1.2: Why It Matters

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Quality interactions have a positive influence on children’s ability to learn (Hamre et al., 2013) and can be the primary driver of development in both formal and informal learning environments, e. g., preschool classrooms and library programs (Rutter and Maughan, 2002). In over 200 research studies, children had better social and academic outcomes when they were in Head Start preschool classrooms with higher CLASS scores; in other words, when they had teachers who consistently engaged in high-quality interactions with them (Hamre et al., 2008). Research findings show the multifaceted benefits of effective adult-child interactions in the three CLASS domains:

Emotional support

Creating a positive, emotionally supportive learning environment can help lower children’s stress levels, reduce behavior problems, and aid in children’s social and cognitive growth (Hatfield et al., 2013; Mashburn et al., 2008; Williford et al., 2013).

Organization of the environment

Children tend to learn more and are better able to regulate their attention and behavior in learning environments that are organized and predictable, especially when consistent behavioral expectations are clearly provided (Emmer and Stough 2001).

Instructional support

Children’s learning outcomes, positive behaviors, attention, and social skills are higher when they receive instructional supports such as a variety of cognitively stimulating activities, rich language, and quality feedback from adults (Williford et al., 2013).