An article in the ERIC Digest presents strategies supported by the research literature to enhance interactions with families from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
The CLAS Institute identifies, evaluates, and promotes effective and appropriate early intervention practices and preschool practices that are sensitive and respectful to children and families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
This article is related to a webinar series from the Virginia Early Intervention Professional Development Center entitled “Beyond Cultural Competence: How to Effectively Work with ALL Families” and presented by, Barbara Grant, MA, that sums up a key idea to treat everyone as if they have their own unique culture. This article provides resources and activities related to cultural humility.
Resources related to Cultural Humility include the following:
It Matters: How Culture Impacts Our Work with Families - Online Training
As providers of early intervention services, it is important that we have an understanding of the significance culture and language have on our work with families. The online modules in this 2-part training focus on culture, language and their impact on our work with infants, toddlers and their families. To register and receive credit for viewing the modules, please visit https://go.illinois.edu/EITPonline.
Related to "Cultural Humility…What Does It Mean to You?", this blog post helps explain and raise awareness of personal cultural biases that might be affecting relationships with families. If want to dig a little deeper, complete this checklist: Cultural Competence Checklist: Personal Reflection.
Through education and advocacy including a focus on early childhood education, child welfare, elementary and secondary education, and health, this organization provides support to professionals to improve and advance the lives of African American families and children.
Promotes teaching about world regions, cultures, and languages in every school district in the United States, with a focus on Asia. Includes lesson plans and other instructional resources for teachers; activities for students; information for school leaders; maps, country profiles, and cultural information; and contact information on experts in various disciplines.
Virginia's Talks on Tuesdays archived webinar provided an overview of cultural competence, information, and statistics about cultural groups in VA (applicable to other states). Effective communication was discussed as well as how to apply the knowledge learned in everyday practice.
This blog post and 8-minute podcast from Pennsylvania Early Intervention highlight how culture can be a very persuasive and potent factor in the ways of our individual thoughts and beliefs; along with what culture has to do with our work with children, family and colleagues.
Pennsylvania's Early Intervention blog article discusses the awareness of families whose beliefs or values may different then your own. This article uses a dilemma, acknowledge, ask, and adapt style approach to learning how to use empathy and respect to facilitate understanding and awareness of our own belief systems and the belief system of the families we serve.
This free ZERO TO THREE resource uses research studies to enhance understanding of the following topics: Individualistic vs. Interdependent Cultures, Influence of Culture on Language Development, Language Development in Bilingual Children, Influence of Ethnicity and Class on Cognitive Development, Resources for Increasing Cultural Sensitivity, Matrix Studies of Cognitive Development., Language, and Social Emotional Health.
IRIS Center - Learning Module Cultural and Linguistic Differences: What teachers should know uses the IRIS STAR Legacy approach where a challenge is presented, initial thoughts are formulated, perspectives and resources presented, then followed by a wrap up and assessment. This module emphasizes the ways in which culture influences the classroom environment and communication within that environment. Strategies for enhancing culturally responsive teaching are also discussed.
Do you work with infants and toddlers whose family members speak languages other than English? This article Young Exceptional Children (May 2020, Vol. 75. No. 2) highlights ways in which to support children who are dual language learners (DLL), the term used to refer to any young child who is learning two or more languages. It shares facts about the benefits of being a DLL, evidence-based practices for supporting very young DLLs, and thoughtful strategies for honoring the language and cultural traditions of each child’s family.
Videos
*NEW* The following videos can be found in the Infant/Toddler Themes section of the Desired Results Access Project Video Library. They are a part of the Honoring Family Culture in Early Intervention video series. This two-part video series describes and illustrates how Amigo Baby, an early intervention program in Ventura, California, provides virtual home visiting services that are culturally and linguistically sensitive and responsive to Latinx families, including both Spanish-speaking and migrant indigenous families who speak Mixteco. The videos include insightful interviews with the program director, an early interventionist, an occupational therapist, and parents along with illustrative recordings of virtual home visits.
- Part 1: Isai and Eliel's Story describes the use of strategies that are responsive to families’ language and culture, including the use of culturally appropriate communicators, working with all family members, being flexible, following the lead of families, and the use of coaching.
- Part 2: Max's Story describes socio-economic and cultural challenges frequently faced by migrant indigenous families, strategies for supporting families’ basic needs, recruiting practitioners who speak the language and are a part of families’ communities, and using technologies that meet families’ needs and resources. Accompanying the videos is a set of reflective questions for both program administrators and practitioners.
