Language, literacy, and social-emotional skills are important for successful participation in society. These skills develop through interaction with others and through explicit instruction. An important activity to contribute to the development of these skills in young children is shared storybook reading. For deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH)…

Systematic coaching can help early intervention (EI) practitioners gain the skills needed to support children's regulation leading to gains in social engagement and decreases in challenging behavior for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Responsive social interactions are important for children's cognitive, communicative, and…

This conceptual article describes key considerations for elementary school personnel to ensure social emotional multi-tiered systems of supports (MTSS) are adapted for kindergarten classrooms. Kindergarten represents a unique developmental period of early childhood when 5 to 6-year-old children transition into formal schooling and experience a…

How can we harness the power of innovation to support the development of our youth as empathic citizens, who are engaged with and informed about the world around them? The Citizen Discourse initiative is creating a unique platform to meet this goal.

Measuring children's social and emotional development can provide valuable information about how children are progressing in areas such as forming close and secure relationships, regulating and expressing their emotions, and showing empathy toward others. This resource provides information to early childhood practitioners and administrators…

The emphasis on social-emotional competence and its importance to positive academic and nonacademic outcomes has led to a focus on identifying and implementing effective practices for supporting young children's social-emotional competence. Our work to identify, validate, and support the fidelity of implementation of evidence-based practices to…

The emphasis on social-emotional competence and its importance to positive academic and nonacademic outcomes has led to a focus on identifying and implementing effective practices for supporting young children's social-emotional competence. Our work to identify, validate, and support the fidelity of implementation of evidence-based practices to…

Decades of research and clinical observations have demonstrated the harmful effects of parent-child separation on children's short- and long-term well-being (Society for Research in Child Development, 2018). Young children may be separated from their parents due to a variety of circumstances. This article provides recommendations for the…

This practical resource explains brain development from prenatal to age 8 with suggestions for activities educators and caregivers can use to foster children's cognitive growth. The authors begin with the basics of brain development, and the issues that affect it, and then provide information specific to infant, toddler, preschool, and…

In the heart of every early childhood professional lies the deep desire to reach, touch and inspire all children in the classroom so that they may bloom and grow to their maximum heights. Children who feel shy, perhaps because of the quiet cocoon they may live in, often get overlooked and may thus not reach the promise of their potential.…

The purpose of this article is to provide an overview, core strategies, and real-life examples of the universal tier of an early childhood multitiered system of positive behavior support: "The Pyramid Model." This article includes information from a variety of resources and classroom experiences to assist practitioners in the…

In this report, Defending the Early Years (DEY) offers offers some thoughts and suggestions for supporting young children through COVID-19. Topics discussed include: (1) falling behind; (2) communicating with grandparents, family, and friends; (3) routines; (4) play; (5) time to teach skills; (6) screen time; (7) talking with children; and (8)…

This paper proposes that the future is uncertain for many children. Both natural and human-made disasters are adversely affecting the lives of millions of children and their families. An example of an environment-related disaster is cited from Sichuan Province, China, where a massive earthquake killed some 70,000 people in 2008. How the teachers…

The early childhood period from birth to age 8 is an exciting one for growth, development, and learning. It is when children begin to develop social-emotional competence, and it is also a time when children's emerging skills may result in behaviors adults and peers find challenging. It is important that adults who care for and teach young children…

Given the importance of social and emotional competence and confidence in early childhood, there has been growing attention on providing young children deliberate experiences to practice and acquire essential foundational skills for health and well-being. This article shares examples to illustrate how children can easily apply simple tools within…