Infant and Child Development

Newsletter Assignment
Social, Emotional, Language and Cognitive Development in Kindergarten
30 Marks
Due: Week 4 by 11:59pm on Tuesday May 25 (Alex)
on Wednesday May 26 (Palmina)
Maximum of 3 people per group

Purpose
You are a part of a team of Early Childhood Educators. Recently, quite a few parents
have asked you for some assistance in supporting their kindergartners’ development
during the pandemic. The pandemic has caused a lot of uncertainty and having your
input regarding their child’s development could possibly help alleviate some of their
concerns and doubts.

Since you received so many of the same requests, you have decided to create a
newsletter for parents that outlines kindergarten children’s development in TWO of
the following domains and how to support their children:
 Social
 Emotional
 Communication, Language, Literacy
 Cognition

Note: The physical domain is NOT included since we covered the physical domain in the
first half of this course. Please focus your newsletter on the domains listed above.

Details
Using the Continuum of Development from ELECT, ECEs will exchange information about
children’s early child development with families in the form of a newsletter.
Create a four-page newsletter (3 pages for the newsletter PLUS 1 page for references)
for families that includes the following:
1. Select 2 Domains and 1 Skill from each Domain for Kindergarteners
Using the Continuum of Development from ELECT, focus on the Preschool-Kindergarten
age group (2.5 to 6 years). A reminder that the newsletter is for families with a
kindergartener – clearly indicate this in your newsletter.

Select TWO DOMAINS and ONE Skill from the following:

• Social
• Emotional
• Communication, Language, Literacy
• Cognition

2. Write a Short Paragraph on the Skills Selected

In the newsletter, write a short paragraph on the skills selected that will help families
understand their kindergarten child’s development so that families can support their
child’s development at home. Describe to families their kindergartener’s development
with regards to the two skills selected. Specifically, you will:
 Clearly indicate the domains with the skill (ex: Social: Making Friends)
 Briefly explain the skills
 Explain why the skills are important for development
 Outline/summarize the indicators/markers for the skill. In other words, outline
for families, kindergarten children’s development for the skills selected. Here you
are specifically outlining what kindergarten children are able to do in regard to
the skills selected or what parents might expect to see/observe in their
kindergarten child in regard to the skills selected.
 You will need to go beyond ELECT and use other sources (such as the SECD, DAP)
to write this short paragraph – especially as it relates to the indicators/markers.
 Use proper APA style for in-text citations

3. Suggest 2 General Strategies/Tips and 1 Activity for each Skill

Next, for each skill selected, you will suggest ways for families to support their
kindergarten child at home. Specifically, you will suggest 2 general strategies/tips and 1
activity for each skill. Please ensure that the general strategies/tips and activities
promote and support the skills that you are focusing on.
Strategies are general tips for parents that help them support the skills you are focusing
on. They may include parent-child interactions, providing specific materials, setting up
environment, etc. The strategies refer to the parent, which materials the parent
chooses, how they set them up and how they will interact with the child verbally and
behaviorally.

Activities are specific activities that the parent and child can do together. For the
activities, include specific instructions, materials, and what the child and parent will
doing.

In total you will have 4 General Strategies/tips and 2 Activities.

4. Suggest 2 Resources for each Skill with a Brief Explanation

For each skill selected, include 2 resources that you could direct the families to in order
to support the skills you selected.

Examples of resources include articles, reputable websites, or books that families can
consult. You should include at least 2 resources for each skill. Your resources must be
relevant to the skills in the domains that you focused on. Resources should also be free.

For each resource include a title, a brief explanation of each resource and a link for your
resource (if applicable).

In total, you will have 4 resources.

5. References
Include a reference list on the last page of your newsletter. This includes all the sources
you used for this newsletter. References should be APA format.

Format Details
• Length: 4 pages (3 pages for newsletter PLUS 1 additional page for references)
• It should look like a newsletter and must be user friendly (e.g., able to read clearly)
• Think about the organization, the colours, fonts, visuals, and layout etc.
• You may use images that are relevant and allowed to copy
• There are numerous templates online – see examples: http://www.worddraw.com/
Microsoft also has templates for newsletters.
• Include group members’ names in the newsletter
 Marking Rubric for Newsletter Assignment
Criteria Developing Good Very Good
Understanding of Development 0 - 1.9 2 - 2.9 3-4
The domains with the related skill is clearly indicated; none or few Some of Most or all
Letter informs parents of development in of the the of the
kindergarten by clearly explaining two skills, required required required
elements
explaining the importance of the skills and elements elements
outlining/summarizing the skill indicators
Strategies/Tips 0 - 1.9 2 - 2.9 3-4
Letter outlines 4 clear and meaningful strategies/tips for none or few Some of the Most or all
parents (2 strategies per skill) that support kindergarten of the required of the
development (in relation to targeted skills) required elements required
elements elements
Activities 0 - 1.9 2 - 2.9 3-4
Letter outlines 2 clear and meaningful activities for parents (1 none or few Some of the Most or all
activity per skill) that support kindergarten development (in of the required of the
relation to targeted skills); Activities include clear instructions required elements required
with materials if applicable and describe the parent’s and elements elements
child’s role.
Resources 0 - 2.9 3 - 4.9 5-6
Letters offers four resources (2 resources per skill) that none or few Some of the Most or
clearly assist parents with kindergarten development (in of the required all of the
relation to the targeted skill); Resources include a title with required elements required
a brief explanation; Resources are easily accessible with elements elements
links if applicable.
Communication to Parents/Layout, Visuals, Font, Headings 0 - 4.9 5 - 7.9 8 - 10
Newsletter looks like a newsletter; Newsletter is user none or few Some of the Most or
friendly; informative/helpful for parents; easy to read; of the required all of the
organized; uses colour, visuals, headings, appropriate font required elements required
size etc elements elements
Conventions & APA Format (In-Text Citations & References) 0 - 0.9 1 - 1.4 1.5 - 2
Letter is clearly written with no spelling or grammar errors; none or few Some of Most or all
In-text citations were embedded within the letter in APA of the the of the
format; Reference list is included and in APA format required required required
elements elements elements