Building Culturally and Linguistically Competent Services to Support Young Children, Their Families, and School Readiness: A Toolkit
Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development,
Washington DC. (2004).  With funding from the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
K. S. Hepburn.

“This tool kit defines cultural and linguistic competence and provides guidance, tools, and resources that will assist communities in building culturally and linguistically competent services and practices related to young children and families. The text offers critical questions for communities; key strategies for families, providers, and administrators; promising practice examples; and annotated resources. It supports a holistic approach by encouraging cultural and linguistic competence across all systems that serve young children and their families so children can enter school ready to learn.”
Full text:  http://gucchd.georgetown.edu/object_view.html?objectID=3898


CLAS Review Guidelines
(Primarily for Materials for Young Children but Generalize to Other Ages)

Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services.
Early Childhood Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

“Because selecting appropriate materials is so important -- and so difficult –(CLAS suggests) that you first get to know your audience.   One way to do that is to get to know yourself and how you differ from the families and children whom you serve.  . . . Based on the work of the CLAS Institute, CLAS has developed a series of Review Guidelines to help practitioners select culturally and linguistically appropriate materials” in 17 different instructional and related areas.”
CLAS Review Guidelines: http://clas.uiuc.edu/review/index.html

Contemporary American Indian Cultures in Children’s Picture Books
Beyond the Journal: Young Children on the Web. (2005).   National Association for the Education of Young Children, Washington DC.  L. C. Roberts, E. Dean, & M. Holland

The authors (a) discuss inaccurate depictions of American Indians in books for small children; (b) provide guidelines for choosing books; and (c) include a list or recommended books for children in PreK to grade 1.
Full Text:
http://www.journal.naeyc.org/btj/200511/Roberts1105BTJ.asp

Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Approaches to Parent-Infant Interaction
Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS), University of Illinois
 at Urbana-Champaign. (2001).  J. A. McCollum & T. J. Yates.

Zero to Three, Washington DC. (2004).

This excerpt summarizes the benefits of cultural continuity between school and home experiences for culturally diverse young children, and the consequences of lack of continuity.  It also offers several suggestions for simple steps and activities for teachers.
Excerpt:
http://www.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_key_edu_culture
Citation for source:  Day, M., & Parlakian, R. (2004).  How culture shapes social-emotional development: Implications for practice in infant-family programs.  Washington, DC: Zero to Three.

Culturally and Linguistically Sensitive Practices in Motor Skills Intervention for Young Children
Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS),
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. (2000). 
Y. Baghwanji, R. M. Santos, & S. A. Fowler.

Diversity and School Readiness: Papers
The Build Initiative, Denver, Colorado. (2007)

“In December 11-12, 2007 the Build Initiative hosted a meeting of partners with a focus on Diversity and School Readiness. The meeting was funded by the Heinz Endowments and the Annie E. Casey Foundation with significant support and participation from the National Black Child Development Institute and the National Council of La Raza.”  Now the Build Initiative has made available a large number of excellent conference papers organized in four categories: (a) framing issues and marketing strategies for equity and diversity in early childhood; (b) building cultural competence in child development practices and early learning standards; (c) building a diverse and culturally competent early childhood workforce; and (d) sharing power and expertise.
Full texts – 18 papers and associated materials:
http://www.buildinitiative.org/diversityandschoolreadiness.html


Embracing Identities in Early Childhood Education: Diversity and Possibilities

Teachers College Press, Columbia University, New York City. (2001).
S. Grieshaber & G. Cannella (Eds.).

“Drawing on the work of early childhood teachers and teacher educators, this volume provides examples of creative ways in which practitioners and theorists are rethinking their work.  Grounded in principles of equity, difference, and the recognition of racial, ethnic and sexual diversity, the book opens possibilities for thought and action. The contributors provide a range of thinking, theorizing, and practical applications on topical issues in the field such as: (a) issues of equity and fairness in observing young children; (b) gender identities in the early years; (c) working with non-traditional families; (d) multiple views of children, care, and classroom knowledge.”
For purchase:    http://store.tcpress.com/0807740780.shtml

Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. (2000).  A. H. Haines, E. W. Lynch, & P. J. Winton.

“This chapter (a) describes the current status of cultural and linguistic diversity in the early intervention workforce, (b) discusses the issues of preparing a diverse workforce from an individual, program, and systems level, and (c) recommends practices and strategies.”
Full text:  http://clas.uiuc.edu/techreport/tech3.html

National Center for Cultural Competence. (Revised 2005).
Center for Child and Human Development, Georgetown University, Washington DC.

This simple checklist presents fifteen things that personnel can do to provide culturally responsive physical environment, materials, and resources in early intervention and early childhood settings.  Teachers and others can rate the frequency with which they do the things on the checklist.  Also see many other papers from this source, primarily on health topics.
The checklist – Scroll down:  Also see related reports
http://www11.georgetown.edu/research/gucchd/nccc/resources/publicationstitle.html#P

Teaching and Learning in a Diverse World: Multicultural Education for Young Children
Teachers College Press, Columbia University, New York City. (2004). P. G. Ramsey

“Now in its third edition, this classic text continues to define what multicultural education means in all kinds of settings. . . . (The author) guides teachers in helping children make sense of their complex world by becoming curious, critical, and compassionate learners. 
Focusing on current research and practical applications for the classroom, the Third Edition features: (a) suggestions for incorporating a multicultural perspective in day-to-day interactions with children; (b) deeper explorations of the connections among all aspects of social justice work; and (c) reflections on assumptions underlying developmental theories and educational practices. . . . An updated appendix lists suggested books for children.”
For purchase:    http://store.tcpress.com/0807745049.shtml


The Role of State Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems in Promoting Cultural Competence and Effective Cross-Cultural Communication
Center for Healthier Children, Families, and Communities,
University of California, Los Angeles. (2005)
H. Sareen, D. Viesncio, S. Russ, & N. Halfon.

“Despite major policy-driven and technological advances in health care, health disparities across different races and ethnicities persist.  This report, geared toward State Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems grantees, explores what it means for services to be culturally competent and how to work toward enhanced levels of competence.”
Click at the upper left for the full text:
http://eric.ed.gov:80/ERICWebPortal/custom/portlets/recordDetails/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED496810&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=ED496810

This is a “short, easy-to-read, ‘how to’ information packet on a variety of evidence-based practices, strategies, and intervention procedures. . . . (It includes) examples and vignettes that illustrate how practical strategies might be used in a variety of early childhood settings.”
Full text:  http://www.vanderbilt.edu/csefel/briefs/wwb2.html

Walking the Walk:  A Guide to Diversity Resources for Trainers
FPG Child Development Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. (2004).
C. Catlett, P. J. Winton, & S. E. Hamel.