The
Massachusetts Early Learning
Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers
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The Early Learning Guidelines for Infants
and Toddlers: Timeline
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March 22, 2010: Grant awarded to MassAEYC
March 22nd to June 30th: MassAEYC gathered current knowledge,
research, and best practice to develop draft
July 1st: Initial draft submitted to EEC for review
EEC gave comment and MassAEYC revised the Guidelines
August 16th to September 2nd: MassAEYC holds focus group
comment sessions jointly with EEC across state
August 24th: Revised draft Guidelines and survey posted on EEC
website
September 25th: comment period ends
September 25th to October 31st : MassAEYC revises Guidelines and
finalizes them with EEC staff
October 31st : Final Draft submitted to EEC and Board
Board votes on Guidelines at November Board meeting
November 1st to December 31st: Implementation phase
January 1st: Guidelines in effect
The Massachusetts Early Learning
Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers:
Overview of Guidelines
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The Early Learning Guidelines for Infants
and Toddlers : Purpose
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Provide a comprehensive view of the development of
infants and toddlers while documenting experiences
that support their development (birth to 33 months)
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To use as a resource for infant and toddler programs,
educators, families, higher education, and
communities
The Early Learning Guidelines for Infants
and Toddlers : Focus
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New brain development research
Strength based approach values
Family partnerships are Key
Communicate interrelated nature of domains
Describe how programs and educators can best
support and interact with infants and toddlers
Create a learning continuum
Relationships are key factor in development and
learning
The Early Learning Guidelines for Infants
and Toddlers : Principles
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Family as defined by culture is child’s
primary support
Learning is embedded in child’s culture
Child develops at own rate
Child has own personal learning approach
Nurturing occurs through respectful &
responsive relationships
Learning is interconnected in each domain
Learning occurs by informed, reflective,
curious adults
Play is the foundation for learning
Rich, responsive language experiences, in
families’ language prime child for academic
success
The Early Learning Guidelines for Infants
and Toddlers : Format
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Table of Contents
Introduction to Guidelines
Younger/Older Infants (0-8 mos., 6-15
mos.)
Younger /Toddlers (12-4 mos., 22-33 mos.)
Beyond the Basics: Best Practices
Appendix
Each section arranged by developmental
domains:
 Physical and Well Being
 Social and Emotional
 Cognitive
 Language and Communication
 Approaches to Learning
NOTE: Footnotes, references, bibliography to be added
The Massachusetts Early Learning
Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers:
Research, Development and Review
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The Early Learning Guidelines for Infants
and Toddlers: Research & Development
Phase
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Knowledge, research and
Best Practice:
 Review of Guidelines
from 22 States
 Meetings with Infant and
Toddler Experts
 Consultation from
National Center for
Infants Toddlers and
Families (Zero to Three)
 Meetings between
developers and EEC
The Early Learning Guidelines for Infants
and Toddlers: Review and Comment Phase
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Internal EEC staff including licensing staff gave comment
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Focus groups across the state were jointly facilitated by
MassAEYC and EEC
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Guidelines are posted online with a survey from August
22nd to September 21st
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in total, over 350 people have reviewed and commented on
the Guidelines
The Early Learning Guidelines for Infants
and Toddlers: Focus Groups
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7 Focus groups across the state were jointly facilitated by
MassAEYC and EEC including:
 MassAEYC family child care conference
 A focus group in Springfield for Spanish speaking family
child care educators
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Over 260 educators were reached:
 Family child care educators,
 Center based directors
 Infant and toddler educators
 Higher education,
 Head Start,
 Early Intervention
 other community organizations gave comment
The Early Learning Guidelines for Infants
and Toddlers: Focus Groups
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Constructive comments from the focus groups include:
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Could have more about spending time in containers
(consumerism isn’t helpful for parents in making decisions about
good equipment purchases)
Could have more about biting
The document is written for educators
Please have a way to search words in document on line
Would like something about the universality of sign language
Would like something about the universality of music. More
about music
More on feeding
More about using the outside playground
Add finding a safe place for tummy time
Repeating supportive learning experiences limits the teaching.
Please add new strategies
Use healthy lifestyle instead of obesity
Needs more on special needs. Look at CSFEL for more on
inclusion
The Early Learning Guidelines for Infants
and Toddlers: Online Review
72 people have responded to on line survey.
The survey will remain posted until September 17th
Respondents come from a variety of settings:
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The Early Learning Guidelines for Infants
and Toddlers: Online Review
Most respondents to survey tell us they
work with toddlers and infants
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The Early Learning Guidelines for Infants
and Toddlers: Online Review
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97% agree that directions for using the document are
clear
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97% agree that the supportive learning experiences
can be used in their work with infants and toddlers
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100% agree that information in the document is easy
to find
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94% agree that the document is culturally sensitive
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97% agree that the document is responsive to
children with differing abilities
The Early Learning Guidelines for Infants
and Toddlers: Online Review
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Constructive comments include:
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Document is too long. People may skip over materials
I would like more examples of activities to help parents or
caregivers interact better with children
More resources in the appendix
Would like more specific supportive learning examples
Language may be unfamiliar with some groups making the
guidelines not very user friendly
There should be some specific resources for various cultures
Would like more specific information about children with identified
special needs
Maybe too much information condensed into this one document
Would like more on natural environments in the classroom
Would like something about including men as teachers, volunteers
and fathers in best practice section
Educational jargon may be difficult for parents and some community
members
The Massachusetts Early Learning
Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers:
Addressing Comments and Completing
Revisions
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The Early Learning Guidelines for Infants
and Toddlers: Content Area Expansion
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MassAEYC will expand the content in the areas
of:
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Dual language learners
Supporting family culture
Inclusion and Special needs
Home visiting
Integration between domains
Partnerships with families
Consumerism
Biting and Behavior Management
Men as teachers
The Early Learning Guidelines for Infants
and Toddlers: Document Format
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MassAEYC will:
 Complete basic editing
 Secure a professional editor to complete the
final review
 Complete the appendix to include references
and resources
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EEC will:
 Resolve format issues
 Assure there is a word search mechanism for
the final online document
The Early Learning Guidelines for Infants
and Toddlers: Comment Period
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Your comments are appreciated
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Please forward comments to:
janet.mckeon@massmail.state.ma.us
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