The ELM Curriculum includes an extensive set of resources designed to support high-quality use of the curriculum. The resources are central to ELM’s five-step training plan to help users implement ELM effectively.
A core component of ELM’s training resources is its User Guides: one for classrooms serving children birth to 36 months and one for classrooms serving children 3–5 years of age. Each User Guide describes the key characteristics and development of ELM; summarizes research evidence on best practices and foundation skills; includes sequence charts of skills and learning goals; and provides guidance on how to use ELM resources. Users of ELM are strongly urged to read the age-appropriate User Guide before implementing the curriculum.
The table of contents for the ELM Curriculum User Guide: Birth-36 Months can be found here: Birth - 36 Months Table of Contents.
The table of contents for the ELM Curriculum User Guide: 3-5 years can be found here: 3-5 Years Table of Contents.
The ELM Activity Observation Checklist provides a systematic approach to observing how direct care staff use an ELM activity plan and support child-initiated explorations that may occur after an ELM activity. The checklist may be used by classroom staff for deepening their understanding of best practices in implementing an ELM activity plan.
The ELM Curriculum includes six training lessons: three for Training & Curriculum Specialists/Managers and three for Direct Care Staff. The training lessons review, supplement, and enhance information available in the two User Guides. The lessons offer additional examples of curriculum use and ways to strengthen understanding of ELM.
The training lessons for training & curriculum specialists and managers offer guidance on how to introduce ELM to direct care staff, including the five steps basic training plan; ways to support direct care staff in making adaptations and individualizing learning experiences for children; and approaches to coaching direct care staff on effective use of ELM, including providing feedback using the ELM Activity Observation Checklist described above.
The training lessons for direct care staff provide an overview of the ELM Curriculum, including its development, key characteristics, and resources for direct care staff; ways to effectively use ELM activity plans, including making adaptations to meet children’s needs; and approaches to observing, assessing, and individualizing children’s learning experiences, including using ELM Guides for Observing and Individualizing.