Foundation for Child Development Grants in Action

New research from The City College of New York (CUNY) and Teachers College at Columbia University illustrates seven principles of practice that offer an expanded definition for “high-quality early learning.” They recognize the promise and possibility of children’s lives, ensuring that the lived experiences of those who have historically been underserved and the growing numbers of multilingual children and children of color in our country are represented in their learning environments.

This research was informed by a cross-disciplinary effort that brings together the study of child development and the science of early learning, culturally responsive/relevant pedagogy, and multilingual development, laying the groundwork for better communication between early childhood educators and child development experts and improving practice as a result.

Researchers Beverly Falk and Mariana Souto-Manning and their team conducted a year-long study of nine prekindergarten classrooms representing three different socioeconomic communities in New York City. Their findings illustrate how putting the seven articulated principles into practice promotes high-quality early learning. In their report, Quality UPK Teaching in Diverse Settings, and an accompanying video (Principles for Advancing Equity in NYC UPKs), practices, behaviors, and attitudes are highlighted that are increasingly important as early childhood classrooms become more diverse and as New York City makes good on its promise that children from all backgrounds receive high-quality learning opportunities.

The findings of this study codify well-known concepts into seven core principles:

• All children can learn;
• Their learning is varied;
• They are active and multimodal meaning makers;
• They have diverse, fluid, and flexible language practices;
• Their sociocultural contexts are assets and valuable resources for learning;
• They are critical thinkers and inquirers; and,
• They learn within the context of caring and reciprocal relationships.