Effective Early Childhood Education

Early childhood educators across the United States must be prepared to teach an increasingly diverse population of young children. More children from immigrant households are enrolled in early childhood programs than ever before, and can continue into the next decade. As United States becomes more linguistically and culturally diverse and as the issue of bilingual education becomes more politically charged, early childhood educators have a responsibility to understand how best to meet children's needs and how to provide effective early childhood education for all children. National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) position statement, responding to Linguistic and Cultural Diversity some recommendations for Effective Early Childhood Education, offers principles of good early childhood practice which hold true regardless of the language spoken by children or their families. “Among these, the biggest single child-specific demographic change in the United States over the next 20 …show more content…
Even though an educator may not be familiar with a child's language and culture, the educator has a responsibility to respect the child and family. Encouraging dialogue, play and projects that promote social interaction and first-hand experiences are the best ways to help second language learning among preschoolers.” Children develop best when they have secure, consistent relationships with responsive adults and opportunities for positive relationships with peers.” () Early Childhood Education programs and families must work together to help children every opportunity to learn and to become effective, functioning members of society. This is best done when young children feel supported, nurtured, and connected not only to their home communities but also to the teachers and the educational