California Preschool Learning Foundations - ECEZero2Three ...

ing task. This is another reason the
examples should be used for illustrative
purposes only. Indeed, the variability
in children’s temperamental
qualities, for instance, means that
different children will display skills
relevant to each social-emotional
foundation in individual ways, thus
requiring care and sensitivity in the
application of these foundations. It is
important that the individual characteristics
of a child, the child’s family,
and their background be considered
seriously in determining how the
foundations relate to the child.
Indeed, the variability in children’s
temperamental qualities, for instance,
means that different children will
display skills relevant to each
social-emotional foundation in
individual ways, thus requiring
care and sensitivity in the application
of these foundations.
Children in California are particularly
diverse in their culture of origin.
Culture is associated with family values
and practices, language, and other
characteristics that are directly related
to the meaning of these foundations
and their application to individual children,
especially children who are from
underrepresented groups, English
learners, or from special populations.
Although the developmental research
literature is rich in studies of English-speaking,
middle-class European-
American children, there is, unfortunately,
a dearth of studies focusing on
children who speak other languages
and have other backgrounds. The few
studies that do exist are often so specific
to children from particular backgrounds
or circumstances as to be of
limited generalizability. With culture
California Department of Education • Preschool Learning Foundations, Volume 1
in mind, a number of important studies
were enlisted in the preparation of
these foundations (e.g., Cabrera and
Garcia-Coll 2004; Fitzgerald and others
2003; Hughes and Chen 1999;
Hughes and others 2006; Johnson
2005; and Johnson and others 2003).
But it is clear that much more study is
needed.
The lack of adequate research literature
on the social-emotional development
of preschoolers who are English
learners or from backgrounds other
than European-American should be
considered when using these foundations
because they may be of uncertain
applicability to such children.
The use of language as an indicator
of social or emotional competency,
for example, may be very different as
applied to English learners, especially
when they are observed in play groups
with predominantly English-speaking
children or are being observed by an
English-speaking teacher. The range of
social relationships on which children
can depend may be influenced by the
cultural context of the child’s development
as well as the dominant language
of the adults and children at home.
For some children, language can be
socially isolating. Certain social and
emotional themes in this section, such
as “Initiative in Learning,” may be
limited in application to children from
cultural backgrounds that discourage
the kind of assertiveness typical
of middle-class, English-speaking
children in the same preschool program
or setting. It is important, then,
to acknowledge that the research
literature providing a basis for these
foundations draws on populations
of children that vary widely in their
diversity and, thus, must be considered
carefully.
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SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT