Research

TELL was developed to meet the needs of all preschoolers based on research findings about the need for high quality preschool curricula and known characteristics of high-quality preschool programs.

The Need for High-Quality Preschool Curricula

Achievement Gap

There are sustained and persistent achievement gaps in the reading skills of children from more- versus less-advantaged backgrounds (NAEP, 2019). Over the past 20 years gaps between poor White students and their poor Black and Hispanic peers grew (Paschall, Gershoff & Kuhfeld, 2018).

Promise of Preschool

Preschool can have positive, long lasting effects for all children (Schweinhart, 2013).

Promise of High Quality Preschool Programs

Children from economically disadvantaged families may benefit more from high quality preschool programs than their peers from higher SES families.

Characteristics of High-Quality Preschool Programs

Responsive Teaching & High Quality Environment

Offer a variety of learning opportunities (Mashburn & Pianta, 2010; Pianta, LaParo & Hamre, 2008).

Implementation of Empirically-Based Curricula

Include sufficient ‘active ingredients’ to positively impact children’s language, literacy, social, and cognitive skills (Diamond et al., 2013).

Differentiated Instruction

Teaching matches children’s developmental levels.

Effective Professional Development

Aligned to desired child outcomes (Pianta et al., 2009).