How to integrate STEM and language in a diverse preschool class?

How to integrate STEM and language in a diverse preschool class?

This blog post was contributed by teacher trainers Marlies Algoet, Thijs Eeckhout & Helena Taelman (ODISEE) Flemish preschool classrooms contain a relatively high number of multilingual preschoolers from families with a low socioeconomic status. These children may benefit from high-quality

“But daddy says I can!” About parenting and how to do it together

“But daddy says I can!” About parenting and how to do it together

Parents, teachers, grandparents, … they are all involved in the education of a child. And they all have their own views and approaches. With the aim to aid and support all parties involved in raising a child together, we have developed a support tool, called the “pedagogical staircase”.

Young children growing up in diverse contexts primarily identify with their schools!

Young children growing up in diverse contexts primarily identify with their schools!

This blog post was contributed by Johan De Wilde (ODISEE).   “We are the giraffes’ class, but miss Monique is the beavers’ teacher.” In this quote ‘we’ refers to a group of five-year-old kids in a pre-primary school in Belgium.

Loose Parts Play and Developmentally Appropriate Practice

Loose Parts Play and Developmentally Appropriate Practice

You have probably come across images of loose parts via social media groups and pages that boast wonderful pictures of intricate constructions and balanced mandalas, coined together with pretty loose parts. Loose parts are becoming popular elements in early childhood settings for a variety of reasons; one of them: to offer developmentally appropriate practice.

7 tips to make shared book reading even more beneficial for dual-language-learners

7 tips to make shared book reading even more beneficial for dual-language-learners

Preschool teachers are at their best during book reading activities, when it comes to posing challenging questions, and taking the discussion outside the here-and-now. We want our young dual-language-learners to share in these experiences and make them even more beneficial. I distilled 7 tips from her inspiring talk by researcher researcher Vibeke Grøver at the Equality & Inclusion conference in Utrecht in November 2019.

Do we ask too simple questions during shared book reading?

Do we ask too simple questions during shared book reading?

This blog post was contributed by Astrid Cornelis (Thomas More) Shared book reading reportedly promotes language proficiency, provided that the children are sufficiently challenged. The questions we ask play a crucial role in how much children will get engaged in