Federal funding for this website ended in 2003, therefore few materials have been added since that time. Fortunately, there is continued interest in culturally and appropriate materials, curriculum, and programs. Because of this, we have allowed this site to remain as an archive. Please feel free to use this site, but recognize that it is no longer current.
It is important to realize that no material is likely to match the exact needs of individuals in your community. Therefore, in many instances, you may wish to make some simple adaptations to the materials before using them.
A separate set of Review Guidelines is available to help select materials that have been translated from one language to another. In addition, other suggestions for choosing materials are available on the CLAS Web site (http://clas.illinois.edu). It is our hope that you may use these Review Guidelines to engage in meaningful dialogue with families and colleagues in your community, as you decide which materials to use in your early childhood setting.
Effectiveness
of Presentation
Please respond to all that apply.
Clarity
- Is the purpose of the material clear?
- Is the presentation of the information easy to follow?
- If there are directions on how to use the material, are they clearly stated?
- Does the material include an effective explanation of technical terms or jargon?
- Does the language in the material acknowledge diversity (e.g., family structures, multi-generations, disabilities, gender, ethnicity, socio-economic status, religion, etc.)?
- Is the format (e.g., print, audio, video, etc.) appropriate for the intended users of this material?
- Are contact agencies or persons for accessing additional information or support easily identifiable?
Comprehension Level
- Easy = mainly simple sentences with minimal or no technical jargon;
- Average = a mix of simple and complex sentences with some technical jargon (e.g., USA Today);
- Difficult = mainly complex sentences with a lot of technical jargon or discipline-specific terms (e.g., College-level text or New York Times).
- For printed materials, the reading level of the material is:
Easy | Average | Difficult | N/A - For video and audio materials, the comprehension level of the material
is:
Easy | Average | Difficult | N/A
Graphics, Illustrations and Photos
Do the graphics:
- Represent a non-stereotypical view of cultural (e.g., contemporary dress) and linguistic groups?
- Represent a wide variety of groups (e.g., disabilities, gender, race, generation)?
- Enhance the materials (e.g., photo prints and designs are appropriate and of high quality)?
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Establishing a Healthy Relationship Between Providers and Families
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To what extent does…
- The material emphasize the importance of providers and families establishing a comfortable relationship prior to identifying, assessing, and addressing a child’s developmental needs (e.g., understanding values and beliefs)?
- The material acknowledge the importance of employing service providers who respect and are knowledgeable about the cultures and languages of the families served?
- The material encourage the provision of services in the families’ preferred language or through the assistance of a qualified translator/ interpreter who can serve as a cultural mediator?
- The material acknowledge the importance of providers and families sharing information on an ongoing basis about the child’s current level of emotional/social development?
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Intervention Strategies
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To what extent …
- Does the material acknowledge potential cultural variations in emotional/social behaviors, expectations, and strategies?
- Are variations in expectations for social interaction identified across settings?
- Do assessments found in the material consider the influence of language proficiency and cultural variations (e.g., some children may not speak English, so modifications may be necessary)?
- Does the material clearly define emotional/social skills to be taught and a rationale for their importance?
- Are clear procedures for implementing the intervention provided?
- Is the material practical? Are activities designed to be easily implemented within early education programs or families’ homes?
- Does the material provide for a variety of intervention strategies that account for diverse learning styles?
- Does the material provide strategies for children to participate in social interaction interventions across multiple settings (e.g., early childhood classroom, home, community playground) with a variety of people (e.g., family members, friends, other children, or community members)?
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Child and Adult Interactions
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To what extent does the material …
- Foster interactions with other children or adults that appear to be enjoyable and fun?
- Describe interventions that include children who are more socially skilled (e.g., initiate interactions, share toys, respond to another child’s initiations) and supportive, responsive adults?
- Encourage a discussion of emotional/social expectations and strategies across home and programs?
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Model Effectiveness
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To what extent does the material …
- Identify potential short-term outcomes for both the caregiver and/or child?
- Identify potential long-term outcomes for both the caregiver and/or child?
- Specify the cultural and linguistic groups with whom the approach has been used?
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Evaluating Impact and Appropriateness of Emotional/Social Strategies
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To what extent does the material …
- Encourage providers to systematically evaluate the appropriateness of the interventions with families based on their changing needs and preferences?
- Suggest ways of ensuring that outcomes are important and meaningful to the families as well as the service providers?
- Include a variety of options for gathering information from families (e.g., interviews, observations, checklists, etc.) that respect families’ cultural and linguistic background and considers families’ level of acculturation?
| The following two questions are intended to deepen the analysis of the ways materials address issues of diversity. In some cases, these issues may have been addressed in the preceding questions. |
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Does the material acknowledge and address complex and sometimes subtle aspects of diversity as they relate to emotional/social development, such as: |
- Power (refers to the division of members of society into levels with unequal access to resources, knowledge, and authority)
- Racism (refers to systems advantage based on race)
- Prejudice (refers to an adverse judgment or opinion based on preconceived beliefs and ideas about different groups)
- Socio-Economic Class (refers to the division of society into levels with unequal wealth and prestige)
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Are there any spoken or unspoken assumptions, values, or beliefs in this material that could conflict with the delivery of culturally and linguistically appropriate services (e.g., assuming all parents view themselves as advocates or equal partners)?
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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign