Learning Standards
Closely related to readiness is increasing use of early learning standards and explicit expectations about what a child should know and be able to do at a particular point in time. Because of the developmental orientation of early childhood as a field, advocates work with states to ensure that expectations are framed to accommodate individual variations among children. Otherwise the image of a “typical” child might be defined too narrowly.
Standards are used not only to describe what children should learn but also to guide the development of state-by-state standardized tests used to assess the effectiveness of teachers and curriculum. Curriculum developers refer to standards in order to design content and activities that align with their stated expectations. You will see in later chapters how teachers use standards to plan and evaluate curriculum activities with individual children in mind.
As explained in Chapter 1, the language of standards expresses both broad outcomes and more detailed descriptions of expectations. However, early educators take care not to interpret standards as suggesting an ideal image of what a child should be like but rather try to use them to support the learning of each child as a unique individual. As you look at the examples in Table 3.3, which contains sample statements from the Infant/Toddler Guidelines and Early Learning Standards for 35 Year Olds, used in South Carolina, you can see that the language can be interpreted broadly and inclusively.
| Table 3.3: Sampling of Infant/Toddler and 3- to 5-Year-Old Early Learning Standards for Language Development | ||
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Detail (Subcriteria) | |
| Infants: 6 to 18 months | Understanding language: The child will comprehend the message of another’s communication |
In the beginning of this period, I recognize the names of familiar objects and people. By the end of this period, I show understanding of an adult’s simple requests and of statements referring to the present situation. |
| Toddlers: 16 to 36 months | In the beginning of this period, I show understanding of adults’ simple requests and of statements referring to the present situation. By the end of this period, I understand my caregiver’s more abstract and complex statements and requests that refer to positions in space, ideas, feelings, and the future. | |
| 3-Year-Olds | The child will begin to read and comprehend a variety of literary texts in print and nonprint formats. | I explore realistic books and materials in classroom centers. I listen to simple stories, songs and rhymes. |
| 4-Year-Olds | I show interest in informational texts about familiar objects. I make relevant comments or appropriate responses to story events or characters. |
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| 5-Year-Olds | I summarize the main idea and details from literacy texts read aloud. I use pictures and words to make predictions regarding a story read aloud. |
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| Source: South Carolina Early Learning Standards; Retrieved from http://childcare.sc.gov/main/docs/gsgs_finalbook_022608.pdf; South Carolina Infant-toddler Guidelines. Retrieved from http://childcare.sc.gov/main/docs/SCInfantToddlerGuidelines.pdf. | ||
