The What Works Clearinghouse has released a new practice guide, Preparing Young Children for School. Developed in conjunction with an expert panel, the guide distills contemporary early childhood and preschool education research into seven easily comprehensible and practical recommendations:
- Regularly provide intentional, engaging instruction and practice focused on social-emotional skills.
- Strengthen children's executive function skills using specific games and activities.
- Provide intentional instruction to build children’s understanding of mathematical ideas and skills.
- Engage children in conversations about mathematical ideas and support them in using mathematical language.
- Intentionally plan activities to build children’s vocabulary and language.
- Build children’s knowledge of letters and sounds.
- Use shared book reading to develop children’s language, knowledge of print features, and knowledge of the world.
There will be three webinars on the guide:
- Social-Emotional Learning and Executive Function will introduce the guide and provide an overview of recommendations on social-emotional learning and executive function. This webinar will occur on Tuesday September 27, 2022, at 12 p.m. PT/3 p.m. ET.
- Mathematical Ideas and Language will provide an overview of recommendations on mathematics instruction and mathematical language. This webinar will occur on Wednesday September 28, 2022, at 12 p.m. PT/3 p.m. ET.
- Vocabulary, Letters, and Shared Book Reading will provide an overview of the recommendations on vocabulary and language; letters and sounds; and shared book reading. This webinar will occur on Thursday September 29, 2022, at 12 p.m. PT/3 p.m. ET.
The Institute of Education Sciences, a part of the U.S. Department of Education, is the nation's leading source for rigorous, independent education research, evaluation, statistics, and assessment.
