Category: Culturally Responsive Practices
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Building Relationships with Refugee Caregivers During Home Visits
Many adults and children from other countries enter the United States with the goal of creating their homes here every year.
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Resources to Help Serve Dual Language Learners (DLLs)
Across Illinois, early childhood programs serve a very culturally and linguistically diverse group of children and families.
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Choose Good Books That Accurately Reflect Cultures and Home Languages
When teachers and child care directors are seeking new books to add to classroom libraries, it’s important to think intentionally about the children and families who will be reading those books.
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Preventing That Summer Slide
Increasing young DLLs’ language skills and vocabulary in their heritage language is important for learning future academic skills.
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Maintaining Home Language Is a Great Gift
Young children are like sponges and take in a lot of information from their environment and process it to learn new things.
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Repeated Readings Can Build Literacy Skills
Story reading and retelling the story is one important way for young DLL children to develop strong language and literacy skills.
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Parallel Talk: A Simple Way to Provide English Vocabulary
Children’s families are a strong source of support for promoting the home language in classrooms and other caregiving settings.
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Helping DLLs Learn in Two Languages During Early Childhood
Teachers and caregivers of young DLLs can support the development of both English and the home language through intentionally connecting with children’s families.
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Welcoming Parents of Dual Language Learners to Parent-Teacher Conferences
For families of dual language learners (DLLs), the parent-teacher conference may be a new experience.
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Children in Refugee Families Need Extra Care, Attention
Many refugees are settling in the United States as a result of wars in the Middle East, Africa, Central America, and Asia, and many arrive in Illinois as part of our nation’s formal refugee resettlement program.
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Learning Through Music and Movement
Summer events are a way for families and caregivers to have fun and share their favorite music with young children.
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Summer Language Learning in Community Settings
As the weather warms up, DLLs, their families, and caregivers have many opportunities to spend time together out in the community.
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Celebrate Multicultural Children’s Book Day
It’s wonderful to have a special day to focus our awareness on multicultural children’s books and their authors.
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Rituals and Traditions in Programs That Serve Young Dual Language Learners
One of the wonderful aspects of early childhood programs is that the staff, together with children and families, can create rituals and traditions that build a sense of community within the program.
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Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month
Hispanic Heritage Month may be celebrated with songs, books, artwork, crafts, food, and field trips.
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Welcoming Immigrant Families to the Preschool Classroom
When immigrant families first arrive in a U.S. preschool setting, the classroom teacher should be aware that the family may wish more detailed information (preferably written in their heritage language) about U.S. preschool practices.
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Active Play Promotes Young Children’s Development
Active play provides opportunities for children to link their physical movements with the new words they are learning.
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Learning Math Words: Family and Caregiver Conversations
Having a strong math vocabulary in the heritage language helps young DLLs grasp these concepts when learning about them in English (often in preschool and kindergarten classrooms).
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Creating Books With Young Dual Language Learners
Young children love to hear and tell their own stories.
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Learning New Words Through Read Alouds
One of the delightful ways to engage with young children is through reading books aloud.
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Summer Family Time Can Help Build Heritage Language Skills
In the summer, families may attend neighborhood block parties, go to the pool, or visit together at community festivals. Sharing these special events with extended family members provides opportunities to engage young DLLs in conversations and introduce new words in their heritage language.
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Teachers and Families of Dual Language Learners (DLLs): Partners from the Start
For young children who are DLLs adjusting to the first few weeks of prekindergarten can be stressful. Teachers can ease some of the stress during this transition period by forming a partnership with the families before school begins.
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Screening and Evaluating Children who are Dual Language Learners: What Every Teacher Should Know
Determining if a child may need additional supports to develop and learn is every teacher’s responsibility. Screening helps a teacher know whether a child needs additional evaluation to determine if he or she will need specialized instruction and services, such as special education.
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What Teachers Should Know About Instruction for English Language Learners
There are many simple yet effective ways that teachers can engage ELL students in meaningful learning activities and help them interact with their peers.