EARLY LEARNING AND CHILD CARE

This Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) program prepares you to work in a childcare setting with young children and families.

This program consists of a one year certificate followed by another year to complete the diploma.

Graduates of this certificate program provide quality childcare to young children in various settings and are eligible for Child Care Worker certification through Alberta Children and Youth Services.

Graduates of this diploma program provide quality childcare to young children in various settings and are eligible for Child Care Supervisor certification through Alberta Children and Youth Services.

Ninety five percent of graduates of this program find work in their field.

This program has the same course material in 3 credit courses OR in 3 1-credit courses

This program is offered in a variety of delivery options which include:
• full-time delivery, of the 3 credit courses,
• part-time delivery evenings and weekends of the 3 credit courses,
• audio conferencing delivery of the 1 or 3 credit courses,
• online delivery of the 1 credit courses,
• print based home study in 1 credit courses and
• workshop delivery of the 1 credit courses

This program is being offered at our Franklin Station campus. Please visit our website at bowvalleycollege.ca/franklinstation/ for more information

If you have any questions regarding this program please call 403-410-1537

ELCC CERTIFICATE COURSES

• College Success Skills

• Child Development: An Introduction
    - Theories of Child Development
    - Children's Physical and Perceptual Development
    - Children's Cognitive and Language Development

• Health, Safety and Nutrition
    - Health and the Developing Child
    - Creating Safe Environments for the Developing Child
    - Nutrition and the Developing Child

• Introduction to Early Learning and Child Care
    - Professionalism in the Early Learning and Child Care Workforce
    - Educational Programs in Early Learning and Child Care
    - Characteristics of the Early Learning and Child Care Workforce

• Program Planning for Early Learning and Child Care
    - Overview of Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Learning and Child Care
    - Development Appropriate Practice for Infants and Toddlers
    - Development Appropriate Practice for Preschoolers

• Guiding Young Children’s Behaviour
    - Managing Behavioral issues in Early Learning and Child Care
    - Understanding Children’s Emotional Development
    - Understanding Children’s Social Development

• Fundamentals of Written Communication
    - Writing Essentials
    - Forms of Writing
    - Writing for a Purpose

• Interpersonal Relationships and Communication Skills
    - Introduction to Interpersonal Communication
    - Communication and the World Around Us
    - The Role of Communication in Relationships

• Developing Through Play
    - The Importance of Play
    - Play and Development
    - Play-Based Music, Math and Science Education

• Creative Expression in Early Learning and Child Care
    - Creativity Opportunities and Environments in Early Learning and Child Care
    - Art and Development in Early Learning and Child Care
    - Integrating Creativity into Early Learning and Child Care Programs

• Literacy and Curriculum in the Early Years
    - Successful Literacy in Early Learning and Child Care
    - Storytelling in Early Learning and Child Care
    - Literacy, Media and Technology in Early Learning and Child Care

• Early Learning and Child Care Practicum I

• Early Learning and Child Care Practicum II

• Early Learning and Child Care Practicum III

• Introduction to d-Portfolio

• Career Skills Evaluation

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

Please refer to the Bow Valley College Course Guide for further clarification.

Admission Requirements for Regular ELCC Program

• Credit in either English 30-1 or 30-2 or equivalent

OR:
• Successful completion of the General Equivalency Development test (GED) with a standard score of 520 in Language Arts: Reading and Writing

OR:
• Satisfactory Results on the BVC Admissions Test

OR:
• Students who successfully complete the 9, 1 credit Support Strategy Courses in addition to 6 credits in Early Learning and Child Care courses for a total of 15 credits. Students will then be accepted into the Certificate program.

English Language Proficiency Requirements

English Language Proficiency can be demonstrated by:

• Achievement of a TOEFL score of 477-510 on the paper-based test, a score of 180 on the computer-based test, or a score of 53-64 on the internet-based test (iBT)

OR:
• A Canadian Language Benchmark Standard (CLB) of 6

OR:
• Achieving an IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score of 5

OR:
• Successful completion of the English for Academic Purposes 1 (EAP 1) Program at Bow Valley college with a grade of B

SUPPORT STRATEGY COURSES (1 credit each):
    - Sentence Structure and Child Care Vocabulary
    - Verbs, Pronouns and Punctuation
    - Writing Paragraphs and Basic Essays
    - Speaking With Confidence
    - Advocating for Yourself and Others
    - Summaries, Paraphrases, Direct Quotes and Citations
    - Improving Listening, Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills
    - Cultural Biases
    - The Importance of Reading Aloud

Transferability

Graduates of this program may be accepted into:
• Bow Valley College – Early Learning and Child Care Diploma Year 2
• Bow Valley College – Early Intervention Diploma Year 2
• Mount Royal College – Early Learning and Child Care Diploma Year 2
• Lakeland College – Early Learning and Child Care Diploma Year 2
• Medicine Hat College – Early Learning and Child Care Diploma Year 2
• Grand Prairie Regional College - Early Learning and Child Care Diploma Year 2

Some transfer credit is available from:
• Lethbridge Community College
• Medicine Hat College
• Mount Royal College
• Prairie Bible College

ELCC DIPLOMA COURSES

• Child Development Through Observation
    - Child Development: Documentation in all Domains
    - Child Development: Observing, Documenting, and Creating Portfolio
    - Child Development: Communicating, Observations with Families

• Inclusive Care and Education of Young Children
    - The Role of the Early Learning and Child Care Practitioner in Inclusive Care
    - The Inclusive Environment in Early Learning and Child Care
    - Caring for Children with Challenging Behaviours

• Diversity in Early Learning and Child Care Settings
    - Diversity in Early Learning and Child Care Settings
    - Addressing the Diverse Needs of Children
    - The Needs of Immigrant and Refugee Children and Families

• Leadership in Early Learning and Child Care Settings
    - Elements of Quality Early Learning and Child Care Programs
    - Strategies for Achieving Quality Early Learning and Child Care Programs
    - Leadership in Early Learning and Child Care Programs

• Creative Expression: Theory and Practice
    - The Importance of Creativity and Aesthetics in Early Learning Environment
    - Supporting Child Development Through Creativity and Art
    - A Holistic Approach to Creativity

• Issues in Early Learning and Child Care
    - Policy Frameworks in Early Learning and Child Care
    - Societal Perspectives in Early Learning and Child Care
    - Frontline Issues in Early Learning and Child Care

• Family and Society Studies
    - Understanding Families
    - Families Facing Challenges
    - Working With Families

• Caring for Infants and Toddlers
    - Infants – Year One
    - Novice Toddlers – Year Two
    - Experienced Toddlers – Year Three

• Introduction to Out of School Programming
    - School-Age Care: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
    - Development in Middle Childhood
    - Developmentally Appropriate Practice for School-Age Children

• Early Learning and Child Care Practicum IV

• Early Learning and Child Care Practicum V

• One Human Services elective course


Admission Requirements

Refer to Admissions Procedures for Full-Time Programs on page 8
for further clarification.

• Successful completion of a recognized Early Learning and Child Care
certificate or equivalent program
OR:
• Approval of the department

Transferability

Graduates of this program may be accepted into:

• University of Victoria - Bachelor of Arts, Child and Youth Care
• Ryerson University - Bachelor of Arts, Early Childhood Education
• Athabasca University- Bachelor of Human Services

ELCC Challenge Process Overview

Bow Valley College has developed a Prior Learning Assessment Model for each of the certificate and diploma programs to enable those in the field with foreign credentials or related credentials and experience to demonstrate their knowledge and complete required coursework as identified in a gap analysis.

1. Make an appointment through BVC ELCC department to meet with a student advisor to for an interview (phone or face to face) to determine if applicant is able to proceed with Challenge Process

2. Register online or in person

3. Receive materials and information to allow applicant to prep for the exam An individual has 3 months after the receipt of materials to take the exam

4. Arrange to write the 2 exams for certificate OR diploma:
    a. ELCC exam part A (3 hours)
    b. ELCC exam part B (3 hours)

5. Complete integrative assignment and submit. Individuals are provided with 4 scenarios that they take home and have a week to prepare for. They return for the Case Study portion of the Challenge Process and randomly draw one of the scenarios. They then write/present, etc. on site. The integrative assignment assesses Written Communication and Interpersonal Communication as well as ELCC content.

6. Meet with student advisor to go over results and gap analysis

7. Complete required courses identified in the gap analysis

8. Complete practicum requirements (200 hours)

Bow Valley College requires a GPA of 2.0 for graduation. In order to complete the challenge process applicants must not fail any component, must pass practicum with a C+, and must have an overall GPA of 2.0.

Remember that each one credit course within the Challenge exam is represented. There is, in fact, no final mark for the challenge exam – it is a mark per course.

For further information on this process please contact 403-410-1474