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Illinois Early Learning Project

Illinois Early Learning Project

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    • Illinois Early Learning Guidelines for Children Birth to Age 3
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  • Project Approach
    • Project Guides
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    • Project Approach Tip Sheets
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    • The Legacy of Lilian Katz
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Language Development

child with mother in garden

The Power of Open-Ended Questions

Blogs, Learning and Growing Together
teacher helping student at table

Maybe We Can Make a Road!

Benchmark Videos
Resources to Help Serve Dual Language Learners (DLLs)

Resources to Help Serve Dual Language Learners (DLLs)

Blogs, Dual Language Learners
Sing Pío, Pío, Pío

Sing Pío, Pío, Pío

Parenting Videos
What Can You Tell Me Baby?

What Can You Tell Me Baby?

Parenting Videos
Choose Good Books That Accurately Reflect Cultures and Home Languages

Choose Good Books That Accurately Reflect Cultures and Home Languages

Blogs, Dual Language Learners
Strategies for Developmentally Appropriate “Show and Tell” in Early Childhood Classrooms

Strategies for Developmentally Appropriate “Show and Tell” in Early Childhood Classrooms

Blogs, Learning and Growing Together
Language and Literacy in Inclusive Early Childhood Programs

Language and Literacy in Inclusive Early Childhood Programs

Podcasts
Language Development, Communication, and Literacy

Language Development, Communication, and Literacy

Early Learning Moments
Get Ready to Read

Get Ready to Read

Graphic Tip Sheets, Infant/toddler Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets
Retelling “Caps for Sale”

Retelling “Caps for Sale”

Benchmark Videos
Maintaining Home Language Is a Great Gift

Maintaining Home Language Is a Great Gift

Blogs, Dual Language Learners
Learn by Listening to Language: Build Phonemic Awareness Skills

Learn by Listening to Language: Build Phonemic Awareness Skills

Blogs, Learning and Growing Together
child looking at tractor

Speech Development and Delays

Resource Lists
Encouraging Literacy Development in Infants and Toddlers

Encouraging Literacy Development in Infants and Toddlers

Resource Lists
Welcoming Latino Children and Families to Preschool Programs

Welcoming Latino Children and Families to Preschool Programs

Resource Lists
Parallel Talk: A Simple Way to Provide English Vocabulary

Parallel Talk: A Simple Way to Provide English Vocabulary

Blogs, Dual Language Learners
The Worm Project

The Worm Project

Project Approach, Project Examples
How Do People Celebrate Birthdays?

How Do People Celebrate Birthdays?

Project Approach, Project Examples
You Made It

You Made It

Guidelines Videos
Two Trains

Two Trains

Guidelines Videos
Tea Party

Tea Party

Guidelines Videos
Roll Them Up

Roll Them Up

Guidelines Videos
Ready? Boing!

Ready? Boing!

Guidelines Videos
Pretty Up High

Pretty Up High

Guidelines Videos
Press Here

Press Here

Guidelines Videos
Pea Pod Rockers

Pea Pod Rockers

Guidelines Videos
Over Here

Over Here

Guidelines Videos
The Duck

The Duck

Guidelines Videos
Blue or Purple

Blue or Purple

Guidelines Videos
All Done

All Done

Guidelines Videos
Roll, Evie, Roll!

Roll, Evie, Roll!

Parenting Videos
Going Camping

Going Camping

Parenting Videos
Dual Language Use During Choice Time

Dual Language Use During Choice Time

Benchmark Videos
Helping DLLs Learn in Two Languages During Early Childhood

Helping DLLs Learn in Two Languages During Early Childhood

Blogs, Dual Language Learners
What's in the Box

What’s in the Box

Benchmark Videos
“She Goes First”: Cooperative “Housekeeping” Play

“She Goes First”: Cooperative “Housekeeping” Play

Benchmark Videos
One Morning in the Block Area

One Morning in the Block Area

Benchmark Videos
One Morning at the Construction Table

One Morning at the Construction Table

Benchmark Videos
Air and Tires

Air and Tires

Benchmark Videos
Mother holding child’s hand

Talk Together

Graphic Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets
Talk, Listen, and Learn

Talk, Listen, and Learn

Graphic Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets
Learning by Listening to Language

Learning by Listening to Language

Graphic Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets
Discover Letters and Words

Discover Letters and Words

Graphic Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets
child working on a project

Summer Language Learning in Community Settings

Blogs, Dual Language Learners
Creating a Language-Rich Classroom for Young Dual Language Learners (DLLs)

Creating a Language-Rich Classroom for Young Dual Language Learners (DLLs)

Blogs, Dual Language Learners
Go Outdoors and Explore: Build Upon Young Children’s Natural Curiosity

Go Outdoors and Explore: Build Upon Young Children’s Natural Curiosity

Blogs, Learning and Growing Together
Project Approach: Phase 1—Getting Started

Project Approach: Phase 1—Getting Started

Tip Sheets
IEL Tip Sheets: Family Fun!

IEL Tip Sheets: Family Fun!

Blogs, Children with Disabilities and Developmental Delays
Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Learning Activity Kits

Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Learning Activity Kits

Tip Sheets
Encouraging Child-to-Child Conversation

Encouraging Child-to-Child Conversation

Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets Aligned to Benchmarks
Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Language and Literacy

Things to Do While You’re Waiting: Language and Literacy

Infant/toddler Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets
The Gift of Words: Conversation and Routines

The Gift of Words: Conversation and Routines

Infant/toddler Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets
Active Play Promotes Young Children’s Development

Active Play Promotes Young Children’s Development

Blogs, Dual Language Learners
Learning New Words Through Read Alouds

Learning New Words Through Read Alouds

Blogs, Dual Language Learners
Sharing Books Can Open New Worlds

Sharing Books Can Open New Worlds

Blogs, Children with Disabilities and Developmental Delays
Keep the Conversation Going With Young Dual Language Learners

Keep the Conversation Going With Young Dual Language Learners

Blogs, Dual Language Learners
Summer Family Time Can Help Build Heritage Language Skills

Summer Family Time Can Help Build Heritage Language Skills

Blogs, Dual Language Learners
Find Ways to Support the Youngest Dual Language Learners

Find Ways to Support the Youngest Dual Language Learners

Blogs, Dual Language Learners
Maintaining Home Language Is Key to Later Reading in English

Maintaining Home Language Is Key to Later Reading in English

Blogs, Dual Language Learners
A Mother's Story: 3 to 5 years old

A Mother’s Story: 3 to 5 years old

Blogs, Dual Language Learners
group of children

Common Myths about Dual Language Learners: What the Current Research Tells Us

Blogs, Dual Language Learners
Drama and Young Children

Drama and Young Children

Infant/toddler Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets Aligned to Benchmarks
girl drawing

The Power of the Pen: Drawing and Scribbling

Infant/toddler Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets Aligned to Benchmarks
dad in business suit walking with daughter in metro area

Neighborhood Geography with Young Children

Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets Aligned to Benchmarks
Language Arts Lesson Addressing Benchmark 4.D.ECa

Language Arts Lesson Addressing Benchmark 4.D.ECa

Adapting Lesson Plans to Meet IELDS Benchmarks
Language Arts Lesson Addressing Benchmark 2.B.ECa

Language Arts Lesson Addressing Benchmark 2.B.ECa

Adapting Lesson Plans to Meet IELDS Benchmarks
child in playhouse

Screening and Evaluating Children who are Dual Language Learners: What Every Teacher Should Know

Blogs, Dual Language Learners
Sharing Books with Your Baby

Sharing Books with Your Baby

Infant/toddler Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets
Dual Language Learners

Dual Language Learners

Questions and Answers (Q&A)
Helping Your Child Learn in Two Languages

Helping Your Child Learn in Two Languages

Infant/toddler Tip Sheets, Tip Sheets
Project Approach: Phase 2—Getting Ready for Fieldwork

Project Approach: Phase 2—Getting Ready for Fieldwork

Tip Sheets

Read more

About IEL

The Illinois Early Learning Project Web site is a source of evidence-based, reliable information on early care and education for parents, caregivers, and teachers of young children in Illinois.

Funded by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).

View IEL staff information.

Contact IEL online or call (877) 275-3227.We will do our best to reply to inquiries within one week.

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