While children in a classroom of 4-year-olds are actively engaged during center-based learning, a small group begins constructing a tower using blocks of all sizes. Jose, Cindy, and Thomas are all at different stages of language development. Jose is a dual language learner (DLL) in the early stages of English language acquisition; Cindy is a DLL…

In a preschool class where the teachers speak only English and the majority of the children speak only Spanish, it is challenging to choose a topic that is interesting enough to engage all children in project work that supports language development. Luckily for the children, pizza is a delicious, familiar, and easily accessible topic to explore.…

Many U.S. classrooms today have at least some children with limited abilities to understand and express themselves in English. Two critical factors spell success or failure for teachers who have dual language learners (DLLs) in their classrooms: the teacher's understanding of and respect for the initial difficulties in learning a second language…

Children working alone is a common instructional strategy in some early childhood classrooms. According to foundational work by Johnson and Johnson (1986), however, cooperative teams employ higher levels of thought and retain information longer than children who work individually. Children engage in discussion, take responsibility for their…

Akira, a 4-year-old boy, wanders into a classroom of 3-year-olds, observing the younger children. He goes over to Masaharu who is having a problem making a piece fit on a puzzle and offers him help. Masaharu succeeds and his mentor applauds his efforts. This interaction shows an older child supporting a younger child through scaffolding. Using…

People are not born with a conscience. Conscience does not appear because of "message" books with moral lessons or a grade school campaign for character or a high school course on ethics. Just as children are born to talk and walk, seeking positive social engagement is part of the fabric of humanity. Talking, walking, and caring, however, must…

It is the third week that Ms. Sotto's preschool classroom has been turned into an airport. The literacy center is a ticket counter, with a travel agency complete with child-made passports, tickets, and travel brochures. What is happening in Ms. Sotto's classroom is an example of what most early childhood educators mean when they talk about…

Shades of Pink study describes how six preschoolers and their teacher engaged in a collaborative learning project through which they learned about the shades of a color--in this case, pink. As the children learned through experimenting and discussing their theories, they represented ideas using art as a tool for discovery and learning. The study…

Young children learn new vocabulary with great agility and speed, but their learning is dependent on the range of words they are exposed to. Teachers can naturally facilitate children's vocabulary learning using a variety of strategies, including making conversation and posing thoughtful questions. But there is also an important role for direct…

Children thrive in inclusive settings where each child is an important part of the community. When differences are celebrated and similarities discovered, children learn to value themselves, appreciate their peers, and develop meaningful and significant relationships with one another. A sizable body of research indicates that promoting positive…

A group of six children from kindergarten/first grade class in a Reggio-inspired program were involved in a four-month project to design an outdoor area in which indoor materials could be used. Facilitated by teachers and student teachers, projects provide a venue for children's integrated, developmentally appropriate learning. Because they…

More than 20 percent of children (ages 2-17) in the United States have witnessed and/or been victims of multiple forms of violence. Children from birth through age 5 are more likely to experience maltreatment and neglect than other age groups. Violence and trauma (including neglect), whether in the home or the community, have lasting effects on…

Adults often use simple words instead of complex words when talking to young children. Reasons vary from teachers' beliefs that young children cannot understand sophisticated vocabulary because they are too young or have limited language skills, to teachers' unfamiliarity with complex words or with strategies for supporting vocabulary. As a…

In the Places to Play in Providence (Rhode Island) project, teachers treat children as citizens--not as hypothetical or future citizens, but as contemporary members of their community. They see children as capable of constructing and communicating complex ideas, adding their unique and valuable perspectives. What does it mean for a city or a state…

Effective teacher educators reflect and upon reflection, make important changes to lessons, units, and instructional strategies. But have they ever considered the importance reflection has for students or what bearing "their" reflections have on them as their teachers? During the first six weeks of the (introductory) Child Development and…