Myths about early education abound. Many beliefs people hold about early math have a grain of truth in them, but as a whole are not true--they are largely myths. But the myths persist, and many harm children. In this article, we address ubiquitous math myths that may be negatively affecting many young students. We conclude that avoiding the myths…

Children's development of foundational mathematics concepts begins long before they enter the kindergarten classroom. Early experiences with color, shape, and pattern recognition as well as the ability to seriate sizes all contribute to a strong beginning to young children's mathematical conceptual development. This article presents how a…

When the idea of having a Kids' Inquiry Conference (KIC) in the author's school was discussed, she was motivated to participate because of her belief in children as capable protagonists of their learning. These Reggio-inspired beliefs made her confident that her preschool class would be successful participants in this challenging scientific…

There has been a dearth of published research exploring the scientific ideas that young children construct, particularly in prestigious periodicals in the science education genre. The current article discusses the reasons behind this lack of prominence, and suggests ways forward that may link work from the field of developmental psychology with…

We discuss how discourse actions can provide students greater access to high quality mathematics. We define discourse actions as what teachers or students say or do to elicit student contributions about a mathematical idea and generate ongoing discussion around student contributions. We provide rubrics and checklists for readers to use.

Many approaches to reading that are common in schools focus narrowly on the skills and strategies that comprise the technical ability to read. In contrast, attention to reading identities prompts teachers to center children's ideas about what reading is and who they are as readers. In this article, the author draws on his own experiences with…

Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. This report updates the original June 2018 "Emerging Insights" report and…

E3 Alliance is a regional, data-driven education collaborative based in Austin, Texas. They are helping to build the strongest educational pipeline in the country to drive regional economic prosperity. They are focused on educational systems change, and use data to inform those efforts. Given that their approach to supporting educational…

State and district budgets are spread thin as a result of the pandemic, leaving state and district leaders to make tough decisions about what to prioritize and where to invest resources during the COVID-19 crisis and recovery. Actionable research provides state and district leaders with insights into the policies and programs that best serve their…

A local education agency (LEA) preschool program serving 3- to 5-year-old children is committed to high-quality inclusion for young children with disabilities and their neurotypical peers. The school is investing in using evidence-based practices to support all children in learning and development, building meaningful friendships, and a sense of…

Rhyme awareness is a typical component of preschool curricula, yet research evidence does not support a direct link between rhyming ability in typically developing preschoolers and later literacy acquisition. Since the evidence base on literacy development among typically developing children is often used to guide intervention among children with…

We present a model that employs "cultural-historical activity theory" (CHAT) concepts to inform research with designated Educational Leaders in early years settings. We theorise practice change in early years mathematics education in terms of motive objects of activity and mediation by cultural tools. We show how CHAT can be used to lead…

Recent findings from the Kids Activity and Learning Study complement North Carolina's multidimensional approach to promoting school readiness by emphasizing the integrated nature of motor and cognitive development in early childhood. Children whose motor skills improved the most over the course of an academic year also tended to demonstrate the…

To determine if a person is gifted or not, the government sets the criteria of identification since giftedness is an abstract concept. However, the standard has always been decided and affected by the attitudes of the education authority and the allocation of resources. The opportunities for some potential learners to participate in gifted…

Psychological First Aid (PFA) is a concept that can be traced to an article published by the American Psychiatric Association in 1954 recognizing the benefits of early crisis interventions that relieve stress and human suffering. This fact sheet explores the goals of PFA models; outlines when and how schools can implement PFA, including…