The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning is launching a new initiative designed to help preschool providers better identify and support children that are learning English.
The initiative announced this week will assist practitioners in identifying dual language learners, children that are learning English and one or more languages, and supporting their language development – a key factor for school readiness.
By providing training and technical assistance, DECAL aims to have early care and education practitioners as well as school district personnel equipped with tools and strategies to support English and home language development.
Focusing on dual language learners is part of Georgia’s commitment under the Race to the Top grant, which the state was awarded in 2013.
As part of the new program, DECAL is working with the group World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA), which will offer two seven-month training of trainers programs starting in January 2015.
This program is based on the WIDA Early English Language Development Standards for dual language learners, age 2.5–5.5 years, which corresponds to the Georgia Early Learning and Development Standards (GELDS).
The trainers who have completed the program will to return to their organizations to train staff on supporting dual language learners.
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