A child with a hearing impairment may experience social challenges due to differences in communication modes. Individuals who work with young children with and without disabilities must have a thorough knowledge of the development of the whole child within the context of the family and of possible variations in that development. When teachers are competent to facilitate the learning and interaction of ALL young children with and without disabilities, including those at-risk, both the growth and development of children are optimized. Competent teachers create respectful environments where they model and affirm acceptance of differences and work in partnership with family members. Initial Level was used as a reference in preparation for this document.
Teachers know the content they teach.
Content in the birth-kindergarten field is inseparable from current research in all areas of child development, curriculum, and learning. This content is built on knowledge of children s cognitive, physical, social, emotional, language, and aesthetic development. It also includes an understanding of the variations in development and their influence upon learning. Lastly, content includes knowledge of observation and assessment as necessary to understand children s current development as well as to support emerging skill development and program evaluation. An additional part of content is the knowledge of how to build a caring community of learners through positive partnerships with children, families and communities.