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Facilitated Work Group
:Language and Early Literacy in Infant and Toddler Care

Facilitator: Tammy Mann, Director, Early Head Start National Resource Center
Group Scribe: Abby Cohen, State Technical Assistance Specialist, Region 9, National Child Care Information Center
Note Taker: Rosemary Kendall, Information Specialist, National Child Care Information Center

KEY ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

The breakout group on language and literacy in infant/toddler care addressed the following topics: research on emerging literacy; practice in early care and education settings; staff training, retention, and compensation; family literacy; collaboration; and funding.

The Importance of Oral Language
Research shows that the foundation of reading and writing is in oral language. The size of a child's vocabulary at age 3 is related to later reading competency. Parents and other adults need to talk, sing, and read to infants and toddlers, as well as engage with them in the give and take of conversation. Studies have also shown that some families are more likely to engage in activities that promote emerging literacy. The children in these families are more likely to enter kindergarten "ready to learn." The challenge to early childhood professionals is to provide the care for infants and toddlers that stimulates their overall development, including cognitive and language development. Researchers need to review and disseminate best practices regarding literacy for children ages 0-3, including children with disabilities.

What Quality Care Looks Like
Curricula and assessment tools such as the Infant Toddler Environmental Rating Scale (ITERS), the Program for Infant Toddler Caregivers (PITC), Creative Curriculum for Infants and Toddlers, and the Child Development Associate Credential for Infants and Toddlers all give a clear picture of what quality care should look like, and all recognize the importance of encouraging emerging literacy skills. Caregivers need to have knowledge of infant/toddler development and an understanding of how the skills they use in caring for young children stimulate growth and development. Training in understanding the milestones of language acquisition and in encouraging emerging literacy must be incorporated into this broad context. "Lap time" for reading should be warm and comfortable. The time for diaper changes and feeding should be opportunities for positive individual attention. Rhymes, song, storytelling, and books should be a regular part of everyday experience.

The Role of Training
Training for infant/toddler caregivers should help caregivers understand how to encourage emerging literacy within the context of a child's general development. Professional development needs to recognize the cultural values of both the caregivers and the families. At the same time, there is concern that caregivers may not value the need to encourage emerging literacy with very young children and that the caregivers may not have good literacy skills themselves.

We have examples of culturally sensitive approaches to professional development. Texas trains early childhood directors to understand child development through on-site technical assistance and mentoring. The on-site technical assistance and mentoring are expensive, but very effective. The problem with implementation of this training model has been high staff turnover, which is tied to low compensation.

Essential Partnerships
Early childhood educators must work in partnership with parents to foster early literacy. Attention should be focused on encouraging positive oral communication and daily lap time reading, modeling reading and writing, and generally enjoying language. Family literacy programs have been successful in promoting literacy skills for both the infant/toddler and the family. Programs are struggling to meet the needs of all children and families when they have several different languages and dialects spoken in the homes of their children. The problem is compounded when the caregivers also speak English as a second language. In addition, the child has to be seen in the family context. Caregivers are being trained to be knowledgeable about the cultural values of the family and how those impact acquisition of early literacy skills. In addition, programs recognize that parents need to be financially stable before they can participate fully in activities to promote literacy skills. When appropriate, comprehensive services should be offered to families.

The benefits of collaboration are beginning to be seen. Particularly, child care and health professions can work together. Some pediatricians are beginning to test early for hearing loss. Some home nurses are recommending lap reading, but they need a mandate and permission to add early literacy to their already crowded curriculum.

There is some progress in achieving adequate funding. Funds are needed for training and materials, but this may not require a huge infusion of funds. Literacy activities in Texas don't have a lot of dollars associated with them. We need to create the national will to fund quality child care, including money for training and staff compensation.

Additional Concerns
The following additional concerns were mentioned as challenges or barriers in promoting literacy with infants and toddlers:

  • There has been little training on including children with special needs in literacy initiatives, nor money associated with these initiatives to accommodate special needs.
  • Funding for rural areas is difficult to find.
  • The field has had little success getting publishers to make more quality bilingual books available.
  • Activities to promote literacy may be planned based on assessments of infants and toddlers. It is essential that appropriate assessment instruments are being used.

HIGHLIGHTS OF KEY RECOMMENDATIONS

  • Improve research methods by having the research community articulate what is meant by "evidence-based" practice. For example, what are the levels of evidence, and how do dependent variables affect literacy skills? More work is needed by researchers to create tools that can be used by a variety of practitioners, especially measurement in infant/toddler settings. More research is needed that documents and validates different training strategies (e.g., effectiveness of coaching, reflective practice, etc.). Researchers need to review and disseminate best practices regarding literacy for children ages 0-3, including children with disabilities.
  • Encourage collaboration around early literacy practices by promoting and building on the Early Head Start — Child Care collaboration and by supporting Healthy Child Care America (HCCA). Encourage collaboration with the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP); with IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) programs; and with health providers, public health, and pediatricians. Use the Map to Inclusive Child Care program as a model. Encourage cross talk between researchers, policy-makers, and practitioners before new efforts are launched. Promote the development of a "system" to advocate for attention to children's needs at local, State and Regional levels.
  • Maximize funding by including literacy/language initiatives when spending Child Care and Development Fund quality dollars. Encourage the overlay of literacy on existing programs. Increase government support for existing programs by articulating blended funding concepts at the highest levels so auditors accept them. Fully fund Head Start and the Child Care and Development Fund. Showcase States that are making more progress toward financing the early childhood education system.
  • Inform and support families by obtaining government and business support for a public awareness campaign about literacy. The message should be kept simple and should be aimed at a diverse population. Federal paid parental leave needs to be established to support families in providing what's best for babies. Availability and affordability of quality care is essential.
  • Improve professional development and compensation. Since infants need to feel secure, loved, and wanted in order for learning to take place, compensation for child care staff must be increased so that qualified and caring people will be attracted to and stay in the field. Focus on home providers and provider professional organizations. Training in recognizing and encouraging emerging literacy for infants and toddlers should be available. Expand resources available to distance-learning and expand HeadsUp! Reading for earlier ages. Training should be adapted for providers who do not speak English well. Training should include working with children with special needs. Licensing and regulation officials should have training in child development in general and specifically in literacy.

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