electronic classroom at a distance. In R.
Rittenhourse & D. Spillers (Eds.), Modernizing the curriculum: The electronic
classroom (pp. 171-195). Springfield,
MO: Charles Thomas.
Moore, M.G., & Kearsley, G. (2005). Distance education: A systems view (2nd ed.).
Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth.
National Association for Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies. (2006).
Public Policy at NACCRRA. Retrieved
on October 1, 2006, from
http://www.naccrra.org/policy/
index.php
National Association for the Education of
Young Children. (2005). NAEYC annual
report: September 1, 2004-August 31,
2005. Retrieved July 22, 2006, from
http://www.naeyc.org/about/
Olsen, H. (2007). Considerations for delivery
of online professional development courses
for child care professionals. Unpublished
dissertation. University of Northern
Iowa.
Rowland, C., Rule, S., & Decker, D.
(1996). The promise and practical application of technology to prepare early intervention personnel. Infants and Young
Children, 12(12), 225-238.
Schweizer, H. (1999). Designing and teaching an on-line course: Spinning your web
classroom. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Shea-Schultz, H., & Fogarty, J. (2002). Online learning today: Strategies that work.
San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler.
Smith, L. (2006).Vision in action: NACCRRA’s 2006 institute for professional development. Paper presented at the
National Association for Childcare Resource and Referral 2006 Conference.
Retrieved September 10, 2006, from
http://www.naccrra.org/conferences/program.php?Page=3
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Southern Early Childhood Association.
(2008). Supporting learning with technology in the early childhood classroom. A position statement of the Southern Early
Childhood Association. Retrieved April
17, 2008, from
http://www.southernearlychildhood.org/
policy_position.php
Wang, H., & Gearhart, D.L. (2006). Designing and developing web-based instruction. Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Pearson/Merrill/Prentice Hall.
Thank You,
Reviewers!
SECA expresses its appreciation to
these content experts who
reveiwed the articles that appear
in this issue of Dimensions of Early
Childhood.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Nancy Alexander
Nancy Cheshire
Cheryl D. Coffman
E. Anne Eddowes
Jaesook Lee Gilbert
Stephen Graves
Herman Knopf
Ann Levy
Nancy Mundorf
Stacey Neuharth-Pritchett
Yanhui Pang
Boyoung Park
Tamara Sewell
Syretha Storey
Reginald Williams
Early childhood professionals who
are interested in becoming SECA
volunteer manuscript reviewers
are encouraged to complete the
Reviewer Application at
SouthernEarlyChildhood.org.
Volume 38, Number 1
17
Put These Ideas Into Practice!
Online Professional Development:
Choices for Early Childhood Educators
Heather Olsen, Ana J. Donaldson, and Susan D. Hudson
Online Professional Development—What Is It?
Online programs are professional development tools in which the curriculum is delivered electronically via the Internet to learners who
are connected to one another and the instructor through computers. The words online education, distance education, E-learning, and
distance learning are terms that are commonly used to describe this method of preservice and in-service education.
Advantages of online professional development
•
•
•
•
•
•
career advancement
study at time and place of choice
self-paced learning environment
access to knowledgeable instructors
reduce travel time and costs
collaborate with diverse colleagues, teachers,
and scholars
• community to share ideas and exchange information
Characteristics of successful online learners
• high commitment and drive (self-motivated)
• willing to communicate
• engaged in their learning
Four factors that are essential for
participating in online learning
• access to personal computer with Internet
capabilities
• course quality
• accessibility of the instructor
• networking opportunities
The content of any course should
•
•
•
•
be research based
recommend best practices
provide up-to-date information
fit educators’ needs and interests
Selected online professional development courses
• Center for Early Childhood Professional Development & Leadership,
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, http://sce-earlychildhood.uwm.edu
• Center for the Child Care Workforce, www.ccw.org
• Early Childhood Education, Northampton Community College,
www.northampton.edu
• Early Childhood Education, Penn Foster, www.pennfoster.edu
• National Program for Playground Safety, University of Northern Iowa,
www.playgroundsafety.org
• The Care Courses School, www.carecourses.com
Note: Dimensions of Early Childhood readers are encouraged to copy this material for early childhood students as well as teachers of young children as a professional development tool.
18
Volume 38, Number 1
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Winter 2010
Meet the 2010 SECA President-Elect Candidates!
The Nominating Committee of the Southern Early Childhood Association has certified two President-Elect
candidates for the 2010 election that will be held in the fall. Those candidates were introduced at the 2010 SECA
conference and are:
Nancy Cheshire of West Virginia and Beverly Peden of Mississippi
We know you’ll want to get to know them, so you’ll find both background information and excerpts from their
vision statements for SECA on these two pages of Dimensions. You’ll also find additional information about them on
the Leadership page at SouthernEarlyChildhood.org.
Nancy Cheshire
Beverly Peden
Nancy is Early Childhood
Professor Emerita at Pierpont
Community and Technical
College in West Virginia. She
has a Master of Education
Degree with an emphasis in
Early Childhood Education
from West Virginia Wesleyan
College and completed additional graduate work at
West Virginia University.
As a Professor of Early Childhood at Pierpont, she
served as the Early Childhood Program Coordinator,
Supervisor of Early Childhood Practicum Students,
Director of the Fairmont State Laboratory Preschool,
and Advisor to the Associate of Applied Science Degree
majors and Early Childhood Occupational Development majors. In 2007, she received the Fairmont
State Paul Edwards Outstanding Teacher Award.
Prior to her role as a professor, she served as the
Executive Director of Lasting Impressions Child
Development Center, Inc., which is located at the FBI
Complex in Clarksburg, West Virginia, and received a
letter of commendation and merit award from the
United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of
Investigation in 1996.
Nancy has been a Governing Board member of the
West Virginia Association for Young Children since
1995. She served as the West Virginia representative on
the SECA Board of Directors from 1998 to 2005 and
was named SECA’s Outstanding Member in 2009. She
currently serves as co-chair of the SECA Editorial
Committee.
Winter 2010
Beverly recently retired as
Executive Director of Crossgates Methodist Children’s
Center in Brandon, Mississippi, a position that she
held from 1993 to 2009. She
has a B.S. in Elementary
Education from Belhaven
University. In 2004, she achieved the Director’s
Credential Designation from the National Institute of
Child Care Management and completed the
Montessori Training from the Association for the
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. She currently is an
early childhood consultant, including working with
the Mississippi State University Early Childhood
Institute to assess programs with the Early Childhood
Quality Rating Scale.
Beverly has been a member of the Mississippi Early
Childhood Association since 1988, serving as
President in 2001, and was recognized with MECA’s
highest award, the MECA Award. She currently serves
as the Mississippi Representative on the SECA Board
of Directors.
She served on Mississippi Governor Haley
Barbour’s Early Childhood Committee from 2007 to
2009 and currently serves on the Mississippi
Department of Health Advisory Council. In 2004 she
was named National Director of the Year by the
National Association of Child Care Professionals and
was recognized by the Mississippi Business Journal as
one of the 50 Leading Business Women of Mississippi.
In 2007, she received the Bettye Quinn Education
Award from Belhaven University.
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Volume 38, Number 1
19
Our Vision
(Excerpted from candidates’ written
responses to questions submitted by the
SECA Nominating Committee)
What do you see as the major
challenges facing SECA during the
next few years?
Cheshire: The current economic
conditions will impact SECA
membership numbers, conference
attendance, and state affiliate operations. The implementation of universal pre-K programs in Southern
states can bring positive or negative
outcomes, but we can take steps to
promote best practices for our children and early childhood professionals.
The issues relating to assessment of
young children continue to be a
challenge to our profession. Professionalism within the early childhood community must be strengthened if we are to be recognized for the
important role we play in the lives of
children and families. Increases in the
numbers of families living in poverty,
as well as increased numbers of
homeless and hungry children, will
continue to be challenges for our
society and our profession. At the
same time, the epidemic of childhood
obesity must continue to be addressed. The SECA leadership must
meet these and other challenges of the
next 4 years with hope, confidence,
and commitment.
Peden: I would say because of the
struggling economy and the effect it
has had on every individual, the
budget is the major concern for SECA
in the next 4 years. Since SECA
depends on the annual conference as
the major income source for the
organization, I believe we must be
sure we choose locations that are
desirable and easily accessible to
possible attendees. I’m referring to
locations with airports that are major
hubs such as Nashville and Atlanta as
20
Volume 38, Number 1
well as a lot of choices of things to do.
With many public and private schools
unable to pay for travel, teachers have
to be willing and able to come at their
own expense. We need to consider
that when choosing locations. We
have noticed that the major attendees
lately have been those in higher
education. While that is good, we
don’t want to lose our appeal to those
who actually teach young children
both in the public and private sectors.
What issue/issues would you like to
address if you are elected President?
Cheshire: As SECA President I
will continue positive practices that
have been successful in the past. I will
continue strengthening the relationship between SECA and state
affiliates, as well as with NAEYC and
other professional organizations. I
believe a marketing plan can be
implemented to provide name
recognition of SECA at both the state
and local levels within our affiliate
states. To improve quality of care and
education, professionalism must be
supported. I would like to encourage
family and child care providers, and
others caring for young children, to
see themselves as “teachers” who have
an important impact on children’s
lives. I will encourage the building of
future early childhood leaders and
will support college and university
early childhood groups and other
leadership initiatives.
Peden: I think SECA needs to
address legal issues that affect child
care centers and public schools.
Locally a parent is suing the school
district because her son was moved to
the alternative school when he threw
something at the bus driver. A local
child care center’s director was
arrested when a school-aged child
(who was a known bully) enrolled at
the center was hit by another child in
self-defense. This is not an isolated
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
case. SECA can help by providing
speakers who deal with this every day
such as Ron McGuckin, a lawyer who
only handles cases like this and is a
wonderful speaker. SECA can also
provide more speakers on discipline.
SECA can also provide parent
education training that teachers and
schools can use to educate parents.
Our center worked hard to educate
parents early on these things to help
them help their children develop selfhelp and self-regulation skills.
How will your leadership help SECA
to address its current weaknesses and
how will you build on the current
strengths of the organization?
Cheshire: Margaret Mead said,
“Never underestimate the power of a
small group of thoughtfully committed people to change the world.
Indeed it’s the only thing that ever
has.” SECA began as a small group of
dedicated and committed individuals.
SECA is built on a firm foundation of
welcoming all individuals and working with them to improve the wellbeing of children, families, and early
childhood professionals in the South.
Our affiliates share common problems and concerns. By working
together, we can build a stronger
association, known throughout the
South as the leader of our profession.
Peden: I am a proven leader. For
example, I trained seven of my
employees to be dynamic presenters at
conferences. Some have become active
on the board at our local affiliate. My
leadership style is one of collaboration, which is so important in
being able to get everyone involved. I
would work on our customer service
skills so that conference attendees feel
included and glad to be there.
Winter 2010
Early educators and families can teach hearing, pre-verbal children to use sign language in order
to facilitate their ability to communicate, but is it a good idea? It may be easier for babies to use
a manual mode of communication than an oral one, but does it really make a difference in the
long run?
Sign Language With Babies:
What Difference Does It Make?
Susan Kubic Barnes
Teachers and families of babies and toddlers know how
frustrating it can be to be unable to understand what their
youngest children are thinking. Often gestures and
whining can be clearly interpreted, as when toddlers reach
up both of their arms. Adults and even older children
assume that a toddler with arms in the air wants to be
picked up. But what if the baby is actually reaching toward
a toy on a shelf or is calling attention to something
interesting outside the window?
Teaching sign language—to deaf or other children with
special needs or to hearing children with hard-of-hearing
family members—is not new. Researchers found one study
done by Gallaudet in 1910 (Johnstone, Durieux-Smith,
& Bloom, 2005). Teaching sign language to typically
developing children has become increasingly popular since
the publication of Baby Signs® (Goodwyn & Acredolo,
1996), now in its third edition. Attention to signing with
babies has received much publicity.
• Numerous programs have been introduced to help
families and teachers learn to better communicate
with children as young as 6 months old.
• In the popular 2005 film “Meet the Fockers,” Jack
talks to his grandson using sign language.
• Hundreds of magazine and newspaper articles, and
numerous television shows, have featured stories on
programs that teach infant and toddler sign
language.
There is no reliable estimate of the number of families
who sign with their children, but Amazon.com reported
sales of Baby Signs to be in the top 300 of all books sold
in 2004 and 2005. Even in 2006, when many other babysigning books became available, the book remained in the
top 600 (Pizer, Walter, & Meier, 2007). The third edition
Winter 2010
is available on Kindle, Amazon’s wireless reading device.
Some of these programs claim that using baby sign
language will speed verbal development (Baby Signs,
2008) and some claim to enhance early brain development
(Baby BumbleBee, 2008). However, a search for scholarly
research and empirical studies to support these claims finds
that there is conflicting evidence.
Language development is so important to success in
school and in life that accurate information for families,
caregivers, and other educators is crucial. This article
begins with a brief history of sign language and a review of
normal language development. It then reviews the research
on the effects of sign language on hearing children’s
language development and the overall benefits of signing
with babies.
Sign Language: How It Started
Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, who co-founded the
American School for the Deaf (ASD) in 1817, promoted
the policy of teaching sign language to the hearing brothers
and sisters of his deaf students for two reasons. First, the
deaf child would have a way to communicate, and
secondly, the hearing children would increase their own
language proficiency (ASD, 2008).
Susan Kubic Barnes, M. Ed., is an Instructor in the Department of Early, Elementary and Reading Education, James
Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia. She previously
taught preschool at the University of Michigan and kindergarten in the public schools. Her JMU faculty responsibilities
include supervision in public and private preschool and
kindergarten classrooms with children of diverse backgrounds
and varied abilities. Her research interests include using media
and technology to support children’s learning and assessing
the effectiveness of adult-child interactions.
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Volume 38, Number 1
21
The 1853 issue of American Annals
of the Deaf and Dumb contained an
article that explained the benefit of
teaching hearing children language
through verbal and non-verbal techniques. Gallaudet said that “the more
varied the form under which language
is presented to the mind through the
various senses, the more perfect will
be the knowledge of it acquired, and
the more permanently will it be
retained” (Daniels, 2004, p. 87).
More than a century after that
article was published, the book Sign
Language Structure described American Sign Language (ASL) as a true
language with sound phonological,
morphological, and syntactical structures (Stokoe, 1960).
After Spanish and Italian, signing
is the third most commonly used
language in the United States (Yule,
1996). Dozens of studies with schoolage children show that sign language
enhanced students’ reading ability. In
the 1990s, the International Reading
Association began to feature lectures
at their conferences addressing the
benefits of including sign language in
Subjects & Predicates
typical classroom instructional setThe
proponents
of
infant
sign
language
believe
that
because
sign
language
and gestures,
tings (Daniels, 2004).
To better understand how sign like spoken language, represent thoughts in a symbolic way, it may be easier for very
young children to first learn language using signs. Perhaps the essentials of language aclanguage may affect language devquired through the manual modality transfer to the verbal modality when children deelopment in young children, it velop the ability to create the phonemes.
is important to know about the
• At about 6 months of age,
typical development of language in coordination required to actually say
the words required to make their
babies are able to reciprocate in
hearing children.
needs known—is frustratingly slow.
“conversations” by making
Receptive language develops before
sounds when others talk to
Typical Language
expressive language. For example,
them and to make noises to
Development
infants will turn toward sounds and
gain attention. Caregivers
For the families and caregivers of be calmed by gentle voices, but they
often say that the cries babies
typically developing children, the rate can only make cooing and gurgling
make when they are hungry
of verbal language development sounds. The graph in Figure 1
are different than other sounds
between birth and 2 years of age— (Machado, 2007) shows how children
they make.
when most children have acquired communicate verbally at different
• Typical 1-year-old children
vocabulary and the fine motor stages of development.
will recognize some
22
Volume 38, Number 1
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Winter 2010
meaningful words, including
their own names, and will try
to make sounds that sound
like words.
• Normally developing toddlers
are usually able to comprehend
simple questions and follow
simple directions by the time
they are about 15 months old.
They may be able to say a few
words, but articulation skills
are just emerging, so these
words are usually not very clear.
• Most children begin to speak
when they are between 1 and 2
years of age.
It was once believed that talking
marked the beginning of the ability
for children to think symbolically and
use symbols for communication.
However, research has shown that
children gradually come to use symbols to represent concepts. Adults and
other children support children’s
language acquisition from the moment they are born, some believe even
before birth. When people speak and
read to children, they model many
different aspects of communication
including how to make sounds and to
take turns in conversation. They
provide labels for interesting objects
and events.
Long before children are able to
develop control of the articulatory
actions required for meaningful oral
communication beyond babbling,
they master many gross motor skills
used in manual modes of communication, such as sign language. Very
young children can, for example,
grasp objects and point to things.
These intentional communication
signals, called “performatives” or
“deictic” gestures, begin around 10
months (Goodwyn, Acredolo, &
Brown, 2000). As these infant body
Winter 2010
Figure 1. Approximate frequency of child utterances from
6 to 12 months.
Note: From Early Childhood Experiences in Language Arts: Early Literacy (8th
ed.), p. 29, by J.M. Machado, 2007, Clifton Park, NY: Thomson Delmar Learning. Copyright 2007 Thomson Delmar Learning. Reprinted with permission.
signals are used over and over, a type
of sign language emerges. Halliday
(1979) explained that with this goaloriented signal and sound system, the
“child tongue” form of communication
progresses naturally into word use.
Infant Sign Language
The proponents of infant sign
language believe that because sign
language and gestures, like spoken
language, represent thoughts in a
symbolic way, it may be easier for very
young children to first learn language
using signs. Perhaps the essentials of
language acquired through the
manual modality transfer to the verbal
modality when children develop the
ability to create the phonemes.
Research Overview
Many reports supporting the view
that teaching sign language benefits
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
young children were based on studies
done with hearing children of deaf
parents using ASL and spoken English
concurrently (see Table 1). Some of
the problems with these studies are
identified here.
• Many samples were small
(some with just one infant).
• The subjects were not matched
to randomly assigned control
groups, so there may have been
selection bias.
• It is possible that these children
were precocious.
• Some are original studies and
others are secondary analyses
of data collected from original
research (Johnson, et al., 2005).
Findings reported from these
studies are interesting. Daniels (2004)
describes a study (Holmes & Holmes,
1980) that reports the experiences
of hearing parents who used both
Volume 38, Number 1
23
Table 1. Selected studies of infant sign language in chronological order of publication. (N = sample size)
Authors & Dates
N
Description
Results
Holmes & Holmes, 1980*
1
deaf parents signed at home with hearing oral language acquired earlier than norm
infant
Bonvillian et al., 1983*
11
deaf parents signed at home with 10
hearing infants and 1 deaf child
sign language development exceeded oral
norms
Folven et al., 1984*
13
deaf parents signed at home with
hearing infants
early gesture use correlated with sign and
oral language development
Orlansky & Bonvillian, 1984*
13
deaf parents or ASL interpreter signed
with hearing infants
increased language development
compared to norms
Folven, 1988*
9
deaf parents signed with hearing infants
accelerated language development
Orlansky & Bovillian, 1988*
13
deaf parents or ASL interpreter signed
with hearing infants
accelearted language development
Daniels, 1994
14
deaf parents signed with hearing infants
standard scores higher on Peabody
Picture Vocabulary Test
Goodwyn & Acredolo, 1993
22
hearing parents taught to use signs and
toys to encourage signing
acquired signs earlier than words
Gregory, 1994*
1
deaf and hearing parent signed with
hearing infant
rapid learning of word/sign
Caprici et al., 1998*
1
deaf parent signed with hearing infant
no difference compared with norms
Goodwyn & Acredolo, 1993
103
3 groups: one group of hearing parents
taught to use signs and toys to
encourage signing; one control group got
no instruction; the other control group
got verbal training
infants who used symbolic gesturing increased the joint attention time with parents and expressed more advanced
expressvie language
Acredolo & Goodwyn, 2000
43
hearing parents taught to use sign
language with hearing infants
sign group had higher IQ than norm
Goodwyn et al., 2000
103
3 groups: one group of heairng parents
some improvements on language for extaught to use signs and toys to
perimental groups
encourage signing; one control group got
no instruction; the other control group
got verbal training
Moore et al., 2001*
103
3 groups: one group of hearing parents
joint attention and signing predicted
taught to use signs and toys to
more advanced expressive language
encourage signing; one control group got
no instruction; the other control group
got verbal training
Pettito et al., 2001*
3
deaf parents signed with hearing infants
vocabulary similar to norms
Holowaka et al., 2002*
3
deaf parents signed with hearing infants
no difference between bilingual and
monolingual children
Pizer et al., 2007*
3
Texas families, all hearing with no prior
ASL knowledge, chose to sign
baby-signing may have encouraged
common misconceptions about ASL
*Cited in Johnstone, Duriex-Smith, & Bloom (2005).
24
Volume 38, Number 1
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Winter 2010
sign and spoken words with their
own child. The child was found to
develop language earlier than might
be expected.
Other studies suggest that children
exposed to sign language achieve
higher than average scores on standardized tests. It is possible that using
ASL has a positive impact on the
hearing child’s attainment of language
because concepts were presented with
words not only orally, but also visually
and kinesthetically (Daniels, 1994).
More empirically sound studies
include those by Acredolo and
Goodwyn (1990, 2000). These studies looked at the effect of signing by
hearing parents and included two
control groups, one receiving training
to merely encourage verbal language
with their infants and a second
control group receiving no training
or intervention.
Language development is
important to success in
school and in life.
In the experimental group, parents
received training in how to use
symbolic gesturing for communication with their children. These
children were exposed to an adapted
“baby sign language” and not a
complete sign language system. The
researchers postulated that the
language development of typically
developing children could be advanced if parents used and taught
their children sign language. The
findings also suggest that acquisition
of this skill does not hinder the
development of vocal language
(Goodwyn, Acredolo, & Brown,
2000). Most of the programs advertised today are based on the work
done by Acredolo and Goodwyn.
Winter 2010
Table 2. Results for children who were in Baby Signs® treatment
group (BabySigns.com, 2009).
24 Months
36 Months
96 Months
Signers were, on
average, talking more
like 27- or 28-montholds and putting together significantly
longer sentences.
On average, signers
were talking like 47month-olds, putting
them almost a full year
ahead of their average
age-mates.
Signers scored an
average of 12 points
higher in IQ than their
non-signing peers.
How reliably can these findings be
generalized to other groups of
children? As noted in Table 1, the
parents in at least one study were all
experienced signers. It is possible that
children of hearing parents without
expertise in sign language would have
less success in implementing a signing
program with their infants.
The National Institutes of Health
funded Acredolo and Goodwyn to do
a long-term study. The children were
assessed using standardized language
measures at 11, 15, 19, 24, 30, and 36
months. In addition, as many
children as could be relocated at age 8
were assessed using the WISC-III test,
the most commonly used measure of
children’s intelligence. A summary of
the results of their study is found on
BabySigns.com (2009) and is shown
in Table 2.
During this study, the signs used
by families and trainers were based on
naturally occurring gestures, known
by the experimenters as baby signs.
Since that initial study, most of the
words taught in baby sign language
programs have been adapted from the
American Sign Language system.
According to the District Manger for
Baby Signs, Inc., serving Central
Virginia, complicated or difficult
signs are sometimes modified to make
it easier for young children to produce
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
meaningful signs (B. Broughton,
personal communication, March
24, 2006).
Some families choose to make up
their own signs for individual items
they routinely use around the house.
These signs often are iconic, which
means that they are gestures that
mimic the actions related to the words
they represent. For example, to make
the sign for drink, signers might shape
their hand as if holding a cup and
bring that hand up to their lips. An
experienced ASL instructor, Sebrey
(2008), explains how these signs easily
become a natural means to communicate with babies and with other
members of the family.
Reported Benefits of
Signing With Babies
The results of the Acredolo and
Goodwyn study (2000) may lead
observers to believe that use of sign
language causes accelerated language
development and improves scores on
intelligence tests. Acredolo and
Goodwyn believe that baby signs
stimulate brain development by
strengthening connections that make
it easier for a baby’s subsequent efforts
to communicate to succeed. They
explain that without the use of sign,
this neurological growth would be
Volume 38, Number 1
25
It is important for reviewers of
these results to bear in mind that these
or other factors may have had an
effect on the reported outcome. More
research is needed before claims of a
direct cause and effect relationship can
be fully supported. There is no evidence, however, to indicate that
teaching sign language to babies and
toddlers does any harm, such as slowing the emergence of verbal language.
More research is needed
before claims of a direct
cause and effect relationship
can be fully supported.
On the other hand, some evidence
indicates that the use of sign language
as a temporary transitional tool to
communicate with preverbal children
may encourage some misconceptions
about the deaf community and ASL.
Subjects & Predicates
These assumptions include the misMost of the words taught in baby sign language programs are adapted from the
American Sign Language system. Complicated or difficult signs are
taken beliefs that communication using
sometimes modified to make it easier for young children to produce
sign language is easier than speaking,
meaningful signs. Some families make up their own signs for individual
that sign language is based on spoken
items they routinely use around the house.
language, and that sign language is
universal (Pizer et al., 2007).
delayed several months until the baby
• It is quite possible that the
Despite the weak direct evidence
could articulate words. They also
parents in the treatment group
that
infant sign language leads to an
believe that baby signs can help
were more motivated than
increase in intelligence, there are other
infants understand the idea that they
other parents to continue to
positive indications, including
can connect with people.
support their children’s
countless anecdotal and testimonial
There are correlations between the
language development after
use of sign language and the rate of
the initial involvement in the records such as these.
• A special education teacher
vocabulary development and perhaps
sign language program.
said, “If you want to know
intelligence, but is it evidence to say
• Perhaps other caregivers and
what it feels like to be a
that there is a direct causal
therapists involved in the
toddler, go to a country where
relationship? While the Acredolo and
program were more engaging
you don’t know the language
Goodwyn study design did randomly
with signing babies than
and just try to get along. Just
assign families to the treatment group
non-signers.
getting something to eat or
and control for some important
• Perhaps it was not just the
finding a restroom when you
variables, such as child’s initial ability,
effect of using sign language,
don’t know the language is so
parent income, and birth order, the
but the impact of larger
frustrating!” (P. Kennedy,
design could not control for all
amounts of time that adults
personal communication,
possible factors that could impact the
and children spent together as
March 2006).
outcomes of the study.
they engaged in communication.
26
Volume 38, Number 1
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Winter 2010
• Young children may throw
temper tantrums as a result of
a feeling of frustration because
they are not able to verbally
express themselves. The
practice of signing is thought
to reduce this frustration
because it gives babies the
opportunity to identify
important objects, express
their personal needs, and
describe how they feel.
• Toddlers also get the chance to
participate in choosing what
they want to do and what they
want to talk about. This ability
to communicate strengthens
the bond between caregivers
and children by extending the
time that adult and child
spend together attending the
same interests.
• One professor in early
childhood education and an
expert in child development
claims that early childhood
centers that adopt school-wide
signing programs for their
nurseries and preschool
programs report that parents
and teachers say that the
environment is more quiet and
peaceful than non-signing
centers (A. Papero, personal
communication, March
2006). These caregivers claim
that this more relaxed
environment is in part the
result of the pre-verbal
children having the ability to
communicate with adults
and other children using
sign language.
Winter 2010
Sharing Information
With Families and
Colleagues
Parents and early childhood
educators are always looking for ways
to help children succeed in school and
in life. Publication of Acredolo and
Goodwyn’s work has spawned a
plethora of companies eager to sell
products to help caregivers to use sign
language with very young children.
While searching the Internet, adults are
likely to find claims similar to these.
Evidence is also mounting that
children with special needs, such
as apraxia of speech, autism, or
Down Syndrome who have difficulty with speech can make great
strides in their communication development when Signing Time is
part of their regimen. The multisensory approach of Signing Time
engages visual learners, kinesthetic
learners, and auditory learners of
all ages and abilities, while making
sign language easy and fun. (Signingtime.com, 2009)
This is the best baby sign language
DVD that I have ever come across.
The "Talk to Me" DVD had more
signs than I could have ever imagined. I have used other videos and
none of them even come close to
this one. There are tons of different signs and I love how they were
broken up into different categories. It is so easy to use. You can
definitely tell that this was done by
a real "mom" who had used these
techniques herself. It is very user
friendly, and very inexpensive for
the amount of information you are
getting. I have used this with my
baby and it is working great!
Thank you!! I could not praise it
enough. I would recommend this
to anyone who has a baby! (tinybabysigns.com, 2009)
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
We had a blast signing with our
daughter. I was a little skeptical at
first. I did not see the point in
teaching sign language to a baby
in the months just before she
would begin speaking. But it was
so much fun when Isabelle started
to learn the signs. For a while, we
could hardly keep up! And now I
am convinced that signing with
our daughter gave her an invaluable head start on learning.
Thank you for a great product!
(yourtalkingbaby.com, 2009)
I have been attending classes for
6 weeks now ... my eldest can already sign about 20 words and
can string 4 signs together, and
my baby has already signed to ask
for milk which is absolutely fantastic! Little Bear Baby Signing
classes are thoroughly enjoyable
as it (sic) combines communicating, singing, experiencing different sensory mediums, reading,
playing and all in a friendly environment. Everything you need to
help build essential learning skills.
(littlebearbabysigning.com,
2009)
Many families and early childhood
programs looking to support children’s development are purchasing commercial programs and products.
Most of these products include videos
that are described as an excellent way
to learn sign language. Other popular
products are flash cards that illustrate
signs, puppets to make signs, books
with pictures that help support the
signs demonstrated on the video or
flashcards, CDs with songs to practice
signs in a fun way, and classes.
The courses are usually taught to a
group by a trainer who also serves as
the local distributor of the company’s
products. The Baby Signs® certification program is $199 (babysigns
products, 2009). With training,
Volume 38, Number 1
27
centers often get a discount on the
classroom kit. A standard classroom
kit includes a set of three CDs, a
couple of cloth books, a signing
puppet, some flash cards, and two
DVDs for $250. Many companies sell
individual instructional DVD videos
and music CDs for about $20
(babysigns, 2009).
While thousands of parents and
teachers—determined to give their
children every possible opportunity to
excel—are enrolling in classes and
buying these products, others may
choose not to use sign language or
signals, believing that these practices
will delay the development of verbal
language. Actually there is evidence
that the opposite is true. Lapinski
(1996) explains that signing and the
eye contact it requires helps children
learn that communication is a
rewarding, reciprocal process.
The interaction between adult and
child is the most important factor in
the development of language. By
carefully observing infant eye and
body movements such as head turns,
adults can get clues as to what is of
interest to children. Attentive caregivers notice hand and body movements that indicate that children are
trying to communicate their ideas.
For example, children who smack
their lips may be hungry, while those
who turn their heads away from a
bottle or push it away are probably
not hungry. When adults respond to
the natural signals that children make,
communication is reinforced and
children learn more about the way
language works.
As infants and toddlers progress
from being passive receptors of
language to participants in two-way
communication, signs, gestures and
other non-verbal communication play important
roles. Children each develop in their own unique
way, with many environmental factors, including the attitudes and
beliefs of significant adults,
playing a role in early
language development.
Families and teachers
who believe that their
children have the potential
to be communicative partners talk to them that way
and help to make it come
true (Snow, De Blauw, &
Subjects & Predicates
Van Roosmalen, 1979). By
By talking during daily routines such as feeding and
talking during daily roubathing, adults help children make connections between
tines such as feeding and
the activities and words associated with them. Smiling
bathing, adults help childand acknowledging children’s sounds and gestures encourages them to continue their communication efforts. ren make connections beThe difference in speaking ability between early talkers tween the activities and
and late talkers usually disappears by the time children words associated with
them. Smiling and acknowledging
children’s sounds and gestures encourages them to continue their
communication efforts.
Signing and its eye contact
convey that communication
is a rewarding, reciprocal
process.
The difference in speaking ability
between early talkers and late talkers
usually disappears by the time the
children are 3 years old. The goal
of adults should not be to get
children to talk as soon as possible,
but to foster a warm and nurturing
relationship that allows each child
to feel confident and secure.
The most important benefit of
using sign language may be that it is
another tool families and teachers can
use to achieve this goal. The wealth of
everyday opportunities for meaningful interaction provides richness in
the lives of children’s early language
acquisition. Sebrey (2008) reminds
her readers that the benefits of signing
are not just for babies. By signing,
people can communicate across crowded
rooms and from airport windows. Good
communication is an essential building block in the foundation of all
loving relationships. Maintaining
those relationships is the best thing
adults can do for children.
References
Acredolo, L.P., & Goodwyn, S.W. (1990).
Sign language in babies: The significance
of symbolic gesturing for understanding
language development. Annals of Child
Development, 7, 1–42.
Acredolo, L.P., & Goodwyn, S.W. (2000).
The long-term impact of symbolic gesturing during infancy on IQ at age 8.
Paper presented at International Conference on Infant Studies, Brighton, UK.
are 3 years old.
28
Volume 38, Number 1
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Winter 2010
Acredolo, L.P., & Goodwyn, S.W. (2003).
The Baby Signs Research. Retrieved 8
March 8, 2008, from
http://www.babysigns.com/index.cfm/
fuseaction/institute.research_extensive/
extensive_research.cfm
American School for the Deaf (ASD).
(2008). History. Retrieved March, 2008,
from http://www.asd-1817.org/
history/history-asd.html
Baby BumbleBee. (2008). Products page.
Retrieved March, 2008, from
http://www.babybumblebee.com
Baby Signs. (2009). Research and products
pages. Retrieved March, 2009, from
http://www.babysigns.com
Bonvillian, J.D., Orlansky, M.D., Novack,
L.L., & Folven, R.J. (1983). Early sign
language acquisition and cognitive development. In D. Rogers & J.A. Sloboda
(Eds.), The acquisition of symbolic symbols
(pp. 207–214). Chicago: Plenum.
Capirci, O., Montanari, S., & Volterra, V.
(1998). Gestures, signs, and words in
early language development. In J.M.E.
Iverson & S.E. Goldin-Meadow (Eds.),
The nature and functions of gesture in
children’s communication (pp. 45–59).
Rome: Italian National Council of
Research, Institute of Psychology.
Daniels, M. (1994). The effect of sign
language on hearing children’s language
development. Communication Education,
43, 291-298.
Daniels, M. (2004). Happy hands: The effect of ASL on hearing children's literacy. Reading Research and Instruction,
44(1), 86-100.
Folven, R.J., Bonvillian, J.D., & Orlansky,
M.D. (1984). Communicative gestures
and early sign language acquisition. First
Language, 5, 129–143.
Goodwyn, S.W., & Acredolo, L.P. (1993).
Symbolic gesture versus word: Is there a
modality advantage for onset of symbol
use? Child Development, 64, 688-701.
Goodwyn, S.W., & Acredolo, L.P. (1996). Baby
signs: How to talk to your baby before your
baby can talk. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Goodwyn, S.W., Acredolo, L.P., & Brown
C.A. (2000). Impact of symbolic gesturing on early language development. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 24, 81-103.
Gregory, S. (1994). The first signs and
words: Language development in a
bilingual environment. In J. Kyle (Ed.),
Growing up in sign and word. Bristol,
UK: Centre for Deaf Studies.
Winter 2010
Halliday, M.A.K. (1979). One child’s protolanguage. In M. Bellowa (Ed.), Before
speech (pp. 171-190). London: Cambridge University Press.
Holmes, K.M., & Holmes, D.W. (1980).
Signed and spoken language development in a hearing child of hearing parents. Sign Language Studies, 28,
239–254.
Holowka, S., Brosseau-Lapre, F., & Petitto,
L.A. (2002). Semantic and conceptual
knowledge underlying bilingual babies’
first signs and words. Language
Learning, 52, 205–262.
Johnstone, J.C., Durieux-Smith, A., &
Bloom, K. (2005). Teaching gestural
signs to infants to advance child development: A review of the evidence [Electronic version]. First Language, 25(2),
235-251.
Lapinski, S. (1996). Signs of intelligence.
Child, 11(4), 46-51.
Littlebearsigning.com. (2009). Testimonials
page retrieved May 20, 2009, from
http://www.littlebearbabysigning.com/
id3.html
Machado, J.M. (2007). Early childhood experiences in language arts: Early literacy (8th
ed.). Clifton Park, NY: Thomson
Delmar Learning.
Moore, B., Acredolo, L.P., & Goodwyn,
S.W. (2001, April). Symbolic gesturing
and joint attention: Partners in facilitating
verbal development. Paper presented at
annual meeting of the Society for
Research in Child Development.
Orlansky, M.D., & Bonvillian, J.D. (1988).
Early sign language acquisition. In M.D.
Smith & J.L. Locke (Eds.), The emergent
lexicon: The child’s development of a
linguistic vocabulary (pp. 263–292).
San Diego: Academic Press.
Petitto, L.A., Katerelos, M., Levy, B.G.,
Gauna, K., Tetreault, K., & Ferraro, V.
(2001). Bilingual signed and spoken language acquisition from birth: Implications for the mechanisms underlying
early bilingual language acquisition.
Journal of Child Language, 28, 453–496
Pizer, G., Walter, K., & Meier, R.P. (2007).
Bringing up baby with Baby Signs:
Language ideologies and socialization in
hearing families. Sign Language Studies,
7(4), 387-429.
Sebrey, L. (2008). The parents’ guide to baby
signs. Washington DC: Gallaudet
University Press.
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Signingtimes.com. (2009). Our Story page
retrieved May 20, 2009, from
http://www.signingtime.com/
aboutus/our-story/
Snow C., De Blauw, A., & Van Roosmalen,
G. (1979). Talking and playing with babies. In M. Bellowa (Ed.), Before speech
(pp. 269-288). London: Cambridge
University Press.
Stokoe, W.C. (1960). Sign language structure: An outline of the visual communication systems of the American deaf.
Buffalo, NY: University of Buffalo Department of Anthropology and Linguists.
Tinybabysigns.com. (2009). Testimonials
page retrieved May 26, 2009, from
http://www.tinybabysigns.com/
id78.html
Yourtalkingbaby.com. (2009). Testimonials
page. Retrieved May 27, 2009, from
http://www.yourtalkingbaby.com/
index.php?main_page=page&id=2
Yule, G. (1996). The study of language.
Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University
Press.
Dimensions of Early Childhood
Theme Issue:
Gateway to Lifelong Learning
•The Brazelton TouchpointsTM Approach
to Infants and Toddlers in Care:
Foundation for a Lifetime of Learning
and Loving
•Professional Development Programs for
Infant/Toddler Caregivers: Setting the
Stage for Lifelong Learning
•On the Move: Environments That
Stimulate Motor and Cognitive
Development in Infants
•The 3 R’s: Gateway to Infant and Toddler
Learning
Limited number of printed copies available.
Also available in PDF format. Contact the
SECA Office at
1-800-305-SECA
for pricing and availability information.
Volume 38, Number 1
29
Put These Ideas Into Practice!
Sign Language With Babies:
What Difference Does It Make?
Susan Kubic Barnes
If colleagues or hearing parents of a hearing child ask whether they should use a baby
sign language program, find out what their expectations are. If they want to...
learn more about
the deaf
community
give children a head
start in their language
development
understand and meet
the needs of children
more effectively
Explain that baby
signing is not the same
as ASL, which is a
very complex language
system. Most families
do not continue to use
a baby sign language
after children begin
talking. Baby signs are
based on ASL but they
are not universal, and
will vary from place
to place.
Share that while there
are many studies that
show a relationship
between increased
early vocabulary
development and baby
sign language, signing
may not be the only
cause. Other factors,
such as time spent
engaged in meaningful
interactions with a
child in daily activities
and the motivation of
adults are also very
important.
Encourage adults to
continue to attend to
children’s natural cues.
Many families and
teachers effectively use
their own gestures for
things at home and in
early childhood
programs.
If a center or family
adopts a packaged
system, with some
training, they can
effectively support
each other. There is no
evidence of harm
caused by signing.
Note: Dimensions of Early Childhood readers are encouraged to copy this material for early childhood students as well as teachers of young children as a professional development tool.
30
Volume 38, Number 1
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Winter 2010
How can early childhood teachers and administrators communicate clearly and comfortably
with families whose primary language is other than English? Interpreters can help bridge
cultures to assure high-quality learning experiences for young children.
Working Effectively With Interpreters
Anarella Cellitti
The United States is becoming increasingly diverse, so
early childhood educators are often among the first to
work with families whose primary languages are other than
English. Many parents, guardians, and family members do
speak English but not fluently enough to feel comfortable
communicating with teachers or administrators.
Even minor miscommunications can be costly and can
lead to embarrassing situations (Schick, 2001). When
educators and families do not speak the same language,
their communications can be laced with cross-cultural
misunderstandings (Horwath & Shardlow, 2004; Quiroz,
Greenfield, & Altchech, 1999).
Early childhood programs and school systems can be
more responsive to diversity by providing effective
translation and interpretation services. It is essential that
the role of the interpreter or translator be clearly defined
to assure that both educators and families receive
maximum benefit from these services. This article presents
some strategies for improving communication with diverse
families by using interpreters.
What Interpreters Do
The terms interpretation and translation often are used
interchangeably, and more commonly refer only to
translation. While translation and interpretation share the
common goal of converting information from one
language to another, they are actually two separate
processes.
• Translation is the ability to convert information,
primarily written, into a target language.
• Interpretation, which is usually oral, refers to
listening to something spoken and stating the
content in the target language. Individuals who
facilitate communication among hearing and
hearing-impaired people are interpreters
(Lawless, 2008).
Winter 2010
Whether referring to written or oral communication,
both processes intertwine and are essential when educators
and families communicate.
One must first be able to translate in order to interpret.
But translation does not always assure that the true
meaning will be presented. Only interpretation
communicates clearly. While a word or phrase may be
translated into the language, the meaning may be
completely different.
For example, an information sheet on home care for
children’s coughs states in English “never give a hot toddy
to children.” In English, a hot toddy is an alcoholic drink,
which is dangerous for children. The words hot toddy
can be directly translated into Spanish. However, in
Latino cultures, hot toddy refers to a hot chocolate
beverage, which is certainly acceptable for children.
Careful interpretation of the content is always needed
(Hendricks, 2008).
Translation is the ability to convert information, primarily written, into a target language.
Interpretation, which is usually oral, refers to
listening to something spoken and stating the
content in the target language. Only interpretation
communicates clearly.
Anarella Cellitti, Ed.D., is Associate Professor, Department of
Teacher Education, University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She
has worked extensively with the Latino population regarding
issues with language barriers. Cellitti educates prospective
teachers on the importance of culturally
appropriate communication strategies and potential
communication interferences. She teaches methods that
address these situations in order to achieve an effective
partnership with children and their families.
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Volume 38, Number 1
31
Subjects & Predicates
In some cultures, seniority and importance play a key role in families. Disclosing certain matters to others can be viewed as
disrespectuful. Using an impartial interpreter can help to avoid upsetting family dynamics or power struggles between family members
and/or friends.
How to Find an
Effective Interpreter
Licensed or certified interpreters
can be expensive, but their skills are
essential, especially when dealing with
sensitive issues such as referral to
special services or implementing
individualized educational or family
plans. Interpreters with inadequate
interpreting skills can hinder the
communication process (Schick,
Williams, & Kupermintz, 2006).
Other qualifications to consider
when selecting an interpreter are
cultural sensitivity and confidentiality.
Community organizations may offer
interpretation services for low or
sliding-scale fees. Insistence upon
32
Volume 38, Number 1
strict qualifications is much easier
when interpreters are paid. If hiring
an outside interpreter is not possible,
a trained volunteer who has agreed to
follow the program’s policies can
certainly be helpful.
Sometimes a well-intentioned
family member or friend offers to
interpret for the family. This may be
appropriate in some situations, but
before accepting this offer, consider
these questions.
• What is the proposed
interpreter’s relationship with
the family?
• Is the information to be
revealed critical or sensitive?
(Weisskirch, 2007)
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
• Would the family disclose the
information to that person, or
would disclosure to a different
family member be more
appropriate?
In some cultures, seniority and
importance play a key role in families.
Disclosing certain matters to others
can be viewed as disrespectful. Using
an impartial interpreter can help to
avoid upsetting family dynamics or
power struggles between family
members and/or friends.
Frequently, school-age children in
non-English speaking homes have the
most developed English language
skills. As a result, teachers or families
may ask these children to serve as
mediators in adults’ communication.
Winter 2010
This strategy is not recommended
because it gives tremendous power to
children. In some cultures, children
are not expected to occupy such roles.
When children carry adult responsibilities that their elders cannot fulfill, this
process is called parentification (Mercado,
2004). As a result, children in these
positions alter the family-child dynamic
and influence how their families interact
with English-speakers.
Look for Accuracy of
Interpretation
Accuracy of both translation and
interpretation is everyone’s primary
concern. To translate accurately, the
individual must have vocabulary
expertise in both English and the
target language. A working knowledge
of grammar, spelling, sentence
structure, and definitions are essential.
This knowledge includes speaking as
well as writing and reading.
An interpreter may be skillful in the
language but may lack understanding of
the specific culture or information about
the family’s background. Cultural
awareness is a delicate and important
issue. Translators should know the
family’s cultural expectations about
• politeness (verbal and body
language)
• directness (style of
communication)
• proximity (personal space)
• power structures in families
and the community (who has
information, who makes
decisions)
• other considerations
Cultural awareness is essential for
successful communication (Quiroz, et
al., 1999). Just because someone
speaks the same language does not
guarantee understanding of a culture.
Winter 2010
Only interpretation
communicates clearly.
Ask prospective interpreters to
demonstrate their cultural awareness
by describing similarities and differences, their own experiences, and
formal preparation regarding the
culture of the family involved.
Expect Knowledge About
Education
translation and cultural knowledge,
educators can familiarize them with
educational terminology. Provide clear
explanations of specific language use
and legal terms to the interpreter
to reduce the possibility of misrepresentation (Baron, 1997; Cseh &
Short, 2006). Administrators, teachers,
and the interpreter can clarify this
information during an initial
preparation session. This meeting also
can brief everyone involved about the
agenda, goals, and objectives in
working with families. Be sure to
provide opportunities for the
interpreter to ask questions and clarify
meanings before any meetings or
written communications are prepared.
Interpreters also must be
knowledgeable about educational
terminology in both English and the
target language. Interpreters should
clearly understand that their job is not
merely to translate a teacher's words Insist on Confidentiality
literally, but to replicate the meaning
Families must be assured that
of the language in a helping way information gathered through the
(Sandstrom, 2004).
interpreter will be kept confidential
If interpreters have the necessary (Lopez, 2000). This can be a sensitive
Subjects & Predicates
In advance, review the content of the meeting with the interpreter to clarify any
terminology and establish a frame of reference. Set an agenda that addresses the needs of
both families and educators. Discuss possible challenging scenarios and agree on
communication signals for handling them.
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Volume 38, Number 1
33
review the process after the meeting
(see Table 1).
Prepare for the Meeting
The purpose of a planning session
is to review the family meeting and to
identify any communication issues
such as
• objectives of the session,
• the interpreter’s role, and
• how educators will
communicate.
Review the content of the meeting
with the interpreter to clarify any
terminology and establish a frame of
reference for the content. Set an
agenda that addresses the needs of
both families and educators.
During the pre-session, discuss
possible scenarios or events that may
occur during the family meeting.
Identify potentially challenging situations and agree on communication
signals for handling them. Choose
subtle signals that will assure fluency
of the communication and will be
clearly understood by both parties
(Pakieser & McNamee, 1999).
During the Session
At the beginning of the meeting, the
interpreter conveys to the family that
the discussion is among them and the
Subjects & Predicates
educators. The interpreter facilitates
After the session, summarize the meeting and evaluate the process. Discuss the quality of
this communication. Effective interpthe interpreting work, effectiveness of communication, and behaviors or issues related to
reters redirect eye contact, body
the participants. This reflective process helps establish trust and understanding among
language, and verbal communication to
educators and interpreters.
the educators (Mercado, 2004).
issue if the interpreter is a relative or Working With
Another way to achieve effective
friend of the family. Regardless of who
group dynamics is to establish
provides the interpretation, the Interpreters in Family
comfortable seating arrangements.
interpreter should sign a written Meetings
Educators and families need clear
confidentiality policy agreement.
Collaboration among interpreters visual and verbal contact with each
Violation of confidentiality has both and educators is enhanced when they
other. The interpreter sits in a less
professional and legal ramifications.
prepare for the meeting, work prominent position, where family
together during the session, and members can see both the interpreter
34
Volume 38, Number 1
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Winter 2010
and teacher in a single view. One way
to do this is to have the interpreter sit
next to the teacher, but slightly to the
rear, and at the same elevation or
slightly lower.
Throughout the session, educators
direct their attention to, and speak
directly to the family. They use signals
such as nodding to transfer
communication to and from the
interpreter (Avila, 2005.) Teachers
who actively listen and acutely observe
nonverbal cues can gain insights about
how well family members are
exchanging information.
Review the Process
After the session, it is helpful for
educators and the interpreter to
summarize the meeting and evaluate
the process. Issues to discuss may
include quality of the interpreting
work, effectiveness of communication, and behaviors or issues related
to the participants. This reflective
process helps establish trust and
understanding among educators and
interpreters (Leal-Idrogo, 1995.)
Another purpose of the postsession is to prepare a brief report to
clarify and document information
from the meeting, establish conclusions, and plan follow-up sessions.
This written report should be translated and given to the family. Written
feedback benefits all parties and establishes a record for future reference.
* * *
Keys for successful meetings in
which interpreters facilitate communication with families are
• preparation by all parties to
clarify terminology, policies,
procedures, and roles;
• effective interpretation by a
qualified interpreter; and
• oral and written follow-up.
Winter 2010
Training, 30(8/9), 687-700.
Interpreters act as a conduit
Hendricks,
C.M. (2008). HIP on health:
to provide precise and effective
Health information for parents. Birmingcommunication among meeting parham, AL: Healthy Childcare Consulticipants. The goal is to give every
tants. Retrieved April 3, 2008, from
family opportunities to effectively
http://childhealthonline.org/
Horwath,
J., & Shardlow, S. (2004). Drawcommunicate with educators who
ing
back
the curtain: Managing learning
work with their young children.
References
Avila, V.N. (2005). School-home communication in multiple languages. School Administrator, 62(9), 48-50.
Baron, R. (1997). Avoiding communication
breakdowns. Journal of Accountancy, 183,
37-43.
Cseh, M., & Short, D. (2006). The challenges of training with interpreters and
translators. Journal of European Industrial
opportunities across two linguistic
worlds, when the quality of interpretation is poor. Social Work Education,
23(3), 253-264.
Lawless, L.K. (2008). Introduction to translation and interpretation. About.com.
Retrieved April 4, 2008, from
http://french.about.com/cs/translation
/a/introduction_2.htm
Leal-Idrogo, A. (1995). Further thoughts on
"The use of interpreters and translators
in delivery of rehabilitation services.”
Journal of Rehabilitation, 61, 21-31.
Table 1: Key Procedures in Working With Interpreters
Before the Family
Meeting
When Meeting With
Families
After the Session
Assure that the
interpreter has the
necessary language
skills and cultural
information.
Make sure family
members can see both
the educator and the interpreter.
Discuss outcomes of
the session.
Review the meeting
agenda, key concepts,
and terminology.
Ask the interpreter to
add topics the family
wants to address.
Determine outcomes.
Sign confidentiality
agreement.
Identify interpreters’
roles and seating arrangements.
Establish communication signals for
transitions between
speakers.
Educators speak
directly to the family.
Examine areas of
success and concern
for this session and future meetings.
Assure that everyone is
continually informed.
Compare observations
to gain cultural insights.
Monitor nonverbal
language to assure that
everyone is clearly understood.
Plan for follow-up.
Provide timely written
feedback to all
participants.
Follow the meeting
plan.
Note areas of dfficulty
or concern for the
family.
Provide any written materials in both
languages, including
dictionaries.
Discuss anticipated
difficulties and
resolutions.
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Volume 38, Number 1
35
Lopez, E. (2000). Conducting instructional
consultation through interpreters. The
School Psychology Review, 29(3), 378388.
Mercado, V. (2004). Effects of language brokering on children of Latino immigrants.
Dissertation Abstracts International, 64,
4051.
Pakieser, R., & McNamee, M. (1999). How
to work with an interpreter. The Journal
of Continuing Education in Nursing,
30(2), 71-74.
Quiroz, B., Greenfield, P., & Altchech, M.
(1999). Bridging cultures with a parentteacher conference. Educational Leadership, 56(7), 68-70.
Sandstrom, H. (2004). Watch your language. Library Trends, 53(2), 329-335.
Schick, B. (2001). Interpreting for children:
How it's different. Odyssey, 2, 8-11.
Schick, B., Williams, K., & Kupermintz, H.
(2006). Look who's being left behind:
Educational interpreters and access to
education for deaf and hard-of-hearing
students. The Journal of Deaf Studies and
Deaf Education, 11(1): 3-20.
Weisskirch, R.S. (2007). Feelings about language brokering and family relations
among Mexican American early adolescents. Journal of Early Adolescence, 27(4),
545-561.
!
n
o
o
S
g
n
i
m
o
C
Beginning with the Spring/Summer 2010 issue
of Dimensions of Early Childhood, one article in
each issue will contain the ‘Put These Ideas Into
Practice’ page in both English and Spanish.
We hope that by offering these practical tips in a bilingual format,
we will be better able to provide support to the South’s ever–growing
community of Hispanic early childhood professionals and parents.
Looking for Bilingual
Children’s Books
to Your
to Add
Classroom Library?
What’s New in Children’s Books? contains recommendations for
several good–quality English/Spanish children’s books. Members can
log in to the members–only area of www.SouthernEarlyChildhood.org
and view both the 2008 and 2009 editions, located on the ‘Curriculum
Ideas’ page.
36
Volume 38, Number 1
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Winter 2010
Put These Ideas Into Practice!
Working Effectively With Interpreters
Anarella Cellitti
An Effective Interpreter...
• is licensed and certified
• has vocabulary expertise in both English
and the target language (speaking,
reading, and writing)
• demonstrates cultural sensitivity
(manners, personal space, style of
communication, family and
community power structures)
• signs a confidentiality agreement
• knows educational terminology
• agrees to meet before and after the session
• Translation is the ability to convert
information, primarily written, into a
target language.
• Interpretation, which is usually oral,
refers to listening to something spoken
and stating the content in the target
language. Individuals who facilitate
communication among hearing and
hearing-impaired people are interpreters
(Lawless, 2008).
How Teachers Support Diversity
Only interpretation communicates clearly.
Keys for Successful Meetings
To facilitate communication with families...
• educators and interpreters clarify terminology, policies,
procedures, and roles beforehand
• during the meeting, interpreters sit next to the educator
• educators speak directly to the family, actively listen, and
observe nonverbal cues from family members
• interpreters redirect eye contact, body language, and verbal
communication to the educators
Bonjour
Shalom
Guten Tag
Hola
Ciao
• create a print-rich learning environment for children with
materials (books, posters, games, labels, menus) in
children’s primary languages as well as English
• learn and use key words in children’s primary languages with
both children and their families
• feature authentic cultural artifacts and learning experiences
including food preparation, art, clothing, music and dance,
and everyday objects
• use qualified interpreters to facilitate communication at
family meetings
• translate documents, including forms, policies, newsletters,
and child health and development tips
Reference
Lawless, L.K. (2008). Introduction to translation and interpretation. About.com. Retrieved April 4, 2008, from
http://french.about.com/cs/translation/a/introduction_2.htm
Hello!
Note: Dimensions of Early Childhood readers are encouraged to copy this material for early childhood students as well as teachers of young children as a professional development tool.
Winter 2010
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Volume 38, Number 1
37
Dimensions of Early Childhood
Volume 37 Index
Authors
Armstrong, L.J., K.C. Kinney, & L.H.
Clayton. (2009, Fall). Getting
Started: Leadership Opportunities
for Beginning Early Childhood
Teachers, (3), 11-17.
Brown, J., & Izumi-Taylor, S. (2009,
Spring/Summer). Sciencing With
Young Children: Moon Journals!,
(2), 24-29.
Carr, V., L.J. Johnson, & C. Corkwell.
(2009, Fall). Principle-Centered
Leadership in Early Childhood Education, (3), 25-32.
Castle, K. (2009, Fall). What Do Early
Childhood Professionals Do?, (3),
4-10.
Coleman, M., C. Wallinga, & D. Bales.
(2009, Winter). Addressing the “Epidemic” of Overweight Children By
Using the Internet, (1), 32-38.
Hughes, E., & K. Wineman. (2009,
Spring/Summer). Learning Language: Listening and Writing With
Diverse Young Children, (2), 3-9.
Kemple, K.M., & M. Lopez. (2009,
Winter). Blue Eyes, Brown Eyes,
Cornrows, and Curls: Building on
Books to Explore Physical Diversity
With Preschool Children, (1), 23-31.
Kirmani, M.H., M.H. Davis, & M.
Kalyanpur. (2009/Spring/Summer).
Young Children Surfing: Gender
Differences in Computer Use, (2),
16-23.
Pillow-Price, K.L. (2009, Fall). Influencing Legislation—Advocacy Basics, (3), 18-23.
Prior, J. (2009, Winter). Environmental
Print: Real-World Early Reading,
(1), 9-14.
Ramgopal, P.S., K.P. Dieterle, J. Aviles,
B. McCreedy, & C.F. Davis. (2009,
Fall). Leadership Development in the
South: Where Do We Go From
Here?, (3), 33-38.
38
Volume 38, Number 1
Simpson, C.G., J.P. Gray, S. Waldrep, &
M.D. Gaus. (2009, Winter). Healthier Lifestyles for Young Children:
Partnering With Families, (1), 15-22.
Swanson, M. & D. Da Ros-Voseles.
(2009, Spring/Summer). Dispositions: Encourage Young Children to
Become Life-Long Readers, (2), 30-38.
Tanyel, N.E. (2009, Spring/Summer).
Emotional Regulation: Developing
Toddlers’ Social Competence, (2),
10-15.
Tunks, K.W. (2009, Winter). Block
Play: Practical Suggestions for
Common Dilemmas, (1), 3-8.
Advocacy & Public Policy
Getting Started: Leadership Opportunities for Beginning Early Childhood
Teachers, (3), 11-17.
Influencing Legislation—Advocacy
Basics, (3), 18-23.
Leadership Development in the South:
Where Do We Go From Here?, (3),
33-38.
Book Reviews
Children’s Language: Connecting Reading,
Writing, and Talk (2009,
Spring/Summer).
Increasing the Power of Instruction—Integration of Language, Literacy, and
Math Across the Preschool Day (2009,
Winter).
Mentor Coaching and Leadership in Early
Care and Education (2009, Fall).
Ready or Not: Leadership Choices in Early
Care and Education (2009, Fall).
Sharing Books Together: Promoting Emergent Literacy Through Reading Aloud
and Home-School Partnerships (2009,
Winter).
The Intentional Teacher: Choosing the
Best Strategies for Young Children’s
Learning (2009, Spring/Summer).
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Child Development
Addressing the “Epidemic” of Overweight Children By Using the Internet, (1), 32-38.
Emotional Regulation: Developing Toddlers’ Social Competence, (2), 10-15.
Curriculum &
Learning Environments
Block Play: Practical Suggestions for
Common Dilemmas, (1), 3-8.
Dispositions: Encourage Young Children to Become Life-Long Readers,
(2), 30-38.
Environmental Print: Real-World Early
Reading, (1), 9-14.
Sciencing With Young Children: Moon
Journals!, (2), 24-29.
Family Partnerships
Healthier Lifestyles for Young Children:
Partnering With Families, (1),
15-22.
Inclusion
Blue Eyes, Brown Eyes, Cornrows, and
Curls: Building on Books to Explore
Physical Diversity With Preschool
Children, (1), 23-31.
Learning Language: Listening and Writing With Diverse Young Children,
(2), 3-9.
Young Children Surfing: Gender Differences in Computer Use, (2), 16-23.
Professional Development
Principle-Centered Leadership in Early
Childhood Education, (3), 25-32.
What Do Early Childhood
Professionals Do?, (3), 4-10.
Winter 2010
Book Reviews
Books for Early Childhood Educators
by E. Anne Eddowes, Editor
Jump Into Science: Active
Learning for Preschool Children by
Rae Pica. Beltsville, MD: Gryphon
House, 2009, 131 pp., $14.95.
Children learn with their entire
bodies, and therefore they are active
learners. Some teachers find the idea of
children moving around and the
potential resulting chaos overwhelming.
However, movement is an essential
element in maximizing a child's
learning. Teachers can choose to either
fight young children's need for activity
or they can put it to use. Because
research shows that the functions of the
body contribute to the healthy
functions of the brain, it is imperative
that children use their bodies for
maximum content retention. Pica, the
author of this book and a movement
specialist for 25 years, has authored
more than a dozen books that promote
the benefits of movement in teaching.
With the increasing importance of
standardized tests, many teachers are
feeling the pressure to include more
seatwork and worksheets. According to
Pica, preschool children first should
experience the basic process skills of
science including observing, comparing, classifying, measuring, and
communicating. These skills are natural
for young children, and can be
supported through the captivating
learning experiences highlighted in
Jump Into Science.
Although this book is directed to the
learning of preschoolers, the activities
and concepts can easily be used and
Winter 2010
adapted to teach children through
kindergarten and further. The five
chapters are devoted to: the human
body (including hygiene and nutrition); the five senses; animals and
other creatures; the seasons, weather
and other natural wonders; and simple
science (concepts such as gravity,
flotation, sound, and electricity).
The book is arranged in developmental order, from least to most
challenging. Each activity begins with a
brief synopsis of the science concepts
being supported, as well as information
to be shared with the children. Pica
then lists the materials needed followed
by an explanation of how to teach the
activity. For some lessons, Pica provides
suggestions for more challenging activities. Whenever available, she also
offers suggestions for related books and
music to supplement the experience.
The organization of the book makes
it easy to use, and one that could be
pulled off the shelf without hesitation
to find a topic to explore at a moment's
notice. Many of the lessons don't
require any materials, and a number of
the explorations require materials used
in other lessons as well. The author
provides 100 learning experiences, 38
of which do not require any materials.
An additional 20 suggest only optional
materials, pictures, or music. Many of
the required materials are both inexpensive and easy to obtain.
Jump Into Science is a book that all
preschool and kindergarten teachers
should have on their bookshelves. It
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
provides lessons that can be used to
supplement many concepts that are
taught in preschool and kindergarten
classrooms. The children will welcome
the movement involved. When children learn through physical experiences,
they retain the information much
longer than when they only learn
through rote methods. Pica has written
a book that provides opportunities for
children to learn with their whole
bodies (using their physical and
cognitive skills) in meaningful and
memorable ways.
—Holly Pence, Assistant Professor
Shelly Carter, Graduate Assistant
James Madison University
Harrisburg, VA
Me, You, Us: Social-Emotional
Learning in Preschool by Ann S.
Epstein. Ypsilanti, MI: High/Scope
Press and Washington, DC: National
Association for the Education of
Young Children, 2009. 190 pp., $25.95.
Epstein is the Senior Director of
Curriculum Development at the
HighScope Educational Research
Foundation. She has published many
books and articles related to
curriculum and professional development, including The Intentional
Teacher and Essentials of Active
Learning in Preschool.
Part One of Me, You, Us: SocialEmotional Learning in Preschool
focuses on the importance of socialemotional learning and provides an
overview of child development and
Volume 38, Number 1
39
appropriate teaching practices.
Epstein discusses the four components of social-emotional learning,
which are
• emotional self-regulation and
self-awareness,
• social knowledge and
understanding,
• social skills, and
• social dispositions.
She then reviews the basics of
social-emotional development in
early childhood and emphasizes how
other areas of learning affect socialemotional development.
Parts Two and Three of Me, You,
Us: Social-Emotional Learning in
Preschool are devoted to Epstein’s 11
key elements of children’s socialemotional learning, which are (1)
developing a positive self-identity, (2)
feeling empathy, (3) developing a
sense of competence, (4) recognizing
and labeling emotions, (5) developing
a sense of community, (6) engaging in
cooperative play, (7) valuing diversity,
(8) developing a framework for moral
behavior, (9) resolving conflicts, (10)
creating and following rules, and (11)
creating and participating in a
democracy. Each of these 11 concepts
is discussed in its own chapter. Each
chapter includes a definition of the
concept, theoretical perspectives that
relate to the concept, and a wellselected review of relevant research on
the concept.
In Part Four, Epstein provides a
much-needed “Beyond the Classroom” segment that is not often found
in texts with similar subject matter.
She discusses the importance of
preparing ourselves to be role models,
and encourages the reader to reflect on
his or her interactions with children
and families. Suggestions are made for
continued professional development
40
Volume 38, Number 1
in understanding diversity. The aspect
of social-emotional learning at home
is highlighted, so she equips the reader
to assist families in promoting socialemotional development in the home
environment. There are ideas for
conducting parent workshops on
social-emotional topics. Suggestions
are provided for reaching out to
communities, and ideas are offered for
working within the place of employment
as well as the broader community.
In all, this book is a wonderful,
comprehensive text that accomplishes
its goal of building a bridge between
theory and practice for its target
audience, the “thoughtful educator.”
It provides a thorough update on
recent research in the field and
provides practical teaching strategies
and suggestions that can be adopted
and achieved by the determined
professional. The text is easy to read
and enjoyable for both experienced
and novice practitioners. It employs a
wealth of sincere and vivid anecdotes
that bring social-emotional learning to
life and share the wisdom of
appropriate practices.
While this book is a worthwhile
addition to the early childhood
bookshelf of anyone wishing to help
children become confident and caring
individuals, it would be particularly
appropriate as a shared staff professional development reading or
college text.
—Dawn A. Parton
Tulsa Community College
Tulsa, OK
Dimensions Is
Looking for
Manuscripts!
These topics were identified as
publication priorities by SECA’s
Editorial Committee at its January 2010 meeting. If you have
expertise on any of these timely
topics, please consider writing
about them for possible publication in SECA’s refereed journal!
• unique needs and traditions
of Southern early childhood
educators, families, and states
• diversity: cultural, special
needs, age, gender, and others
• technologies with young
children, teacher preparation,
and families
• successful Southern state
innovations
• faith-based challenges and
successes
• weathering the economic
storm
Please follow SECA’s
manuscript guidelines, found at
SouthernEarlyChildhood.org
Then submit your completed
manuscript to [email protected]
We look forward to reviewing
manuscripts on these, and
other, research-based, practical
topics in the field of early
childhood education.
DIMENSIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD
Winter 2010
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Toll Free: 800-305-7322 • www.SouthernEarlyChildhood.org
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SECA is constantly adding new
e
N
s
’
t
a
content to our website to help you be the best
Wh
early childhood professional you can be. Here are
just a couple of our most recent additions:
SECA Radio – We are delighted to announce the launch of SECA Radio! This brand
new media resource will give SECA members and friends access to the latest
insights in child development and education. Currently, you can listen to our
interviews with Steven Gross of Project Joy, Dr. Linda Carson of Choosy Kids,
Donald Davis of Donald Davis Storyteller, and David Kisor and Tom Lottman of
Children, Inc.
Each month, we will provide additional resources that will help you use what you
hear on the show in your own program. While SECA Radio will be available to
everyone, these 'extras' are for SECA members only and can be found in the
password-protected members-only area of our website. SECA Radio is available
anytime on our website and the broadcasts can be listened to on any computer.
Go to www.SouthernEarlyChildhood.org and tune in today!
SECA Radio is a project of the Southern Early Childhood Association and the BAM!
Radio Network.
SECA Showcase – Are you a local leader and think your members could use a
‘refresher course’ about SECA? Our Showcase includes a DVD, a quick ‘game’ called
What Do You Know About SECA? and a Resource Request Form that you can submit
to SECA. Present the SECA Showcase at your next local meeting and help your
members get to know SECA. Go to www.SouthernEarlyChildhood.org and click on
Leadership Resources on the Leadership page.