Glossary
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Advocacy
Parents (or families), organizations or volunteers working on behalf of the rights and interests of others (such as children or people with disabilities). Parents are the best advocates for their children.
Caregiving Routines
Routines that are determined by the child’s physical, emotional, and learning needs.
Child-Accessible
Having materials or supplies located in areas where children are easily able to reach them and use them throughout the day.
Cognitive Development
Skills learned that are related to thinking and reasoning. This development takes place from childhood through adulthood.
Consistent Caregiver
The caregiver who is most consistently present in a child’s day.
Culture
The unique collection of beliefs, practices, traditions, valued competencies, world views, and histories that characterize a group of people.
DEL
Department of Early Learning--state agency of Washington created in 2006 to elevate the focus on the importance of a child’s earliest years, and integrate early learning efforts.
Development
The process in which a child gains skills in areas such as: social/emotional, cognitive, speech/language, and physical growth. This process includes both fine and gross motor skills.
Developmental Milestones
Term describing memorable accomplishments in child’s growth. Examples include: rolling over, crawling, walking and talking.
Developmental Stages
An expected, sequential order of obtaining skills that children typically go through. Examples include: crawling before walking and using fingers to feed themselves before using utensils.
Diversity
Refers to differences and/or heterogeneity of human qualities that are present in individuals, groups, society, and institutions. Examples include: age, ethnicity, educational background, learning styles and abilities.
Dramatic Play
Engaging in pretend play or acting out a scenario.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
A first aid procedure for cardiac arrest involving compression of the chest wall alternating with artificial respiration.
Early Intervention
Programs or services designed to meet the developmental needs of infants or toddlers (birth to 3 years) and their families.
Early Learning
Early learning includes all learning and development for a child from birth to third grade.
Early Learning Professional
As used in this document, includes licensed child care providers in centers or family home child care, preschool teachers, after-school program staff, and center preschool and after-school directors and staff, along with school staff, including kindergarten through third grade teachers, family support workers, literacy coaches, food service managers, and administrators (e.g. principals and vice principals).
Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP)
A Washington State-funded comprehensive preschool program that supports the healthy development and future success of less advantaged children. The target ECEAP population is 4-year old children whose family incomes are at or below 110 percent of the federal poverty level.
Empathy
The capacity to experience the same emotion that someone else is experiencing.
Families
As used in this document, children’s immediate and extended families.
Fine Motor
Using the hands and fingers in a coordinated way for activities such as drawing, writing, cutting, eating or playing.
Gross Motor
Using large body muscles for movement in a balanced way such as running, walking and playing ball.
Head Start
Comprehensive child development programs that serve children from birth to age five, pregnant women, and their families. They are child-focused and have the overall goal of increasing the school readiness of young children in low-income families.
Home Language
The language a person acquires first in life or identifies with as a member of an ethnic group. It is sometimes referred to as the first, native or primary language of a child.
Inclusion
The practice allowing children with special needs to spend most or all of their time with typically developing children. Inclusion is about the child’s right to participate and the program or school’s duty to accept the child. Inclusion rejects the use of special programs or classrooms to separate children with disabilities from children without disabilities with the belief that:
Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
A written education plan for a school-aged child with disabilities developed by a team of professionals (teachers, therapists, etc) and the child’s parents. IEPs are based on a multidisciplinary evaluation of the child and describe how the child is presently doing, what the child’s learning needs are, and what services the child will need. They are reviewed and updated yearly. IEPs are required by the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)
A document that guides the early intervention process for children with disabilities and their families. The IFSP is the means for the implementation of effective early intervention in accordance with Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It contains information about the services necessary to facilitate a child’s development and enhance the family’s capacity to facilitate the child’s development. Through the IFSP process, family members and service providers work as a team to plan, implement, and evaluate services tailored to the family’s unique concerns, priorities, and resources.
Infant
A child birth to 12 months of age.
Infant’s Lead/Infant Cues
Observing infant behavior and responding accordingly.
Intervention
Programs, supports or services (e.g., crisis support services, early intervention programs, early learning programs) designed to meet the specific needs of children and families.
Language
A system for communicating ideas and feeling using sounds, gestures, signs or marks.
Learning Styles
The way an individual adapts to his/her learning environment.
Literacy
An individual’s ability to read, write, communicate and comprehend.
Mandated Reporter
Mandated reporters are individuals who, in the ordinary course of their work and because they have regular contact with children, are required to report (or cause a report to be made) whenever physical, sexual, or other types of abuse has been observed or is suspected, or when there is evidence of neglect, knowledge of an incident, or an imminent risk of serious harm.
Mental Health
How a person thinks, feels and acts when faced with life’s situations. This includes handling stress, relating to other people and making decisions.
Mentor
A person who shares experience, knowledge and wisdom about a particular subject area.
MERIT (Managed Education and Registry Information Tool)
MERIT replaces the STARS database as the place for information on STARS approved training and education. The Department of Early Learning (DEL) State agency in charge of child care licensing and managing the STARS program. The Managed Education and Registry Information Tool (MERIT) is a voluntary, statewide tool to document and recognize the professional achievements of early care & education and school-age professionals. This innovative online tool helps professionals find training opportunities, access information on career pathways, and track their individual career progress. MERIT also identifies approved trainers who provide education to professionals. MERIT is designed as a tool for all those who work with young children and their families in an early care & education or school-age program. This includes licensed child care professionals in family home and center-based care, Head Start professionals, Early Care and Education Assistance Program (ECEAP) professionals, preschool teachers, school-age professionals and administrators who support the direct care of children.
MERIT–Frequently Asked Questions
Motor Skills
A person’s ability to use large and small muscle groups. Gross motor skills refer to the use of large muscles in activities such as running or jumping. Fine motor skills refer to small muscle coordination required for things like writing or buttoning a shirt.
Print-rich Environment
An environment in which reading and writing are used for a wide variety of authentic, everyday purposes.
Professional Development
Refers to the skills and knowledge attained for both personal development and career advancement. Professional development includes all types of facilitated learning opportunities, ranging from college degrees to formal coursework, conferences and informal learning opportunities situated in practice. There are a variety of approaches to professional development, including coaching, communities of practice, lesson study, mentoring, reflective supervision and technical assistance.
Providers
As used in this document, includes early learning and health care professionals, depending on the context.
Referral
In the early childhood field, the process of helping a family or child care provider access a service, including connecting a child or family to a lead agency or school district for special education services.
Responsive Infant-Toddler Caregiving
Defined as caregiving that is observant of what interests the child, providing experiences for the child to interact with what interests him or her, expanding interactions, understanding that infants and toddler learning experiences are the curriculum.
Screening
A brief assessment designed to identify children who are at risk for health problems, developmental problems, and/or disabling conditions. These children may need to receive helpful intervention services as early as possible.
Self-Regulated Behaviors
The ability to control one’s emotions and behaviors.
Special Needs
This refers to the needs of children with social, emotional, communication, intellectual, or physical delays or disabilities. The term special is borrowed from the field of special education. This terminology should not be confused with cultural needs.
STARS is the acronym for State Training And Registry System
STARS is a Washington State mandated training program for child care providers. STARS is a career development system designed to improve child care through basic and ongoing training for child care providers. The Department of Early Learning (DEL) administers the STARS Registry, a web-based database that tracks provider records.
Strategies
Suggested learning activities that can be used by caregivers at home or in an early care and education setting to help children develop toward desired indicators and goals.
The Department of Early Learning (DEL)
DEL licenses and monitor Washington's 7,400-plus licensed child care settings in family homes and centers that serve about 174,000 children. DEL licensors support child care business owners and their staff in offering safe, healthy care, and take action if settings are found to be unsafe for Washington's children. DEL also oversees the state professional development system (STARS) to help ensure that for those who care for and teach young children continue to increase their skills and education levels. Visit the DEL Website
Parents (or families), organizations or volunteers working on behalf of the rights and interests of others (such as children or people with disabilities). Parents are the best advocates for their children.
Caregiving Routines
Routines that are determined by the child’s physical, emotional, and learning needs.
Child-Accessible
Having materials or supplies located in areas where children are easily able to reach them and use them throughout the day.
Cognitive Development
Skills learned that are related to thinking and reasoning. This development takes place from childhood through adulthood.
Consistent Caregiver
The caregiver who is most consistently present in a child’s day.
Culture
The unique collection of beliefs, practices, traditions, valued competencies, world views, and histories that characterize a group of people.
DEL
Department of Early Learning--state agency of Washington created in 2006 to elevate the focus on the importance of a child’s earliest years, and integrate early learning efforts.
Development
The process in which a child gains skills in areas such as: social/emotional, cognitive, speech/language, and physical growth. This process includes both fine and gross motor skills.
Developmental Milestones
Term describing memorable accomplishments in child’s growth. Examples include: rolling over, crawling, walking and talking.
Developmental Stages
An expected, sequential order of obtaining skills that children typically go through. Examples include: crawling before walking and using fingers to feed themselves before using utensils.
Diversity
Refers to differences and/or heterogeneity of human qualities that are present in individuals, groups, society, and institutions. Examples include: age, ethnicity, educational background, learning styles and abilities.
Dramatic Play
Engaging in pretend play or acting out a scenario.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
A first aid procedure for cardiac arrest involving compression of the chest wall alternating with artificial respiration.
Early Intervention
Programs or services designed to meet the developmental needs of infants or toddlers (birth to 3 years) and their families.
Early Learning
Early learning includes all learning and development for a child from birth to third grade.
Early Learning Professional
As used in this document, includes licensed child care providers in centers or family home child care, preschool teachers, after-school program staff, and center preschool and after-school directors and staff, along with school staff, including kindergarten through third grade teachers, family support workers, literacy coaches, food service managers, and administrators (e.g. principals and vice principals).
Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP)
A Washington State-funded comprehensive preschool program that supports the healthy development and future success of less advantaged children. The target ECEAP population is 4-year old children whose family incomes are at or below 110 percent of the federal poverty level.
Empathy
The capacity to experience the same emotion that someone else is experiencing.
Families
As used in this document, children’s immediate and extended families.
Fine Motor
Using the hands and fingers in a coordinated way for activities such as drawing, writing, cutting, eating or playing.
Gross Motor
Using large body muscles for movement in a balanced way such as running, walking and playing ball.
Head Start
Comprehensive child development programs that serve children from birth to age five, pregnant women, and their families. They are child-focused and have the overall goal of increasing the school readiness of young children in low-income families.
Home Language
The language a person acquires first in life or identifies with as a member of an ethnic group. It is sometimes referred to as the first, native or primary language of a child.
Inclusion
The practice allowing children with special needs to spend most or all of their time with typically developing children. Inclusion is about the child’s right to participate and the program or school’s duty to accept the child. Inclusion rejects the use of special programs or classrooms to separate children with disabilities from children without disabilities with the belief that:
- All children can learn and benefit from education.
- Schools and programs should adapt to the needs of children, rather than children adapting to the needs of the program or school.
- Individual differences between children are a source of richness and diversity.
Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
A written education plan for a school-aged child with disabilities developed by a team of professionals (teachers, therapists, etc) and the child’s parents. IEPs are based on a multidisciplinary evaluation of the child and describe how the child is presently doing, what the child’s learning needs are, and what services the child will need. They are reviewed and updated yearly. IEPs are required by the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP)
A document that guides the early intervention process for children with disabilities and their families. The IFSP is the means for the implementation of effective early intervention in accordance with Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It contains information about the services necessary to facilitate a child’s development and enhance the family’s capacity to facilitate the child’s development. Through the IFSP process, family members and service providers work as a team to plan, implement, and evaluate services tailored to the family’s unique concerns, priorities, and resources.
Infant
A child birth to 12 months of age.
Infant’s Lead/Infant Cues
Observing infant behavior and responding accordingly.
Intervention
Programs, supports or services (e.g., crisis support services, early intervention programs, early learning programs) designed to meet the specific needs of children and families.
Language
A system for communicating ideas and feeling using sounds, gestures, signs or marks.
Learning Styles
The way an individual adapts to his/her learning environment.
Literacy
An individual’s ability to read, write, communicate and comprehend.
Mandated Reporter
Mandated reporters are individuals who, in the ordinary course of their work and because they have regular contact with children, are required to report (or cause a report to be made) whenever physical, sexual, or other types of abuse has been observed or is suspected, or when there is evidence of neglect, knowledge of an incident, or an imminent risk of serious harm.
Mental Health
How a person thinks, feels and acts when faced with life’s situations. This includes handling stress, relating to other people and making decisions.
Mentor
A person who shares experience, knowledge and wisdom about a particular subject area.
MERIT (Managed Education and Registry Information Tool)
MERIT replaces the STARS database as the place for information on STARS approved training and education. The Department of Early Learning (DEL) State agency in charge of child care licensing and managing the STARS program. The Managed Education and Registry Information Tool (MERIT) is a voluntary, statewide tool to document and recognize the professional achievements of early care & education and school-age professionals. This innovative online tool helps professionals find training opportunities, access information on career pathways, and track their individual career progress. MERIT also identifies approved trainers who provide education to professionals. MERIT is designed as a tool for all those who work with young children and their families in an early care & education or school-age program. This includes licensed child care professionals in family home and center-based care, Head Start professionals, Early Care and Education Assistance Program (ECEAP) professionals, preschool teachers, school-age professionals and administrators who support the direct care of children.
MERIT–Frequently Asked Questions
Motor Skills
A person’s ability to use large and small muscle groups. Gross motor skills refer to the use of large muscles in activities such as running or jumping. Fine motor skills refer to small muscle coordination required for things like writing or buttoning a shirt.
Print-rich Environment
An environment in which reading and writing are used for a wide variety of authentic, everyday purposes.
Professional Development
Refers to the skills and knowledge attained for both personal development and career advancement. Professional development includes all types of facilitated learning opportunities, ranging from college degrees to formal coursework, conferences and informal learning opportunities situated in practice. There are a variety of approaches to professional development, including coaching, communities of practice, lesson study, mentoring, reflective supervision and technical assistance.
Providers
As used in this document, includes early learning and health care professionals, depending on the context.
Referral
In the early childhood field, the process of helping a family or child care provider access a service, including connecting a child or family to a lead agency or school district for special education services.
Responsive Infant-Toddler Caregiving
Defined as caregiving that is observant of what interests the child, providing experiences for the child to interact with what interests him or her, expanding interactions, understanding that infants and toddler learning experiences are the curriculum.
Screening
A brief assessment designed to identify children who are at risk for health problems, developmental problems, and/or disabling conditions. These children may need to receive helpful intervention services as early as possible.
Self-Regulated Behaviors
The ability to control one’s emotions and behaviors.
Special Needs
This refers to the needs of children with social, emotional, communication, intellectual, or physical delays or disabilities. The term special is borrowed from the field of special education. This terminology should not be confused with cultural needs.
STARS is the acronym for State Training And Registry System
STARS is a Washington State mandated training program for child care providers. STARS is a career development system designed to improve child care through basic and ongoing training for child care providers. The Department of Early Learning (DEL) administers the STARS Registry, a web-based database that tracks provider records.
Strategies
Suggested learning activities that can be used by caregivers at home or in an early care and education setting to help children develop toward desired indicators and goals.
The Department of Early Learning (DEL)
DEL licenses and monitor Washington's 7,400-plus licensed child care settings in family homes and centers that serve about 174,000 children. DEL licensors support child care business owners and their staff in offering safe, healthy care, and take action if settings are found to be unsafe for Washington's children. DEL also oversees the state professional development system (STARS) to help ensure that for those who care for and teach young children continue to increase their skills and education levels. Visit the DEL Website