Early Childhood Educator Competencies
INTRODUCTION
As an early childhood educator, demonstrating a set of core competencies is essential to providing high-quality education and care. The Children’s Learning Institute outlines these key competencies, which are part of the Texas Early Childhood Professional Competency-Based Recognition Pathway. Demonstrating excellence in early childhood education requires mastering various competencies related to the profession. We aim to provide guidance for professionals seeking resources and relevant training topics.
COMPETENCIES
The Core Competencies are important to the early childhood field of practice. Core competencies refer to the essential concepts, skills, and abilities that early childhood educators should learn, understand, and be able to demonstrate. These competencies are designed to equip early childhood educators with the knowledge and skills necessary to foster a nurturing and effective learning environment for young children. For more resources on a competency, select a credential below to see a list of observable competencies within each area.
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CHILD DEVELOPMENT: DOMAINS, STAGES, AND MILESTONES
Planning Across Developmental Domains
(E1.1.12)
CHILDREN WITH IDENTIFIED SPECIAL NEEDS
Special Needs and Disability Rights
(E1.3.3)
CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND EQUITY
Nurturing Children as Individuals
(E6.1.2)
CURRICULUM AND STANDARDS
Modifying and Extending Lessons
(E3.2.10)
DEVELOPMENT THROUGH PLAY
Designing and Adapting Play Areas
(E1.5.9)
DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE GUIDANCE: SUPPORTING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Choice-Making and Consequences
(E2.2.21)
Individualized Guidance Approaches
(E2.2.19)
Spotting Tension, Guiding Consequences
(E2.2.20)
EMERGENT LITERACY: READING AND WRITING
Strategies for Dual Language Learners
(E4.3.13)
Supporting Early Literacy
(E4.3.12)
INFLUENCES ON DEVELOPMENT: BIOLOGY, FAMILIES, ENVIRONMENT, CULTURE, AND STRESS
Families as Primary Influence
(E1.4.2)
Using Parent Insights
(E1.4.4)
Stress and Child Development
(E1.4.3)
LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION: LISTENING, SPEAKING, AND VOCABULARY OBSERVABLE COMPETENCIES
Supporting Language Development
(E4.2.16)
RELATIONSHIPS WITH CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
Sharing Family Experiences
(E7.2.1)
Home-to-School Transition
(E7.2.3)
Planning Family Sharing Activities
(E7.2.4)
RELATIONSHIPS WITH INDIVIDUAL CHILDREN: SECURITY, WARMTH, AND RESPONSIVENESS
Fairness and Respect
(E2.1.5)
Matching Response Styles to Children
(E2.1.16)
SCAFFOLDING AND COMMUNICATION-BASED STRATEGIES: SUPPORTING COGNITIVE AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT
Scaffolding Downward
(E2.4.9)
Scaffolding Upward
(E2.4.10)
Questioning to Inform Instruction
(E2.4.11)
SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: SELF-CONCEPT, BEHAVIOR REGULATION, EMOTIONAL CONTROL, ATTENTION, AND SOCIAL SKILLS
Assessment-Based Instruction
(E4.1.18)
SOCIAL STUDIES
Roles in Family and Community
(E4.6.2)
SUPPORTING DUAL LANGUAGE LEARNERS
Basic Vocabulary for ELL Children
(E6.2.2)
Visual Supports for ELL Children
(E6.2.3)
TYPICAL AND ATYPICAL DEVELOPMENT
Normal Range of Development
(E1.2.5)