The VLS Foundational Content was designed to align across tracks which means a significant portion of each track's content is relevant for all direct care professionals. This document identifies unique age-specific content, activities, and resources by lesson and can be used as a guide to review material if a staff member moves to care for a new age-group. For example, direct care professionals who move from an infant and toddler classroom to a preschool classroom should consult the Preschool track to be aware of age-specific material that resides in that track. Use this document as a guide and remember to work with your Training & Curriculum Specialist to help identify content areas in the VLS where you may need extra review and support to be knowledgeable about best practices for all children in your care. We encourage Training & Curriculum Specialists to consult their Service's guidance regarding how to best use the crosswalk.
Lesson 1Infant Toddler Communication: An Introduction | Preschool Communication: An Introduction | School Age Communication: An Introduction |
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Know- Section: What Does Communication Look like in Infants and Toddlers
- Section: Relationships: How it All Happens
Do- Section: Strategies to help support communication
Apply- Activity: Cues Communicate
- Activity: Cues Communicate: Sample for Tyler (age 10 months)
| Know- Section: What Does Communication Look like in Preschoolers
See- Video: Communication: An Introduction
- Video: Communication and Young Children
Do- Section: Strategies to help support communication
| Know- Section: What is Communication?
- Section: Effective Communication
- Section: Communication and School-Age Child Development
See- Video: Modeling Positive Communication Skills
Do- Section: Strategies to help support communication by reflecting on your own communication skills
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Lesson 2Infant Toddler Communication: Infants and Toddlers | Preschool Communication: Preschool | School Age Communication: School Age |
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Know- Chart: Language and Communication Development Milestones (in Infants and Toddlers)
- Chart: Possible Warning Signs of Language & Communication Delays in Infants & Toddlers
- Section: How Infants and Toddlers Communicate
Do- Video: Supporting Communication and Language
Explore- Activity: Thinking about Communication
Apply- Activity: Caregivers Communicating with Infants and Toddlers
| Know- Chart: Language and Communication Development Milestones in Preschool
- Chart: Possible Warning Signs of Language & Communication Delays in Preschoolers
- Section: How Infants and Toddlers Communicate
See- Video: Communication in Preschool
Explore- Activity: Observing Communication
- Activity: Responsive Teacher Checklist: Promoting Communication Skills
- Activity: Observing Communication: SAMPLE
Apply- Activity: Phonological Awareness Activities
- Activity: Phonologically Rich Classroom Checklist
| Know- Chart: Components of Communication
- Chart: Communicating with School-Age Children
- Section: Supporting Communication for All Children
See- Video: Components of Communication
Do- Bulleted List: Interacting with School-Age Children
- Activity: Communication: K-5th Grade
- Activity: Safe Social Networking: Resource List
Explore- Activity: Thinking about Communication
Apply- Activity: Communication Components: Observation Activity
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Lesson 3Infant Toddler Communication: Families | Preschool Communication: Families | School Age Communication: Families |
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Know- Section: Involving Families in Young Children’s Communication and Language Development
See- Video: Communicating with Families
Explore- Activity: Role of the Family
Apply- Activity: Create a Welcome Book for Families
| Know- Section: Family-Teacher Conferences
- Section: Involving Families in Young Children’s Communication and Language Development
See- Video: Go-home Communication Journals
- Video: Communication Do’s and Don’ts
Do- Activity: Before the Conference
Explore- Video: Promoting Language and Communication at Home
- Activity: Knowing and Involving Families
Apply- Activity: See the following from the “especially for parents of preschoolers” CELL series documents: Wacky Word Games, Let’s Read Together, Write Right, Adventure in a Box, Examples of Home Literacy Materials
| Know- Section: Listening and Responding with Purpose
- Section: Communicating with Families: Creating Partnerships
See- Video: Connecting with Families
Explore- Activity: Thinking about Communication
Apply- Activity: Family Communication Sheet
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Lesson 4Infant Toddler Supporting the Communication of Infants & Toddlers: Environments and Experiences | Preschool Supporting the Communication of Children in Preschool: Language & Literacy Experiences | School-Age Supporting the Communication of Children in School-Age Programs: The Environment and Experiences |
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Know- Section: Supporting Communication for Infants and Toddlers
- Section: What I know about their development
See- Video: Experiencing Communication: Book Reading
Do- Activity: More Than Baby Talk
Explore- Activity: Communication Scenario: Unique Ways of Communicating
Apply- Activity: Supporting Infant Toddler Communication Development
| Consult Entire LessonIf you are moving to this track and you have already covered this course in another VLS track, you should still consult this lesson in its entirety because it contains significant, unique content specific to this age group. This lesson addresses cognitive activities and experiences for this age group. | Know- Section: Creating a Language-Rich Environment
- Section: Supporting Communication Development
- Section: Encouraging a Love for Language
See- Video: Environments and Experiences
Do- Bullet List: Tips to encourage communication and language development
- Activity: Building the School-Age Library
Explore- Activity: Communication Components: Observation Activity
- Activity: Communication Components: Observation Activity Sample
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Communication & Language Development
Crosswalk