Professional Development Specialists from the Early Intervention Training Program at the University of Illinois (EITP) have been trained by Zero to Three on The Growing Brain: From Birth to 5 Years Old, A Training Curriculum for Early Childhood Professionals. Using the resources and information from this training, EITP has developed a unique virtual series "Nature, Nurture, and the Growing Brain Gone Viral" for our participants in order to prepare early childhood providers for their vital role in building healthy brains.
This website will provide the handouts and materials needed for participating in this series. Please bookmark this page to reference it throughout the series.
Nature, Nurture, and the Growing Brain Gone Virtual
Decades of research indicate that the early years of life are a period of exponential brain development, characterized by great opportunity and vulnerability, dependent on the relationships and environment in which the child is growing. The "Nature, Nurture, and the Growing Brain Gone Virtual" catalog of sessions include the following topics:
Brain Basics & Factors Affecting Brain Growth and Development (Unit 1 & 2)
The greatest rate of brain growth takes place during the first few years. This rapid development occurs at the same time a child is making critical connections with the outside world. The Growing Brain is an engaging course that explains how the brain develops and how this development impacts learning and behavior. This full-day session presents brain development from conception to age three, as well as explores how you, as an interventionist, can support healthy brain development in early childhood when the brain is the most plastic, or receptive to change.
EI Credit: 2 hours in Atypical Child Development AND 2 hours in Typical Child Development
Maunals from Zero to Three:
For the manual links below, please do not share the link! EITP has purchased 1 copy of the PDF per participant of this licensed product.
Additional Resources:
Genetics
Nutrition
Sleep
Toxins
Basics about Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorders (FASDs) from CDC. Also available in Español (Spanish).
Communication and Language Development (Unit 3)
In this session, key milestones in language development and the brain's role in this growth from birth - 3 years old is presented. Strategies for supporting early communication skills and the processes in understanding and supporting multi-language learning are also discussed.
EI Credit: 1.5 hours in Intervention AND 1.5 hours in Typical Child Development
Manual from Zero to Three:
Please do not share this link! EITP has purchased 1 copy of the PDF per participant of this licensed product.
Additional Resources:
Cognition and Executive Functions (Unit 4)
In this session, cognitive development unfolds. Included in this presentation/discussion are ways to support cognitive development in young children, executive functions and their critical role in cognitive and overall development, and ways to support the development of executive functions.
EI Credit: 1.5 hours in Intervention AND 1.5 hours in Typical Child Development
Manual from Zero to Three:
Please do not share this link! EITP has purchased 1 copy of the PDF per participant of this licensed product.
Additional Resources:
Social-Emotional Development (Unit 5)
In this session, participants are provided a greater understanding of how social-emotional development unfolds in the first 3 years of a child's life and how to support its growth in young children, as well as the areas of the brain involved in social interactions and emotional reactions. In addition, the role of relationships and attachment in social-emotional development, the effect of stress on social-emotional development, and the development of empathy will be discussed.
EI Credit: 1.5 hours in Intervention AND 1.5 hours in Typical Child Development
Manual from Zero to Three:
Please do not share the link! EITP has purchased 1 copy of the PDF per participant of this licensed product.
Additional Resources:
You may want to print the following documents in advance to help you follow along during the activities in the training:
Understanding Behavior (Unit 6)
In this session, the connection between the various areas of the brain and how these connections are expressed through behavior will be presented. The key factors that influence behavior, the root causes of challenging behaviors along effective strategies for helping children with these difficulties are also discussed.
EI Credit: 1.5 hours in Intervention AND 1.5 hours in Typical Child Development
Manual from Zero to Three:
Please do not share the link! EITP has purchased 1 copy of the PDF per participant of this licensed product.
Additional Resources:
You may want to print the following documents in advance to help you follow along during the activities in the training:
Everyday Play (Unit 7)
In this 3-hour session, the development of play is presented. Discussion includes the differences and importance between free and guided play, and the core skills children develop through play, and how to promote these skills.
EI Credit: 1.5 hours in Intervention AND 1.5 hours in Typical Child Development
Maual from Zero to Three:
Please do not share the link! EITP has purchased 1 copy of the PDF per participant of this licensed product.
Additional Resources:
You may want to print the following documents in advance to help you follow along during the activities in the training:
