Preschool: Development, Learning, and Curriculum

Student Learning Outcomes, Goals, Objectives:

Students successfully completing this course will be able to:

• Describe historical, legal and policy issues related to pre-kindergarten programs and services for preschool-age children with disabilities.

• Describe preschool children’s physical, health, motor, approaches toward learning, cognitive, creative, and language development (typical and atypical) and to apply their knowledge to promote children's optimal development within and across these areas.

• Describe the stages of learning and skill development in the areas of mathematics, science, social studies/social connections, creative expression and health and safety, and demonstrate how this knowledge is applied when teaching preschool-age children with and without disabilities.

• Identify Foundations Goals for preschool children in the physical, approaches toward learning, language, and cognitive development areas.

• Provide examples of a variety of teaching strategies (including play-based activities) and activities that build upon children's unique strengths and address Goals from Foundations.

• Describe characteristics of preschool-age children who are learning English as a second language and identify teaching strategies that can promote the language, cognitive and social development of English Language Learner children.

• Describe characteristics of preschool-age children with disabilities and strategies used to adapt/modify the classroom environment and teaching strategies in order to support their development and learning, including strategies for addressing children’s IEP goals.

• Design learning indoor and outdoor learning environments and activities that stimulate all developmental domains and promote learning in all academic content areas for typically and atypically developing children.

• Identify differences in preschool children’s learning and demonstrate how teaching activities and learning environments are implemented in culturally responsive manners.

• Explain and critique resources, services, and transition options available to typically and atypically developing pre-kindergarten children and families.

• Identify key elements of an integrated approach to curriculum and prepare learning activities that address multiple areas of children’s development and learning.

• Evaluate the preschool curricula that are approved by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and the Division for Child development.

Course Grading Information:

Activity/Performance Measure	Percentage/Points
Participation	70 points
Playground Assessment Assignment	15 points
Curriculum Project	15 points
Art Center Project	20 points
Field Trip Plan	15 points
Belief Statement	15 points
Quizzes	50 points

Attendance/Participation:

Opportunities to earn participation points occur weekly via class activities and/or participation assignments. Class attendance is required to earn participation points for class activities.  A total of 70 points can be earned across the semester.

Course Materials Purchased by the Students:

Kostelnik, M.J., Soderman, A.K., & Rupiper, M.L. (2025).  Developmentally appropriate curriculum:  Best practices in early childhood education (Eighth ed.). Pearson Education.