Presented by Mary-Margaret Gardiner, CLASS Specialist, Teachstone Training; and Sarah Hadden, Ph.D., Senior Advisor, Research and Professional Services, Teachstone Training
Sponsored by Teachstone

Watch the Recording

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For many years, early educators have been guided by key research that identified a significant “word gap” between advantaged children and their less advantaged peers, leading many to believe that the key to promoting language rests in exposing children to voluminous numbers of words. However, recent research shows that the quality of the language that children hear is every bit as important as the quantity of the words they hear.

The goal of this edWebinar is to help you understand the importance of engaging in true conversations with children—conversations that are engaging because they are of interest to the child. Presenters from Teachstone Training review research on the importance of adult-child interactions in promoting language and discuss how effective interactions, as described in the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS; Pianta, LaParo, & Hamre, 2008), support those rich and varied language experiences that are critical to language development. Gain information about supporting children’s language through your responsive, moment-to-moment interactions with them.

This recorded session is designed for pre-K through grade three teachers, literacy coaches, and administrators.

About the Presenters
Mary-Margaret Gardiner is a CLASS Specialist for Teachstone. She has been in the early childhood community for over 35 years, driven by her passion to support the teachers who work with our most valuable asset, our children. She joined Teachstone in 2010 and has been a CLASS convert since the early days before Teachstone was even started!

Sarah Hadden, Ph.D. is the senior advisor for research and professional services at Teachstone Training. In that role, she works to ensure that Teachstone’s programs for improvements in ECE and K-12 education are grounded in research and delivered in ways that reflect best practices for adult learning. Prior to joining Teachstone, Sarah worked extensively on the development and implementation of both MyTeachingPartner (MTP) and the National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education(NCRECE), two large scale studies at the University of Virginia that used the CLASS as the basis for professional development. As a former teacher and teacher educator, Sarah is particularly interested in translating research into practice

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As the trusted leader in CLASS-driven measurement and professional development, Teachstone has the proven expertise schools need to nurture better academic and social-emotional outcomes, one classroom at a time. With decades of early childhood education research as a foundation, we offer products and programs that help schools unlock the potential of great teachers, boost student outcomes, and create a culture of sustained excellence.