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Early Learning At Home Using the DEC Recommended Practices & Practice Improvement Tools

The Division for Early Childhood (DEC) of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) has developed a set of 64 Recommended Practices (RPs) related to early childhood development and learning. The RPs offer guidance to parents and professionals who work with young children who have or are at risk for developmental delays or disabilities.

Practice Improvement Tools (Practice Guides for Families and Practitioners and Performance Checklists) developed by the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA) are available to support the use of the RPs. Performance checklists help practitioners improve their skills, plan interventions, and self-evaluate their use evidence-based practices. Practice guides for practitioners and families explain the practices and how to do them using videos and vignettes, and also describe how users will know if practices are working. Each of these products is available in both English and Spanish.

Recommended Practice Topic Areas include:

• Leadership
• Assessment
• Environment
• Family
• Instruction
• Interaction
• Teaming and Collaboration
• Transition (To home from NICU, to Preschool from Early Intervention and to Kindergarten from Preschool)