Curriculum and Instruction
Links for Families
| General Curriculum & Instruction Links | Content Area Curriculum & Instruction Links |
General Curriculum & Instruction Links:
| Association for Childhood Education International Promotes and supports the optimal education and development of children, from birth through early adolescence, including children with disabilities throughout the world. |  |
| Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) CAST works to expand learning opportunities for all individuals, especially those with disabilities, through Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL is a framework for designing curricula that enable all individuals to gain knowledge, skills, and enthusiasm for learning, and reduces barriers to the curriculum. Links to points of interest related to this topic area from this website: |  |
| Center for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation The purpose of the Center is to translate research in healthy mental development into materials tailored to the needs of families, teachers, administrators, and service providers that support young children with issues in mental health. Links to points of interest related to this topic area from this website: |
 |
| Circle of Inclusion For early childhood service providers and families of young children. Contains various resources related to inclusion for young children (to age 8). Spanish, Korean and Japanese in addition to English. Includes articles, adaptations and modification ideas, children’s literature relating to disabilities, ideas for inclusive classrooms and links. |  |
| Division for Early Childhood (DEC) of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) The DEC is for individuals who work with or on behalf of children with special needs, birth through age eight, and their families. It promotes policies and advances evidence-based practices that support families and enhance the optimal development of young children who have or are at risk for developmental delays and disabilities. |  |
| Count Me In: Resources for Inclusion This is a virtual resource for families and early education and care providers on how to successfully include young children with disabilities in early childhood programs. Contains links to state and national resources to support inclusive environments, information specifically for families, training materials and resources, and information on legislation and advocacy organizations. |
|
| Early Childhood Community A websites sponsored by CONNECT: The Center to Mobilize Early Childhood Knowledge & National Professional Development Center on Inclusion (NPDCI) at the FPG Child Development Institute. The community site is a place to pose questions, share challenges, contribute ideas and join discussions related to the early childhood field. It is a clearing house for information on early childhood inclusion and professional development. |
|
| Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC) From the Office of Head Start (OHS). An information resource for Head Start and Early Head Start communities, and other early childhood entities. The site contains information on OHS priorities, policies, and programs, and tips and promising practices on early childcare topics including child development, early math, science and literacy, and health. Links to points of interest related to this topic area from this website: | |
| Everyday Children's Learning Opportunities Institute From the Orlena Hawkes Puckett Institute. Information on this site includes a broad range of topics on young children's everyday learning opportunities and natural learning environments for children from birth to six years of age. | |
| Florida Center for Inclusive Communities (FCIC) Based at the University of South Florida, FCIC is one of 67 University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research and Service. FCIC supports focus on areas such as Early Childhood, Transition, Interdisciplinary Training and Cultural Competence. |
|
| Florida Department of State: State Library and Archives of Florida Rules related to the governance and administration of public education in Florida can be found at this site, including the rules pertaining to early childhood education and related services. Links to points of interest related to this topic area from this website: |  |
| Frank Porter Graham (FPG) Child Development Institute FPG is a multidisciplinary institute that recognizes that every child deserves a safe, healthy, and stimulating childhood. The research at the Center focus on a variety of topics, including: parent and family support, early care and education, child health and development, early identification and intervention, equity, access and inclusion, and early childhood policy. |
|
| IDEA 2004 Provides searchable versions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004) and the regulations, access to cross-referenced content from other laws (e.g., the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), etc.), video clips on selected topics, topic briefs on selected regulations, links to OSEP's Technical Assistance and Dissemination (TA&D) Network and other resources related to the law. |  |
| The Let's Play! Projects From the University of Buffalo Center for Assistive Technology. Provides families and others with ideas and strategies to promote play through better access to play materials and the use of assistive technology. Ideas focus on “low tech” assistive technology to build on what the child can do, and by creating interactive play environments. |  |
| The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) A national association with a primary focus on the provision of educational and developmental services and resources for all children from birth through age 8. This page provides information about NAEYC and current research and information about early childhood education. |  |
| The National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (NECTAC) NECTAC’s mission is to strengthen service systems to ensure that children with disabilities (birth through 5 years) and their families receive and benefit from high quality, culturally appropriate and family-centered supports and services. |  |
| Pre[k] Now From the Institute for Educational Leadership that advances high-quality, voluntary pre-kindergarten for all three and four year olds. | ![Pre[k] Now](../images/links/preknow.gif) |
| Preschool Inclusion Series From SpecialQuest – Head Start, materials supporting the high quality inclusion of preschoolers (ages 3 to 5) in early care and education settings. This training contains four video programs with training scripts and handouts. The target audiences are early childhood professional development providers, faculty from colleges and universities, family leaders, and policy makers. | |
| Recognition and Response RecognitionandResponse.org supports a new systemic approach that can help early educators and parents ensure early school success for all children, including those at risk for learning difficulties. This approach is consistent with best practice in early childhood education and with evidence that supports seamless and effective transition from Pre-K to the early school grades. |  |
| Recognition and Response: RtI for Pre-K The Recognition & Response Project of the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPGCDI). Contains information and resources on R&R, including an overview of R&R, research findings, a conceptual model, and examples. | |
| Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention for Young Children (TACSEI) TACSEI promotes evidence-based practices for improving the social-emotional outcomes for young children with, or at risk for, delays or disabilities. The Pyramid Model framework is used as the conceptual model to promote social-emotional competence and address challenging behavior. One product for use in the field is Teaching Tools for Young Children with Challenging Behaviors, which was developed to assist teachers in developing a plan to support young children who are having challenging behaviors, using routines and activities that typically occur in early childhood programs. Links to points of interest related to this topic area from this website: |  |
| TACSEI Families Community. A web page from TACSEI for families. Contains information and select resources on behavior supports and interventions for young children with challenging behavior that have been compiled specifically with the needs of families in mind. | |
| Tots -N-Tech Integrated activities focused on the timing and use of AT devices and services to support families in promoting children's participation and learning opportunities within natural environments. |  |
| VPK - Office of Early Learning - Department of Education Information on the Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) Education program from the Department of Education/Office of Early Learning (DOE/OEL). This page provides links for parents, providers, school districts and early learning coalitions. Information includes learning modules and resources such as the Language and Vocabulary in the VPK Classroom course, and the VPK Teacher Toolkit: Mathematical Thinking folder. | |
Content Area Curriculum & Instruction Links:
| All Children Can Read The National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness (NCDB). This website is designed to provide information and resources to state deaf-blind projects, teachers, family members and related service providers interested in beginning or enhancing literacy instruction for children who have combined vision and hearing loss and children with other complex learning challenges. It contains sections on Early Emergent Literacy and Emergent Literacy. |
|
| Bright Beginnings: Early Success in Reading and Math A web site from the Florida Department of Education Office of Early Learning, this site supports the Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) program and contains information on Pre-K resources for Reading & Language Arts, and Mathematics, including Florida's child expectation standards, resources and strategies for teachers and families to use to enhance instruction in these areas, and assessments of progress. Links to points of interest related to this topic area from this website: | |
| Center for Early Learning Literacy (CELL) CELL reviews and synthesizes evidence on effective literacy learning practices; identifies and develops evidence-based literacy practices from research; implements and evaluates use of practices with young children with disabilities or delays; and provides general and specialized technical assistance promoting the adoption and use of evidence-based practices. Links to points of interest related to this topic area from this website: |  |
| The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning A national center focused improving the social and emotional outcomes of young children. Evidence-based, user-friendly information is available to help early childhood educators meet the needs of children with challenging behaviors and mental health challenges. Products include "What Works Briefs" (summaries of effective practices), and five training modules on Promoting Social and Emotional Competence. | |
| The Center to Mobilize Early Childhood Knowledge Contains the CONNECT Modules which can be used for pre-service and professional development activities. The modules consist of videos, activities, and narratives on various topics to support working with children with disabilities. There are currently seven modules: Embedded Interventions, Transition, Communication for Collaboration, Family-Professional Partnerships, Assistive Technology, Dialogic Reading Practices, and Tiered Instruction. |
 |
| Early Literacy Parent-Child Activity Materials From Washington Learning Systems. English and Spanish versions of Supporting Early Literacy in Natural Environments: Activities for Caregivers and Young Children. Includes forty-six home and community activities designed to address the three key skills of 1) language development, 2) phonological awareness, and 3) general print awareness. The activities are appropriate for children with disabilities as well as children who are developing typically. | |
| Get Ready to Read! (GRTR) This is an initiative from the National Center for Learning Disabilities to build the early literacy skills of preschool children. The site provides a research based emergent literacy screening tool to help determine where a child is with regard to literacy. It provides parents, educators, and health-care professionals with information to help build early literacy skills to prepare the children for Kindergarten by integrating learning activities into routine early childhood education, child-care and parenting practices. Links to points of interest related to this topic area from this website: |  |
| Just Read Families: Activities for Kids A Web page from the Florida Department of Education containing family/child-friendly websites for children ages 2 and up to develop reading skills. | |
| Literacy in the Sciences Tip Sheets From Reading Rockets. These 18 tip sheets are written for parents (available in English and Spanish). Each tip sheet includes simple activities parents can do with their children to build literacy and beginning science skills. Topics include predicting, measuring, patterns and categorizing, sequence, cause and effect, inference, the vocabulary of science, and more. Each tip sheet also includes a set of recommended picture books to extend the learning. |
|
| National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL) NCFL works with families and communities and provides information on initiatives to increase literacy for families and children. Links to points of interest related to this topic area from this website | |
| Reading Is Fundamental Contains information on diverse topics around reading and literacy for children birth to age eight. Activities that promote a literacy-rich home environment and additional web resources are also provided. Links to points of interest related to this topic area from this website: | |
| Talk and Books From Washington Learning Systems. "Talk and Books" video is available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin, and Korean. This video is part of the "Language is the Key" program and was developed to help teach adults how to use language facilitation strategies when looking at picture books with young children. The video can be viewed online. | |
4000 Central Florida Blvd, UCF-Teaching Academy, Suite 403, Orlando, FL 32816-1250
