The National Infant and Toddler Child Care Initiative at Zero To Three provides training and support materials to interested providers nationwide. Their approach to literacy is to create a literature-rich environment in infancy to increase children's familiarity with written language both at home and in Early Head Start programs. Teacher training includes: reading strategies and book choices; child access to easy to explore, age-appropriate books; and use of reading throughout the day, both as an activity and as a way to ease transitions. Training modules include fact sheets, webcasts, publications and training videos, all available on its website.
The Center for Early Literacy Learning (CELL) is a research-based program funded by the U.S. Department of Education. Its website provides detailed information and lesson plans for promoting infant literacy in your infant and toddler classroom. Its programs stress promoting literacy in the classroom by providing highly motivating activities such as alphabet blocks that make sounds to add a literacy element (the letters) to an age-appropriate cause-and-effect game (shaking things to make noise). All of its lesson plans explain the research-based rationale behind the activity, step-by-step instructions and an assessment guide. In addition to online lesson plans and classroom set-up strategies, CELL offers online videos, presentations, worksheets, sample schedules and access to support staff to answer specific questions.
The Creative Curriculum program, offered through Teaching Strategies, Inc., is a research-based infant-toddler program. It encourages creating learning opportunities by responding to the child's needs and interests within her daily routine and during play. The adult is instructed to help children build the foundations for reading and writing by making early reading experiences frequent, personalized and highly enjoyable. For example, art experiences are used to develop the fine-motor skills needed for writing and reading materials are chosen according to the child's interests. This training program features a series of books, training programs, on-site professional development programs, video training and an annual National Conference.
HighScope classrooms are built on the fundamental belief that early literacy begins at birth with a child's drive to communicate. Its infant-toddler program emphasizes hands-on, active learning. Literacy is promoted through exposure to books and an emphasis on making stories, language learning and rhymes fun. In addition, children communicate their activity choices by moving their name/symbol card onto the activity board in their chosen play area, giving each choice a literacy component. The HighScope Educational Research Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization that has been providing training and support to preschool and infant-toddler programs since 1970. It provides workshops, in-depth training courses and customized training as needed.