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A mother looking at her infant child.

Special Literacy Considerations for Children Birth to Age 3

Goal

This Professional Learning Module is designed to provide information and resources about supporting the specific literacy needs of children birth to age 3. For more general information about early literacy, visit the main Supporting Early Literacy Professional Learning Module.

Objectives

Upon completion of this Professional Learning Module, participants will be able to:

  • Identify resources, research, and organizations that support the literacy development of young children.
  • Identify components of successful strategies from the field via interviews with SRCL and CLSD grantees.
  • Learn more about current research and the policy landscape related to early childhood literacy development.
Podcast Pin Video Podcasts
Resources Pin Resources
Podcast Pin Voices from the Field
Two toddler boys looking at a book.

Podcast icon Video Podcasts

The following podcasts comprise interviews with CLSD grantees about successful early literacy strategies.

  • California – Subgrantees Selected to Focus on Early Literacy Grade Band

    In this video podcast you will hear from the California Department of Education and San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, how delineating subgrantees by age/grade span as well as literacy priority has made a big difference in supporting early literacy outcomes for children birth-3 years of age. San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, in consortium with Fresno County Superintendent of Schools and Orange County Department of Education applied as the lead literacy agent for Priority 1 of the CLSD Grant, focusing on children ages 0-5.

    Listen in to hear how each subgrantee is running a three-year small-scale pilot project, with a tight focus on a group of students and the evidence-based practices they will use to support growth in literacy outcomes for students in their area. To learn more, check out the links below:

    Click to view video.

    https://www.cde.ca.gov/pd/ps/clsd.asp

  • Hawaii – Meeting the Early Literacy Needs Through the Home-School Connection

    Be sure to tune in to hear how the Hawaii Department of Education supports subgrantees in making a strong home-school connection to meet the early literacy needs of children birth-3. Be sure to tune in to learn how an intentional focus on culturally relevant literature and supplemental activities has increased the engagement of educators and caregivers to better meet the unique needs of keiki (children) in Hawaii.

    Click to view video.

If you have a strategy you would like to see featured here, please email literacy@seiservices.com.

Resources Icon Resources

The following resources offer tools for supporting programs and literacy instruction for infants and toddlers. Select any button below to see a resource and discussion guide to facilitate reflection and dialogue with colleagues about your own birth to three programming.

Voices from the Field icon Voices from the Field

The information below was originally presented as part of a virtual topical meeting on early childhood literacy hosted by the SRCL and CLSD teams.

Description: Dr. Elizabeth Hadley from the University of South Florida describes developmental models for language and literacy development and identify key language and literacy milestones for children ages 0–3. She discusses the research base on the characteristics of early childhood education classrooms that support children’s language and literacy development.

Description: Dr. Bridgitt Mitchell from the National Center on Early Childhood Development, Teaching, and Learning answers the question: What does early literacy mean for infant and toddler programs? She reviews early literacy strategies and effective practices that ensure high-quality learning environments for the youngest learners. Watch and take away observable indicators that are predictors of meaningful and culturally responsive early literacy programs.

Description: Katrina Macaset from Zero to Three introduces Zero to Three’s competency-based workforce development, which supports high-quality educator–child interactions that promote development and learning for each baby and toddler, including those who are multi-language learners and from populations facing multiple risk factors. Consider your state’s successes and gaps in helping educators build and sustain the crucial competencies they need to be effective today to build a better future.