Policy and decision makers do not always understand the development and educational needs of young children. It is the job of the early childhood educator to advocate for the resources required to meet the needs of all students. Early childhood educators should be ready to provide the information policy and decision makers need to determine the value of differentiated early childhood education programs.

For this benchmark assignment, research a current statute in which the state legislature has made a decision that affects the differentiation needs of early childhood students. Then, write a letter to your legislative representative either for or against the statute, advocating for the differentiated needs of early childhood students.

Include:

• Two or more of the theoretical concepts studied in this course to support your position.
• How you identify the students’ readiness for learning in at least two developmental domains (cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and/or physical development).
• How educational professionals, such as key researchers, speech pathologists, reading specialists, etc. collaborate to evaluate the outcomes of teaching and learning and to adapt and differentiate planning and practice for all students.
• How differentiating instruction for young children can positively influence the developmental domains.

Support your letter with 3-5 scholarly references.

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.

This assignment uses a rubric. Review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. 

Program competencies and national standards assessed in the benchmark assignment:
COE 1.2 Identify readiness for learning while taking into account the multiple influences (cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and/or physical) on early development and learning. [NAEYC 1b; InTASC 1(e), 1(f), 1(h), 2(k), 2(m)]
COE 3.6 Collaborate with other professionals, including those with specialized expertise, to evaluate the outcomes of teaching and learning and to adapt planning and practice. [NAEYC 4a; InTASC 7(e), 7(o), 9(c); MC2]
COE 5.4 Engage in informed advocacy to optimize the learning opportunities for young children, strengthen the learning environment, and advance the early childhood profession. [NAEYC 6e; InTASC 10(j), 10(k), 10(l), 10(m), 10(o), 10(p), 10(s); MC4]

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