Canadian Council on Learning | Conseil Canadien sur l'Apprentissage

The 40th Banff International Conference on Behavioural Science

Effective Early Learning Programs:
Research, Policy and Practice
March 16-19, 2008-Banff, Alberta, Canada

Press Release

It has become increasingly clear that learning in early childhood is the cornerstone for all lifelong learning. Young children learn to learn, and the quality of this learning has profound long-term consequences.

Policymakers, practitioners and researchers have an increased interest in identifying and implementing effective, evidence-based early learning programs.

This conference hashighlighted effective programs in three major areas of Early Childhood Learning:

• Development of Language and Literacy,
• Development of Numeracy, and
• Early Social & Emotional Learning.

For each area, leading researchers and practitioners presented the most effective early learning programs that have been implemented and well evaluated, and discussed challenges faced while implementing and evaluating these programs.

• Catherine Snow, Harvard University
  Why supporting language development is the best preparation for literacy success (PDF, 1.5 MB)
  
  
• Christopher Lonigan, Florida State University
  Effective strategies for promoting young children's literacy skills  (PDF, 238 KB)
  
  
• Arthur Baroody, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  Fostering early numeracy sense (PDF, 557 KB)
  
  
• Ron Prinz, University of South Carolina
  Effective parenting interventions to prevent social, emotional and behavioural problems in children and enhance child well-being (PDF, 76 KB)
  
  
• Arthur Reynolds, University of Minnesota
  Cost-effective early childhood development programs to promote child well-being  (PDF, 350 KB)