North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development

North Carolina Foundations Task Force

North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development North Carolina Foundations Task Force

ii North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development

North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development © 2013. North Carolina Foundations Task Force.

Writers

Catherine Scott-Little Human Development and Family Studies Department UNC-Greensboro

Glyn Brown SERVE Center UNC-Greensboro

Edna Collins Division of Child Development and Early Education NC Department of Health and Human Services

Editors

Lindsey Alexander Lindsey Alexander Editorial

Katie Hume Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute UNC-Chapel Hill

Designer

Gina Harrison Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute UNC-Chapel Hill

Photography

Pages: 60 and 143 courtesy of UNC-Greensboro, Child Care Education Program.

36, 54, 135, 136, front cover (group shot), and back cover (infant) courtesy of NC Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Child Development and Early Education.

All others: Don Trull, John Cotter Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute

UNC-Chapel Hill

The North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development may be freely reproduced without permission for non-profit, educational purposes.

Electronic versions of this report are available from the following websites: http://ncchildcare.dhhs.state.nc.us http://www.ncpublicschools.org/earlylearning

Suggested citation: North Carolina Foundations Task Force. (2013). North Carolina foundations for early learning and development. Raleigh: Author.

Funding for this document was provided by the North Carolina Early Childhood Advisory Council using funds received from a federal State Advisory Council grant from the Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

iii North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Purpose of Foundations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Organization of This Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 How to Use Foundations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Domains, Subdomains, and Goals Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Guiding Principles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Effective Use of Foundations with All Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Foundations and Children’s Success in School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Helping Children Make Progress on Foundations Goals: It Takes Everyone Working Together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Frequently Asked Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Approaches to Play and Learning (APL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Curiosity, Information-Seeking, and Eagerness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Play and Imagination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Risk-Taking, Problem-Solving, and Flexibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Attentiveness, Effort, and Persistence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Emotional and Social Development (ESD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Developing a Sense of Self . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Developing a Sense of Self With Others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Learning About Feelings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

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Health and Physical Development (HPD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Physical Health and Growth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70 Motor Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Self-Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80 Safety Awareness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84

Language Development and Communication (LDC) . . . . . . 88 Learning to Communicate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Foundations for Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104 Foundations for Writing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Cognitive Development (CD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 Construction of Knowledge: Thinking and Reasoning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121 Creative Expression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 Social Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Mathematical Thinking and Expression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 Scientific Exploration and Knowledge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144

Supporting Dual Language Learners (DLL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Defining Dual Language Learners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 The Dual Language Learning Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 DLL and Culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150 The Importance of Families . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 DLL and Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155

Selected Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163

v North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development

Acknowledgments

I n 2011, the North Carolina Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC) launched and funded the important project of revising the Infant-Toddler Foundations and Preschool Foundations to create the North

Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development—a single document that describes children’s development and learning from birth to age five. Leaders from the Division of Child Development and Early Education as well as the Office of Early Learning in the Department of Public Instruction provided critical advice, oversight, and vision on the Foundations and its implementation. As listed below, many individuals from across the state devoted their time and expertise to this task force. We are grateful to everyone’s work on this important resource for our state.

This publication is dedicated to North Carolina’s early childhood professionals, teachers, and caregivers who nurture and support the development of many young children while their families work or are in school.

Expert Reviewers

Laura Berk Professor Emeritus, Psychology Department Illinois State University

Sharon Glover Cultural Competence Consultant Glover and Associates

Melissa Johnson Pediatric Psychologist WakeMed Health and Hospitals

Patsy Pierce Speech Language Pathologist Legislative Analyst NC General Assembly Research Division

NC Foundations Task Force Inter-Agency Leadership Team

Division of Child Development and Early Education NC Department of Health and Human Services

Deb Cassidy Anna Carter Edna Collins Jani Kozlowski Lorie Pugh

Office of Early Learning NC Department of Public Instruction

John Pruette Jody Koon

Human Development and Family Studies Department UNC-Greensboro

Catherine Scott-Little, Co-Facilitator Sheresa Boone Blanchard

Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute UNC-Chapel Hill

Kelly Maxwell, Co-Facilitator

vi North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development

NC Foundations Task Force (cont .) Foundations Revisions Expert

Workgroup

Norm Allard Pre-K Exceptional Children Consultant Office of Early Learning NC Department of Public Instruction

Joe Appleton Kindergarten Teacher Sandy Ridge Elementary School

Cindy Bagwell Co-Chair of Cognitive Development Workgroup Early Childhood Education Consultant Office of Early Learning NC Department of Public Instruction

Harriette Bailey Assistant Professor Birth-Kindergarten Program Coordinator Department of Education, Shaw University

Sheila Bazemore Education Consultant Division of Child Development and Early Education NC Department of Health and Human Services

Bonnie Beam Director Office of School Readiness, Cleveland County Schools

Gwen Brown Regulatory Supervisor Division of Child Development and Early Education NC Department of Health and Human Services

Paula Cancro Preschool Director Our Lady of Mercy Catholic School

Deborah Carroll Branch Head Early Intervention, Division of Public Health NC Department of Health and Human Services

Kathryn Clark Professor, Child Development Program Coordinator Child Development, Meredith College

Renee Cockrell Pediatrician Rocky Mount Children’s Developmental Services Agency

Lanier DeGrella Infant Toddler Enhancement Project Manager Child Care Services Association

Sherry Franklin Quality Improvement Unit Manager Division of Public Health NC Department of Health and Human Services

Kate Gallagher Child Care Program Director Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute UNC-Chapel Hill

Khari Garvin Director, Head Start State Collaboration Office Office of Early Learning NC Department of Public Instruction

Cristina Gillanders Scientist Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute UNC-Chapel Hill

Pamela Hauser Child Care Licensing Consultant Division of Child Development and Early Education NC Department of Health and Human Services

Ronda Hawkins Chair of Emotional and Social Development Workgroup Early Childhood Program Coordinator Sandhills Community College

Patricia Hearron Chair of Approaches to Learning Workgroup Professor, Family and Consumer Sciences Appalachian State University

Staci Herman-Drauss Infant Toddler Education Specialist Child Care Services Association

Vivian James 619 Coordinator Pre-K Exceptional Children, Office of Early Learning North Carolina Department of Public Instruction

LaTonya Kennedy Teacher Mountain Area Child and Family Center

Doré LaForett Investigator Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute UNC-Chapel Hill

Beth Leiro Physical Therapist Beth Leiro Pediatric Physical Therapy

Gerri Mattson Pediatric Medical Consultant Division of Public Health NC Department of Health and Human Services

Janet McGinnis Education Consultant Division of Child Development and Early Education NC Department of Health and Human Services

vii North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development

NC Foundations Task Force (cont .) Margaret Mobley

Manager, Promoting Healthy Social Behavior in Child Care Settings Child Care Resources, Inc.

Judy Neimeyer Professor Emerita Specialized Education Services UNC-Greensboro

Eva Phillips Instructor, Birth-Kindergarten Education Winston-Salem State University

Jackie Quirk Chair of Health and Physical Development Workgroup Project Coordinator NC Child Care Health and Safety Resource Center UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health

Amy Scrinzi Co-Chair of Cognitive Development Workgroup Early Mathematics Consultant Curriculum and Instruction Division NC Department of Public Instruction

Janet Singerman President Child Care Resources, Inc.

Diane Strangis Assistant Professor Child Development, Meredith College

Dan Tetreault Chair of Language and Communication Workgroup K–2 English Language Arts Consultant Curriculum and Instruction Division NC Department of Public Instruction

Brenda Williamson Assistant Professor, Birth-Kindergarten Teacher Education Program Coordinator NC Central University

Gale Wilson Regional Specialist NC Partnership for Children

Catherine Woodall Education Consultant Division of Child Development and Early Education NC Department of Health and Human Services

Doyle Woodall Preschool Teacher Johnston County Schools

Dual Language Learners Advisory Team

Catherine Scott-Little, Chair Associate Professor, Human Development and Family Studies UNC-Greensboro

Tanya Dennis Telamon Corporation

Shari Funkhouser Pre-K Lead Teacher Asheboro City Schools

Cristina Gillanders Scientist Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute UNC-Chapel Hill

Belinda J. Hardin Associate Professor, Specialized Education Services UNC-Greensboro

Norma A. Hinderliter Special Education Expert

Adriana Martinez Director Spanish for Fun Academy

Tasha Owens-Green Child Care and Development Fund Coordinator Division of Child Development and Early Education NC Department of Health and Human Services

Gexenia E. Pardilla Latino Outreach Specialist Child Care Resources Inc.

Jeanne Wakefield Executive Director The University Child Care Center

Strategies Workgroup

Sheresa Boone Blanchard, Chair Child Development and Family Studies UNC-Greensboro

Patsy Brown Exceptional Children Preschool Coordinator Yadkin County Schools

Kristine Earl Assistant Director Exceptional Children’s Department Iredell-Statesville Schools

Cristina Gillanders Scientist Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute UNC-Chapel Hill

Wendy H-G Gray Exceptional Children Preschool Coordinator Pitt County School System

viii North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development

NC Foundations Task Force (cont .) Patricia Hearron

Professor, Family and Consumer Sciences Appalachian State University

Staci Herman-Drauss Infant Toddler Education Specialist Child Care Services Association

Tami Holtzmann Preschool Coordinator Thomasville City Schools

Renee Johnson Preschool Coordinator Edgecombe County Public School

Jenny Kurzer Exceptional Children Preschool Coordinator Burke County Public Schools

Brenda Little Preschool Coordinator Stokes County Schools

Karen J. Long Infant Toddler Specialist Child Care Resources, Inc

Jackie Quirk Project Coordinator NC Child Care Health and Safety Resource Center UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health

Brenda Sigmon Preschool Coordinator Catawba County/Newton Conover Preschool Program

Teresa Smith Preschool Coordinator Beaufort County Schools

Susan Travers Exceptional Children Curriculum Manager and Preschool Coordinator Buncombe County Schools

Rhonda Wiggins Exceptional Children Preschool Coordinator Wayne County Public Schools

1 North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development

Introduction

North Carolina’s young children. This document, North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development (referred to as Foundations), serves as a shared vision for what we want for our state’s children and answers the question “What should we be helping children learn before kindergarten?” By providing a common set of Goals and Developmental Indicators for children from birth through kindergarten entry, our hope is that parents, educators, administrators, and policy makers can together do the best job possible to provide experiences that help children be well prepared for success in school and life.

This Introduction provides important information that adults need in order to use Foundations effectively. We discuss the purpose of the document, how it should be used, and what’s included. We’ve also tried to answer questions that you might have, all in an effort to help readers understand and use Foundations as a guide for what we want children to learn during their earliest years.

Foundations can be used to:

• Improve teachers’ knowledge of child development;

• Guide teachers’ plans for implementing curricula;

• Establish goals for children’s development and learning that are shared across programs and services; and

• Inform parents and other family members on age-appropriate expectations for children’s development and learning.

C hildren’s experiences before they enter school matter—research shows that children who experience high-quality care and education, and who enter school well prepared,

are more successful in school and later in their lives. Recognizing the importance of the early childhood period, North Carolina has been a national leader in the effort to provide high-quality care and education for young children. Programs and services such as Smart Start, NC Pre-K, early literacy initiatives, Nurse Family Partnerships and other home visiting programs, and numerous other initiatives promote children’s learning and development. Quality improvement initiatives such as our Star Rated License, Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agencies, T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood® Scholarship Project, and the Child Care W.A.G.E.S.® Project are designed to improve the quality of programs and services and, in turn, benefit children. Although the approaches are different, these programs and initiatives share a similar goal—to promote better outcomes for

2 North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development

Purpose of Foundations North Carolina’s Early Childhood Advisory Committee, Division of Child Development and Early Education, and Department of Public Instruction Office of Early Learning worked together to develop Foundations to provide a resource for all programs in the state. Foundations describes Goals for all children’s development and learning, no matter what program they may be served in, what language they speak, what disabilities they may have, or what family circumstances they are growing up in. Teachers and caregivers can turn to Foundations to learn about child development because the document provides age-appropriate Goals and Developmental Indicators for each age level—infant, toddler, and preschooler. Foundations is also intended to be a guide for teaching–not a curriculum or checklist that is used to assess children’s development and learning, but a resource to define the skills and abilities we want to support in the learning experiences we provide for children. The Goals for children can be used by teachers, caregivers, early interventionists, home visitors, and other professionals who support and promote children’s development and learning. It is,

A Note About Terminology

Foundations is designed to be useful to a broad range of professionals who work with children. In this document we refer to “teachers and caregivers.” This terminology includes anyone who works with children—teachers, caregivers, early educators, early interventionists, home visitors, etc. The document also refers to “children” generically, which is intended to include infants, toddlers, and preschool children.

however, important to remember that while Foundations can help you determine what is “typical” for children in an age group, the Developmental Indicators may not always describe a particular child’s development. When a child’s development and learning does not seem to fit what is included in the continuum under his/her age level, look at the Developmental Indicators for younger or older age groups to see if they are a better fit for the child. Your goal is to learn what developmental steps the child is taking now, and to meet the individual needs of that child on a daily basis.

Foundations can also be used as a resource for parents and other family members. All parents wonder if their child is learning what’s needed in order to be successful in school. Parents will find it helpful to review the Goals and Developmental Indicators to learn what most early educators in North Carolina feel are appropriate goals for young children.

Finally, Foundations is a useful document for individuals who do not work directly with children, but who support teachers and caregivers in their work. It is important to take stock to see if a program’s learning environment, teaching materials, learning activities, and interactions are supporting children’s development in the areas described

3 North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development

in Foundations. Administrators can use Foundations as a guide to evaluate the types of learning experiences provided in their program. Foundations can also be a resource to identify areas where teachers and caregivers need to improve their practices and as a basis for professional development. Training and technical assistance providers should evaluate the support they provide to teachers and caregivers to ensure that the professional development is consistent with the Goals and Developmental Indicators. Furthermore, Foundations can be used as a textbook in higher education courses and a training manual for in-service professional development. In summary, Foundations is designed to be a resource for teachers, caregivers, parents, administrators, and professional development providers as we work together to support the learning and development of North Carolina’s youngest children.

Organization of This Document This document begins with this Introduction, which provides background information on the use of Foundations. Following the Introduction, you will find the Goals and Developmental Indicators, which describe

expectations for what children will learn prior to kindergarten, starting with infancy and covering all ages through kindergarten entry. A glossary with definitions of key terms that are used throughout Foundations is included at the end of the document.

The Goals and Developmental Indicators are divided into five domains: • Approaches to Play and Learning (APL) • Emotional and Social Development (ESD) • Health and Physical Development (HPD) • Language Development and

Communication (LDC) • Cognitive Development (CD)

Because infants’, toddlers’, and preschool children’s bodies, feelings, thinking skills, language, social skills, love of learning, and knowledge all develop together, it is essential that we include all five of these domains in Foundations. None of the domains is more or less important than others, and there is some overlap between what is covered in one domain and what’s covered in other domains. This is because children’s development and learning is integrated or interrelated. The progress that a child makes in one domain is related to the progress he or she makes in other domains. For example, as a child interacts with adults (i.e., Social

Development), she/he learns new words (i.e., Language Development) that help her/ him understand new concepts (i.e., Cognitive Development). Therefore, it is essential that Foundations address all five domains, and that teachers and caregivers who are using Foundations pay attention to all five domains.

At the beginning of each domain section, you will find a domain introduction that describes some of the most important ideas related to the domain. This introductory information helps you understand what aspects of children’s learning and development are included in the domain. The introduction is followed by the Goal and Developmental Indicator Continuum (sometimes called a “Continuum” for short in this document) for each domain. The Continuum for each domain is a chart that shows the Goals for the domain, and the Developmental Indicators related to each Goal for each age level. As the sample chart on the next page shows, North Carolina has elected to arrange our Developmental Indicators along a continuum so that all of the Developmental Indicators for the age levels between birth and kindergarten entry are included on the same row. This format allows teachers and caregivers to easily look across the age levels to see the progression that a child might make toward the Goal.

4 North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development

The Goals are organized in subdomains or subtopics that fall within the domain. Goals are statements that describe a general area or aspect of development that children

make progress on through birth through age five. The Developmental Indicators are more specific statements of expectations for children’s learning and development

that are tied to particular age levels. A Goal and Developmental Indicator Continuum is provided for each Goal.

28 North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development

Approaches to Play and Learning (APL) Curiosity, Information-Seeking, and Eagerness

Goal APL-1: Children show curiosity and express interest in the world around them.

Developmental Indicators

Infants Younger Toddlers Older Toddlers Younger Preschoolers Older Preschoolers

• Show interest in others (smile or gaze at caregiver, make sounds or move body when other person is near). APL-1a

• Show interest in themselves (watch own hands, play with own feet). APL-1b

• React to new sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and touches (stick out tongue at first solid food, turn head quickly when door slams). APL-1c

• Imitate what others are doing. APL-1d

• Show curiosity about their surroundings (with pointing, facial expressions, words). APL-1e

• Show pleasure when exploring and making things happen (clap, smile, repeat action again and again). APL-1f

• Discover things that interest and amaze them, and seek to share them with others. APL-1g

• Show pleasure in new skills and in what they have done. APL-1h

• Watc