Illinois Early Learning Project

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The Illinois Early Learning Project is a source of evidence-based, reliable information for parents, caregivers, and teachers of young children.

IEL


    • Jan 31, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 20m AVG DURATION
    • 35 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Illinois Early Learning Project

    Teaching in a Classroom Where Many Languages are Spoken

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2025 18:03


    In this episode, we have a conversation with Dr. Koryne Nnoli from Morgan State University about how early childhood educators can use strategies to support multilingual learners in their classrooms where many languages are spoken.

    What is the Pyramid Model?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2025 19:50


    In this episode, we talk with Dr. Mary Louise Hemmeter from Vanderbilt University about the Pyramid Model and how it works to support young children's social and emotional development in a variety of early childhood settings.

    Mixing Early Math and Social Studies within Preschool Classrooms

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 4, 2024 29:41


    In this episode, we talk with Dr. Jennifer McCray from the Early Math Collaborative at the Erikson Institute about mixing early math and social studies in preschool classrooms.

    FoodAllergies

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2024 19:28


    In this episode, we talk with Dr. Ruchi Gupta and Sarah Valaika from the Center for Food Allergy & Asthma Research (CFAAR) about caring for children with food allergies in the early childhood classroom.

    AAC and Belonging: Communication and Friendships

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2024 33:53


    AAC and Belonging: Communication and Friendships by IEL

    Building Literacy Through Reggio Emilia Inspiration

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2024 28:15


    In this episode, we interview Dr. Ali Lewis, director of University Primary School at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and talk about integrating early literacy in a Reggio Emilia–inspired program.

    Anti-Ableism in Preschool: How Do We Talk About It?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2023 38:14


    Anti-Ableism in Preschool: How Do We Talk About It? by IEL

    Teaming in the PreK Classroom

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2023 23:28


    This podcast episode features prekindergarten teacher Mickey Gilbert, who shares tips for educators, specialists, and related service providers on teaming together.

    Nature-Based Preschool: Ideas for Your Classroom

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2023 23:24


    In this podcast episode, our guest Abbie Frank, founder and executive director of Bluestem Hall Nature School, a nature-based preschool in Urbana, talks about ways to incorporate nature-based education into everyday early childhood classrooms.

    The Science of Reading in Preschool: What Is Helpful in Pre-reading?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2023 28:37


    We speak with Dr. Susan Zoll, associate professor in elementary education at Rhode Island College and author of “Powerful Literacy in the Montessori Classroom: Aligning Reading Research and Practice,” which is about how to incorporate the science of reading into preschool classrooms.

    Developmental Screenings for Young Children: What Parents and Teachers Need to Know

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2022 36:48


    On this podcast, we are joined by Dr. Marisa Macy, associate professor at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. She joins us to discuss the purpose of developmental screening tools in the early childhood field.

    Making and Keeping Friends

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2022 16:37


    This podcast features Dr. Seon Yeong Yu, an associate professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Dr. Yu shares tips for teachers and parents about friendship development for young children with and without disabilities.

    Families, Social-Emotional Learning, and the Pandemic

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2021 23:57


    In this podcast, we speak with Kelly Russell, the program director of CU Early, which serves infants, toddlers, and expectant parents in Champaign, Urbana, and Mahomet. We explore how the pandemic has changed service delivery for home visits, developmental screenings, and support groups. We also delve into the changing social and emotional needs of families of young children

    Parenting During a Pandemic

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2021 27:32


    On this podcast, we are joined by Christy Lee, mother to four children, two with Down syndrome. Christy shares with us some tips for parenting during the pandemic on topics such as schooling, shopping, and home life.

    Childcare During COVID-19: Two Parents’ Perspectives

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2020 24:38


    On this podcast, we talk with Haley and Bob about the impact of COVID-19 on childcare and their family. These parents have three young children who attend the Child Development Laboratory at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

    Childcare During COVID-19: A Teacher’s Perspective

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2020 22:51


    On this podcast, we talk with Kathryn Pannbacker about the impact of COVID-19 on childcare and her work as an early childhood educator. Pannbacker is a preschool head teacher at the Child Development Laboratory at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

    Childcare During COVID-19: A Director’s Perspective

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2020 25:36


    On this podcast, we talk with Dr. Brent McBride about the impact of COVID-19 on childcare from a director’s perspective. Dr. McBride is the director of the Child Development Laboratory and a professor of human development at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

    Implementing the Project Approach in Inclusive Classrooms

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2020 18:19


    Dr. Sallee Beneke, an associate professor of early childhood education at St. Ambrose University, joins the Illinois Early Learning Project to discuss implementing the Project Approach in inclusive early childhood classrooms.

    Supporting Children with the Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Preschool Classrooms

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2020 21:38


    On this podcast, we are joined by Dr. Emily Dorsey, project director of the Illinois Early Learning Project. She joins us to discuss strategies for helping children with the characteristics of autism spectrum disorder succeed in inclusive early childhood classrooms.

    Including Infants and Toddlers With Disabilities in Child Care

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2019 17:50


    We talk with Dr. Jenna Weglarz-Ward, an assistant professor in early childhood education and early childhood special education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, about the inclusion of infants and toddlers with disabilities and developmental delays in child care settings.

    An Introduction to Montessori Education

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2019 14:56


    We talk with Dr. Natalie Danner, the LaVonne Kopecky Plambeck Endowed Chair of Montessori Education at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, who gives us an introduction to the Montessori approach in early childhood education.

    Listening to Family Voices in Early Childhood Programs

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2019 19:13


    On this podcast, we are joined by Dr. Christine Spence. Dr. Spence is an Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Special Education at Virginia Commonwealth University. Her research focuses on high-quality supports for families and providers participating in early intervention and early childhood special education systems. She joins us to talk about listening to family's voices in early childhood programs.

    The Impact of Trauma on the Lives of Young Children: Part Two

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2019 21:43


    On this podcast, we are joined by Dr. Deserai Miller. Dr. Miller is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Special Education and teaches in the School of Social Work at the University of Illinois. Her research focuses on provisions of trauma-informed care through special education service delivery and the preparation of professionals across multiple disciplines related to trauma-informed care. She joins us to discuss strategies for supporting young children who have experienced trauma.

    The Impact of Trauma on the Lives of Young Children: Part One

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2019 20:52


    On this podcast we interviewed Dr. Catherine Corr from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Corr is an assistant professor in the Department of Special Education. She joins us to help us understand the impact of trauma on the lives of young children.

    Busy With Blocks

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2019 4:35


    This podcast, based on a blog written by Dr. Rebecca Swartz, discusses what young children learn from block play. https://illinoisearlylearning.org/blogs/growing/busy-blocks/

    Supporting Young Children's Friendships

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2019 19:20


    This podcast contains an interview with Dr. Michaelene (Micki) Ostrosky about supporting young children's friendships. Dr. Ostrosky is the head of the Department of Special Education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

    Process Play and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics): Getting Started

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2019 23:42


    On this podcast, we are joined by Michelle Patt. Michelle Patt is an early childhood educator, consultant, and writer. Her work emphasizes learning through exploration and experimentation. She writes about the integration of art and science into preschool classroom activities to encourage children's problem solving and innovation. Michelle is preschool supervisor at Howard Area Community Center, a Preschool for All and Head Start braided program in Chicago, Illinois. She joins us to discuss strategies for encouraging young children to engage in purposeful play. She blogs about her work at Explore Inspire EC.

    Diverse Families and the Transition to Kindergarten

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2018 15:57


    In this podcast, we interview Dr. Sarai Coba-Rodriguez from the University of Illinois at Chicago. In her research, she uses a family resilience perspective to learn about school readiness and family involvement among low-income Latino and African American families, including their beliefs and practices that promote young children’s successful transition to kindergarten. She joins us to share stories and insights from her research.

    Language and Literacy in Inclusive Early Childhood Programs

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 29, 2018 20:39


    In this interview, we speak with Elise Proser, a speech language pathologist from the Urbana Early Childhood School in Urbana, IL. Ms. Proser received her bachelor’s degree in speech and hearing science and master’s degree in speech language pathology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and has been working in the schools as a speech language pathologist for five years. She joins us to talk about supporting the language and literacy development of preschoolers and how IEPs (Individual Education Plans) are formed in early childhood programs. She also shares a bit about her journey to becoming a speech language pathologist and how students who are interested in speech pathology might explore this career.

    Inclusive Early Childhood Programs: How One School District Creates a Place for All Young Children

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2018 17:26


    In this podcast, we are joined by Ms. Crystal Vowels. Ms. Vowels is an experience leader in special education and principal of the Urbana Early Childhood School (UECS) in Urbana, IL. UECS recently received an award of excellence for their inclusion practices from Excelerate Illinois, the Quality Rating and Improvement Program for Early Care and Education for the state of Illinois. Ms. Vowels shares insights about how inclusive early childhood programs meet the needs of diverse young children with and without disabilities.

    Mathematize

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2018 3:54


    This podcast, based on a blog written by Dr. Rebecca Swartz, provides ideas for helping young children use mathematical thinking in everyday routines. She also highlights the Illinois Early Learning Project graphic tip sheets that contain more ideas that can help caregivers encourage children to use mathematical thinking: https://illinoisearlylearning.org/tipsheets/counting/ https://illinoisearlylearning.org/tipsheets/shapes/ https://illinoisearlylearning.org/tipsheets/makingsense/ https://illinoisearlylearning.org/tipsheets/sort/

    Transformative Early Childhood Education: An Interview with Dr. Kathleen Gallagher

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2017 17:26


    This podcast is an interview with Dr. Kathleen Gallagher. This interview was recorded during her visit to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Campus for the Child Development Laboratory's 75th anniversary lecture in November 2017. In this interview, she discusses her own story of becoming an early childhood educator and shares her perspectives on how high-quality early childhood education can transform the lives of young children.

    Try And Try Again

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2017 3:55


    This podcast, based on a blog written by Dr. Rebecca Swartz, provides information about how adults can help young children develop persistence to try and try again when then encounter everyday challenges.

    Supporting Young Children's Friendships: An Interview with Dr. Michaelene Ostrosky

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2017 19:20


    This podcast contains an interview with Dr. Michaelene (Micki) Ostrosky about supporting young children's friendships. Dr. Ostrosky is the head of the Department of Special Education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

    IEL Feelings Are Fantastic

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 5, 2017 4:07


    This podcast provides information about how young children learn to manage their feelings and gives strategies adults can use to help them learn to express their feelings appropriately.

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