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Early intervention visits benefit children and families most when caregivers are empowered to use what they learn between visits. In her early intervention guidebook Pause and Reflect, Dana Childress offers four guiding principles home visitors should keep in mind when working with caregivers....

Today’s post is excerpted and adapted from True Inclusion with UDL: Designing to the Edges to Reach Every Learner, by Patti Kelly Ralabate, Ed.D. Structured dialogue is a mechanism for developing shared knowledge and problem solving. It’s also an appropriate process for devising a mutually...

Can mindful breathing, cross-lateral movement, and social-emotional learning help a child change their behavior? Research studies and actual classroom experience say yes—and today, one of our authors is here to explain how. Marcia Lee Unnever, author of Breathe—Move—Learn With Young Children,...

For students with autism or other social/learning needs, school can present a wide range of anxiety triggers. Today we’re excited to introduce a new school-based program that helps these students face and manage their fears—and paves the way for greater success in the classroom and beyond. Authors...

Well-developed vocabulary knowledge sets the stage for strong and efficient reading comprehension for every student. That’s why vocabulary should be a focus of your instruction every day! With some planning—and activities like the ones in today’s post—you can provide your students with direct,...

Taking the time to build a strong rapport with students isn’t just a nice thing for teachers to do—it’s an essential step toward preventing challenging behavior and making sure all students are engaged and ready to learn. It’s especially important for the students in your class who have experienced...

As we say goodbye to winter and welcome spring, the families you work with might enjoy some fun nature-themed activities to get their kids moving, exploring, and interacting with the world around them. Adapted from new and classic Brookes books, these activities engage young children with the...

TILLS™ is the assessment that SLPs, educators, and reading specialists across the country rely on to test students’ oral and written language skills. It’s great for identifying language and literacy disorders—but can it be used with students who have other types of special needs? Today’s...

One key to effective early intervention is writing high-quality IFSPs and IEPs with clear, specific, measurable goals. These goals should 1) directly address the family’s priorities, and 2) help children develop skills that are relevant to their everyday life. In today’s post, excerpted and adapted...

Trauma-informed teaching practices benefit all students—safe, supportive school environments help promote both academic success and social-emotional well-being for every learner. In today’s post, excerpted and adapted from Jen Alexander’s book Building Trauma-Sensitive Schools, you’ll learn about...

“TILLS is the most comprehensive assessment I’ve used in the 20 years I’ve been a school-based speech-language pathologist.”—Sue Torney, M.A., CCC-SLP, Speech-Language Pathologist Do you use TILLS? If you’re an SLP, special educator, or reading specialist, you might already use the Test of...

Today’s blog post has been excerpted and adapted from the second edition of Systematic Instruction for Students with Moderate and Severe Disabilities by Belva C. Collins. All learners, regardless of ability, need to learn content with meaningful applications. When teaching learners with moderate...

How can schools support educational equity, academic success, and positive social-emotional development for the increasing number of multilingual students? Our authors have answers—and today’s post is a roundup of some of their most insightful quotes about teaching multilingual learners...

Families receiving home visits from early intervention professionals may be facing many challenges. But no matter what issues are demanding their attention, it’s essential for rich parent–child interactions to continue—and for parents to stay in touch with their child’s developmental needs. In...

*Today’s post has been adapted from the chapter “Using Standards to Guide Instruction” by Karin K. Hess, in Fundamentals of Literacy Instruction & Assessment, Pre-K–6, Second Edition, edited by Martha C. Hougen & Susan M. Smartt, with invited contributors Today in education, it’s not...

Dramatic play is a great way for young children to practice many critical skills: communication, cooperation, motor skills, emerging literacy skills, and more. In today’s post, we’re sharing some universal strategies for making the most of dramatic play in your early childhood program. The tips in...

Language is foundational to all areas of human development. Early language learning is vital, as it lays the groundwork for children’s success in the classroom and even in their interpersonal relationships. While we know that language skills in preschool, kindergarten, and first grade predict later...

Assessment and intervention just got better—and easier—than ever! AEPS-3, the new edition of the Assessment, Evaluation, and Programming System for Infants and Children, is a system trusted by early childhood programs across the country to help every child make real progress. It’s a...

As early childhood learning environments grow more and more diverse, schools and programs are turning more attention to creating equitable learning environments—and dismantling the systemic inequities that perpetuate achievement gaps. In today’s post, discover three essential resources that will...

How can you encourage every young child in your classroom to learn while supporting their social-emotional development? What’s the best way to help kids self-regulate during the day—whether they need help with waking up, calming down, focusing, or soothing anxious feelings? Today we’re excited to...

How can you promote equity and belonging in your inclusive school community? Try the tips in today’s post, excerpted and adapted from the new book True Inclusion With UDL by Patti Kelly Ralabate. Explore eight key elements of an inclusive, culturally responsive community—and for each one, discover...

If you’re already using Nancy Hennessy’s bestselling Reading Comprehension Blueprint book—or if you’re a K-8 educator looking for ways to strengthen students’ comprehension skills—here’s an exciting new resource to check out. In response to popular demand, literacy consultant Nancy Hennessy has...

Reading aloud in class is one of the most important things teachers can do to help their students learn to read—and become fluent readers. As Wayne Wright points out in the book Foundations for Teaching English Language Learners, reading aloud is especially important for multilingual learners as...

You’ve set up your early childhood classroom routines to engage all children and help them explore and learn. But even sensitive teachers may not be aware of how certain classroom activities and routines can cause stress and social anxiety for some young learners. For a child with anxiety, even an...