Approaches to Learning
Children are born with an inclination to learn. This is reflected in behaviors and attitudes such as curiousity, problem-solving, maintaining attention, and persistence.
Communication, Language and Literacy - Infants (Birth to 12 Months)
"Baby talk" might be the most adorable learning tool ever! As your infant grows, you'll soon notice he or she understands many more words than they can say. That is because babies learn the meaning of words and other forms of communication first. Remember that, until they have the words, their only way to express themselves is through crying, gesturing and facial expressions. Pay close attention to what your baby is trying to communicate and respond accordingly.
About This Domain
From birth, children are learning language and developing the ability to communicate. The Communication, Language and Literacy domain describes many important aspects of children’s language and early literacy development.
Respond to familiar faces, voices, or simple sign language by looking or making eye contact.
Briefly pay attention to the same object the caregiver is looking at.
Communicate nonverbally by repeatedly using actions to let adults know what they want (reach out arms to ask to be held).
Respond to simple requests (“Do you want more?”) with sounds, actions, or simple sign language.
Engage in turn-taking during social and vocal play with adults and other children (babbling, imitating facial expressions).
Make different sounds and actions for different purposes (coo to gain someone’s attention, whimper when wet, cry loudly when hungry).
“Jabber” and pretend to talk using many sounds or simple sign language from the languages used around them.
Make specific sounds, facial expressions, and/or gestures for certain people and objects.
Imitate sounds, words, and gestures.
Recognize spoken or signed words used for common items, people, and actions.
Pat and chew on cloth, plastic, and board books.
Look at pictures of faces and simple objects in books and other media.
Listen to simple and repetitive books, stories, and songs.
Show recognition or delight when caregiver reads a familiar story or sings a familiar song.
Explore books and paper by tasting, mouthing, crumpling, banging, and patting
Look at pictures while cuddling with caregiver.
Imitate and take turns with caregivers making different sounds.
Explore and play with sounds by themselves and with others (make “raspberries” and other sounds).
Emerging
Make random marks with safe, simple writing tools with the support of a caregiver.
Watch as others write and draw.
Emerging as infants listen to the sounds of their home language and other languages they hear.
The South Dakota Early Learning Guidelines serve as a shared vision for all adults supporting young children's experiences prior to entering kindergarten. Positive interactions with trusted adults, engaging with peers, and consistent environments that are safe, healthy, and enhance learning are vital elements to support young children.
Goals and Developmental Indicators describe expectations for what children learn starting with infancy and covering all ages through kindergarten entry. These goals apply to all children regardless of what language they speak, what strengths/disabilities they may have, or specific unique family circumstances. Strategies to enrich the environment, support development and learning, and adaptations provide a variety of ideas to consider.
At the “heart” of the document are tables or developmental continuums that describe children’s learning and development from birth up to kindergarten. You can find these tables under the Learning Domain tab in our main navigation. These Goals and Developmental Indicators are divided into five domains:
Children are born with an inclination to learn. This is reflected in behaviors and attitudes such as curiousity, problem-solving, maintaining attention, and persistence.
Children's feelings about themselves and their relationships with others is the foundation for personality development. These characteristics and skills impact every other area of development.
From birth, children are learning language and developing the ability to communicate. Talking, singing, reading, and responding effectively when children express themselves are great investments supporting learning.
This fascinating area of development includes understanding how children aquire, organize, and use information in increasingly complex ways. Through play, skills are developed as the foundation for exploring and understanding more sophisticated concepts.
Physical growth, muscle development, nutrition, self-care, health and safety practices are included in this area. Safe and healthy practices suppport the ability to learn more effectively in all areas.