Section 235.APPENDIX C   Illinois Early Learning Guidelines – Children from Birth to Age 3

The Illinois Early Learning Guidelines – Children from Birth to Age 3 are broad statements that provide parents, teachers and caregivers useful information about a child's growth and development.

Self-Regulation:  Foundation of Development

Physiological Regulation:  Children demonstrate the emerging ability to regulate their physical processes in order to meet both their internal needs and external demands in accordance with social and cultural contexts.

Emotional Regulation:  Children demonstrate the emerging ability to identify and manage the expression of emotion in accordance with social and cultural contexts.

Attention Regulation:  Children demonstrate the emerging ability to process stimuli, focus and sustain attention, and maintain engagement in accordance with social and cultural contexts.

Behavior Regulation:  Children demonstrate the emerging ability to manage and adjust behaviors in accordance with social and cultural contexts.

Social and Emotional Development

Attachment Relationships:  Children form secure attachment relationships with caregivers who are emotionally available, responsive and consistent in meeting the children's needs.

Emotional Expression:  Children demonstrate an awareness of and the ability to identify and express emotions.

Relationship with Adults:  Children demonstrate the desire and develop the ability to engage, interact and build relationships with familiar adults.

Self-Concept:  Children develop identity of self.

Relationship with Peers:  Children demonstrate the desire and develop the ability to engage and interact with other children.

Empathy:  Children demonstrate an emerging ability to understand someone else's feelings and to share in the emotional experiences of others.

Physical Development and Health

Gross Motor:  Children demonstrate strength, coordination and controlled use of large muscles.

Fine Motor:  Children demonstrate the ability to coordinate their small muscles in order to move and control objects.

Perceptual:  Children demonstrate the ability to distinguish, process and respond to sensory stimuli in their environment.

Self-Care:  Children demonstrate the desire and ability to participate in and practice self-care routines.

Language Development, Communication and Literacy

Social Communication:  Children demonstrate the ability to engage and maintain communication with others.

Receptive Communication:  Children demonstrate the ability to comprehend both verbal and nonverbal communication.

Expressive Communication:  Children demonstrate the ability to understand and convey thoughts through both nonverbal and verbal expression.

Early Literacy:  Children demonstrate interest in and comprehension of printed materials.

Cognitive Development

Concept Development:  Children demonstrate the ability to connect pieces of information in understanding objects, ideas and relationships.

Memory:  Children demonstrate the ability to acquire, store, recall and apply past experiences.

Spatial Relationships:  Children demonstrate an awareness of how objects and people move and fit in space.

Symbolic Thought:  Children demonstrate the understanding of concepts, experiences and ideas through symbolic representation.

Creative Expression:  Children demonstrate the ability to convey ideas and emotions through creative expression.

Logic and Reasoning:  Children demonstrate the ability to use knowledge, previous experiences, and trial and error to make sense of and have an impact on their world.

Quantity and Numbers:  Children demonstrate awareness of quantity, counting and numeric competencies.

Science Concepts and Exploration:  Children demonstrate a basic awareness of and use scientific concepts.

Safety and Well-Being:  Children demonstrate the emerging ability to recognize risky situations and respond accordingly.

Approaches to Learning

Curiosity and Initiative:  Children demonstrate interest and eagerness in learning about their world.

Problem-Solving:  Children attempt a variety of strategies to accomplish tasks, overcome obstacles, and find solutions to tasks, questions and challenges.

Confidence and Risk-Taking:  Children demonstrate a willingness to participate in new experiences and confidently engage in risk-taking.

Persistence, Effort and Attentiveness:  Children demonstrate the ability to remain engaged in experiences and develop a sense of purpose and the ability to follow through.

Creativity, Inventiveness and Imagination:  Children demonstrate the ability to use creativity, inventiveness and imagination to increase their understanding and knowledge of the world.

(Source:  Added at 39 Ill. Reg. 6674, effective April 27, 2015)