Connecting Through Talk

Connecting Through Talk

This book provides educators, parents, and policy makers with an in-depth exploration of language development in early childhood, describing how it is fueled by responsive caregiver‒child interactions and intertwined with social-emotional development, executive function, and literacy. The first half of the book presents a rigorous discussion of the research on early childhood development; the second half reviews various programs that support language and literacy development through home visits, parent coaching, book giveaways, and other means.

Children's Language and Learning

Powerful Interactions

In early childhood settings, children and teachers interact all day long. The benefits are enormous when even some of those "everyday" interactions become intentional, purposeful, and culturally responsive--in other words, Powerful Interactions®! With these three steps, you can embed Powerful Interactions in your daily work with children from birth through age 8: Step One: Be Present. Pause, tune in to yourself and the moment, and consider how you might need to adjust to create a "just-right" fit with a child. Step Two: Connect. To foster trust and confidence, let that child know that you see her; are interested in what she is doing, saying, and thinking; and want to spend time with her.. Step Three: Extend Learning. Make use of your strong connection with the child to stretch her knowledge, skills, thinking, or language and vocabulary. With updated content and research, new examples and insights, and questions to guide group study discussions, the new edition of this bestselling classic covers everything you need to understand what Powerful Interactions are, how to make them happen, and why they are so important in increasing children's learning and your effectiveness as a teacher.Discover how Powerful Interactions--and you--make a difference!