The Role of Language, Culture, and Equity in High Quality Pre-K Curriculum

Earlier this year, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine announced the convening of a Committee on A New Vision for High Quality Pre-K Curriculum for children ages three through five to support equitable curriculum development, selection, and implementation at the state and center-level. The committee recently held a public information gathering session on August 30 to inform its work. The session explored three topics:

1. High Quality Pre-K Curriculum for Dual Language and Multilingual Learners
2. Communities of Learning and the Role of Language and Culture in Curriculum Development
3. The Intersection of Early Childhood Special Education and Equity: Future Considerations for Designing and Adapting Curriculum for Children with Diverse Abilities
   

High Quality Pre-K Curriculum for Dual Language and Multilingual Learners

In this session, speakers considered the role of language in innovative pre-K curriculum development and delivery as well as strategies that support learning and long-term school success for dual language and multilingual learners. They shared research on the impact of speaking the child’s home language both in the classroom and at home on oral language skills and other domain general skills. There was also discussion of how a high quality pre-K curriculum must include differentiated instruction during small group and center time that leverages cross language transfer, or language learners’ use of linguistic knowledge of their first language when learning another language. To adequately support dual language and multilingual learners, teachers need professional development opportunities and families need to be an integral part of their child’s learning experience. Speakers noted that much of the research presented in this session focused on the experiences of Latinx children and families. It will be important for the committee to consider the reality that multiple languages are present in pre-K classrooms.

Communities of Learning and the Role of Language and Culture in Curriculum Development

Speakers in this session shared how cultural learning informs innovative development of high quality curriculum and pedagogy for culturally and linguistically diverse learners. As speaker Lisa Luceno stated, “all learning is culturally mediated.” To that end, the curriculum should honor the truth that families are children’s first teachers and experts of their own children. The role of classroom teachers should be to help children put language to their feelings and ideas through guided play and stories, which are expressions of their culture. Both speakers emphasized agency as an indicator of an equitable curriculum as well as the importance of seeing children as whole persons and nurturing their ability to influence and make decisions about how and what is learned in order to expand capabilities.

The Intersection of Early Childhood Special Education and Equity: Future Considerations for Designing and Adapting Curriculum for Children with Diverse Abilities

This session covered the intersection of early childhood special education and equity and explored future considerations for designing and adapting curriculum to meet the needs of children with diverse abilities. All speakers discussed the importance of being explicit about terminology, while holding true that people with disabilities are not a monolith, so some groups may prefer identity- over person-first language. They also emphasized how an inclusive high-quality pre-K curriculum ensures high expectations for all children. Speakers described how inclusive classrooms provide all children access to general curriculum as well as tiered supports that match their abilities and needs. Speaker Jennifer Grisham also noted that pre-K teacher licensure must be updated to reflect inclusive settings so teachers are trained to work with children with and without disabilities.

Overall, the speakers emphasized a strengths-based approach that values all children and families and incorporates their lived experiences into the curriculum. They also discussed the notion of curriculum as both the activities and strategies, as both developmentally appropriate and rigorous, and as both general across subject domains and supportive of a child’s agency in the classroom. Finally, all sessions touched on the importance of seeing children as nested within their families. Early childhood is a new period for both children and caregivers, so there is a lot to learn with and from them through authentic family engagement in pre-K settings.

The committee plans to share their findings and recommendations in 2023. We’ll continue sharing updates as the committee continues its work throughout the year.

Enjoy what you read? Subscribe to our newsletter to receive updates on what’s new in Education Policy!