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Abecedarian Approach

The Abecedarian Approach is a set of strong teaching and learning strategies. It is not a curriculum, but it can be used within many existing curricula or even without a curriculum. The approach consists of four pillars. Each pillar is one way of looking at adult-child interactions. In the Abecedarian Approach, interactions occur intentionally, individually, and frequently. If the adults are educators, they have written plans. If they are parents, the “plans” may be more informal. This allows the adults to engage in the activities intentionally and focusing on individual children. Most of the interactions are performed one-on-one (or one adult to two children when the children are developmentally ready) allowing the adult to tailor content and responses to the child’s individual needs. Each of the elements of the Abecedarian Approach is incorporated into the child’s day multiple times, the repetition providing many opportunities for practice.

The pillars of the Abecedarian Approach (Language Priority, Conversational Reading, Interaction Games, and Enriched Caregiving) can be used in child development centers, classrooms, family day care, play groups, and home visits – and can provide a link between these service components. In the Abecedarian Studies, these elements were used in long day care combined with home visits and/or parent groups.

Language Priority. The concept of Language Priority acknowledges the pivotal role of language in the young child’s intellectual and social-emotional development. Although all aspects of development contribute to the child’s later success, nothing is more directly linked to how the child will do in school. In the Abecedarian Approach, educators and parents put language at the top of the list of important things to do. We can remind ourselves of this priority by saying, “Language first!”  We rely on language every day, in verbal and print forms, to convey ideas, information, instructions, feelings, and we use it to socialize, have fun, and be creative as well! In Language Priority, educators and parents emphasize language throughout the day. They respond warmly whenever children make an attempt to “talk” to them. They try to create longer “conversations” with individual children. The 3N Strategy (notice, nudge, narrate) is used to turn any event into an occasion for rich language stimulation.

Enriched Caregiving. The Abecedarian Approach affirms that, in the first five years of life, education and caregiving cannot and should not be thought of as distinctly different activities. The phrase “enriched caregiving” is intended to remind all of us (researchers, parents, caregivers, teachers, and program administrators) that “care” for an infant or young child can and should do several things at once. Care can meet the vital needs that support life and stimulate growth while also being responsive to the individual child’s own preferences, abilities, and life situation. Further, care frequently can be enriched with educational content. Enriched Caregiving is described in the 3C Strategy (care, connection, content) By highlighting the pivotal role of care in the education of young children, the Abecedarian Approach imbues all the child’s day with educational meaning.

Conversational Reading. The next element of the Abecedarian Approach, Conversational Reading, is not like the typical reading of a book where the adult goes through the book reading all the words on each page. It is different because: (1) It goes back-and-forth, like a conversation; (2) It includes spontaneous talk and often does not follow the text of the book; (3) The child (even the youngest) has an important and active role to play. Conversational Reading is modeled on the way parents and children read together rather than the way reading typically occurs in the classroom. Conversational Reading employs the 3S Strategy (see, show, say) to help the adult give prompts in a hierarchical order to the child. In the Abecedarian Approach, every child (age 0-3) is read to individually each day, and pairs of children ages 3-4 are read to each day.

Interaction Games. The Interaction Games (formerly called LearningGames) are a set of individualized, game-like experiences that are shared between an adult and 1 or 2 children. Each child is engaged in at least 1 or 2 gameepisodes per day. The games include many items that are familiar to parents and teachers. can be thought of as “bite-size pieces of learning.” There are 3 types of games: (1) Games that are seamlessly integrated into the routines of caregiving; (2) Games in which the adult joins and enriches in-progress child play; (3) Games in which the adult initiates an interaction, inviting the child to join in. Adults use the 3R Strategy (read, role play, reflect) to become familiar with the games.

Many early years professionals will recognize the Abecedarian elements as being similar to many of the things they are already doing, although they may be using them with groups rather than with one or two children at a time. To raise these practices to the Abecedarian Approach level means doing them individually, intentionally, frequently, and with a plan for each child. Alternatively, educators may choose to use the Abecedarian Approach with only the most vulnerable children in their group.

References

Cao H., Yan S., Cai Z., Li L., Gu C., Tang T., Zhong Y., & Wang S. (2020). Effect of the Abecedarian Approach on the intelligence and physical development of infants. Chinese Journal of Child Health, 28(8), 841-844. https://caod.oriprobe.com/issues/1983390/toc.htmRamey, C.T., Sparling, J., & Ramey, S.L. (2012). Abecedarian: The Ideas, the Approach, and the Findings. Los Altos, CA: Sociometrics Corporation.

Koshyk, J., Wilson, T., Stewart-Tufescu, A., D’Souza, M., Chase, R.M., & Mignone, J. (2020). The ripple effect: Examining the impact on parents of an Abecedarian early child care intervention in an urban social housing development. Journal of Early Childhood Research, 19, 40-54.

Page, J., Cock, M. L., Murray, L., Eadie, T., Niklas, F., Scull, J., & Sparling, J. (2019). An Abecedarian Approach with aboriginal families and their young children in Australia: Playgroup participation and developmental outcomes.International Journal of Early Childhood, 51(2), 233-250. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13158-019-00246-3

Scull, J., Page, J., Cock, M., Nguyen, C., Murray, L., Eadie, P., Sparling, J. (2021). Developing and validating a tool to assess young children’s early literacy engagement. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F18369391211009696

Sparling, J., Meunier, K., & Campbell, F. L’approche Abecedarian, In Les Programmes de Prévention et Développement de l’Enfant. Tarabulsy, G.M., Poissant, J., Saïas, T., & Delaware, C., Eds.; Les Presses de l’Université du Québec: Quebec City, Canada, 2019; pp. 45-91. https://www.puq.ca/catalogue/livres/programmes-prevention-developpement-enfant-2991.html

Sparling, J. & Meunier, K. (2019). Abecedarian: An early childhood education approach that has a rich history and a vibrant present. International Journal of Early Childhood, 51(2), 207-216. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13158-019-00247-2.

Sparling, J., Ramey, S.L., & Ramey C.T. (2021). Mental health and social development effects of the Abecedarian Approach. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(13):6997. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18136997

Stevens, H., Santos, R., Jonasson, S., Young, C., Mann, S., Sass, C., Sanderson, J., Jamieson, J., D’Souza, M., Meunier, K., & Sparling, J. (2019). The Abecedarian Approach in a low-resource urban neighborhood in Canada: An impact evaluation in a child care setting. International Journal of Early Childhood, (51)2, 217-232. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13158-019-00245-4