Early Language & Literacy KnowledgeBase

Transitioning to Kindergarten: A Toolkit for Early Childhood Educators

This link to the Recognition and Response website provides a toolkit to help early childhood educators support the transition to Kindergarten for early learners. As noted at the website, the toolkit "is a comprehensive resource for educators that include tools and materials to help implement strategies to facilitate and enhance children's transition to kindergarten." The Response and Recognition website was developed and is managed by the National Center for Learning Disabilities.

Transition to Kindergarten...Ready, Set, Go

This link is to information about the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools program supporting early learners in their transition to Kindergarten. The information is offered as an example of how one urban school district approaches this transition. Links to information sheets for families and teachers are available through this link.

Dual Language Learners in the Early Years: Getting Ready to Succeed in School

This National Clearinghouse on English Language Acquisition report explores the issues associated with school readiness among young dual language learners.

Easing the Transition from Pre K to Kindergarten

This strategy brief of the National Center for Family and Community Connection with Schools explores what schools and families can do to ease an early learner's transition from Pre K to Kindergarten.

Enhancing the Transition to Kindergarten Linking Families, Children, and Schools

This manual, developed by the National Center for Early Development & Learning Kindergarten Transition Project at the University of Virginia, describes an approach to facilitating the transition to Kindergarten. As noted in its introduction, it "focuses on forming a network of social connections that support children and families during the transition to school. These connections include interactions between children and teachers, children and peers, parents and teachers, as well as preschool teachers and kindergarten teachers."

Successful Transition to Kindergarten: The Role of Teachers and Parents

This article from the Early Childhood News describes the role of teachers and parents in early learners' transition to Kindergarten.

Terrific Transitions

This link to the Terrific Transitions website provides information on the early learners' transition from preschool to Kindergarten. As noted at the website, "it is a collaborative effort of the SERVE Regional Educational Laboratory and the National Head Start Association. Our goal is to provide a wide variety of transition information and resources for families, professionals, and community partnerships to use as they address children's transitions into kindergarten."

The Roles and Responsibility of an Early Childhood Teacher

This article from the Childcare Education Institute's August 2008 newsletter discussed the roles and responsibilities of an early childhood teacher.

The Vital Role of Early Childhood Teachers in Children's Literacy and Language Development

This brief summarizes the finding from the Foundations of Literacy Study, University of Nevada, Reno. The brief identifies the role early childhood teachers have in early literacy and language development. Though intended for Nevada educators, the findings may be useful to educators of early learners in other states.