News
2021
In July 2021, The Sector (an Australian news service on education news) published an article on a chain of child care centers that have "adopted the Abecedarian Approach." The article cites the recent brain imaging study as evidence of the approach's effectiveness. (See the Research section of this site for a link to the scientific article that was the basis for this news report.)
In June 2021, Neuroscience News published an article "50-year Study Shows How Early Learning Shapes the Brain." The article describes a brain imaging study of Abecedarian alumni at about age 40. It shows that those who received the Abecedarian Approach in the early years, especially the males, had improved brain structure. This is the first time such evidence has been published. (See the Research section of this site for a link to the scientific article that was the basis for this news report.)
2020
On August 10, 2020 Goodhousekeeping.com posted an article "There Is No Equality Without Affordable Childcare, but Little Is Being Done About It." This article begins with a description of the Abecedarian Project. It takes a broad policy approach - giving not only the benefits for children, but for families, for racial justice, and for employment.
2019
On October 1, 2019 CareforKids.com.au posted an article called The Abecedarian Approach - Can it really change the world?
In August 2019, the Research in Effective Education in Early Childhood (REEaCh) Hub at the University of Melbourne put out two research briefs summarizing findings from the Victorian Advancing Early Learning (VAEL) study that used the Abecedarian Approach, training, and coaching. Read Research Brief 01 and Research Brief 02.
Three Abecedarian articles appeared in the August 2019 online and print versions of The International Journal of Early Childhood. The first article provides a brief overview of the Abecedarian Approach as well as the research on its effectiveness.
In July 2019, The Sector reported on new Abecedarian Approach training and initiatives in the Northern Territory of Australia.
A new book in French language was released in early February by the Presses de l’Université du Québec (University of Quebec Press) entitled Programmes de prevention et développement de l’enfant (Prevention and Child Development Programs). The second chapter in this book, L’approche Abecedarian, by Joseph Sparling, Kimberly Meunier, and Frances Campbell describes the Abecedarian Approach and gives an up to date summary of the Abecedarian research. This is the first time that a detailed Abecedarian program description and research summary have been readily available to Francophone readers.
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2018
In November 2018, Education Week reported on a new adult follow-up study of the original Abecedarian children. The study shows that the Abecedarian adults have a high commitment to fairness and equal division of resources.
This November 2018 news story, “Pre-school teachings impactful for young children,” reports on a new review published in the journal Child Development Perspectives and uses Abecedarian as a model of an effective program.
Representing AEF, Joseph Sparling and Kimberly Meunier visited Singapore for the week of July 9-13, 2018 to participate in the government’s rollout of a pilot project implementing the Abecedarian Approach for 1,000 children from 2 months to 36 months of age in preschools, home visits, and playgroups. The announcement of the preschool aspect of pilot project appeared in newspapers and on the NewsAsia Cannel evening news in Singapore on July 11.
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2013-2017
This April 2017 news story, “Strong early education equals better long-term relationships with parents, research shows,” reports on the latest Abecedarian research findings to be presented by Craig Ramey at the Society for Research in Child Development.
This 2017 Summary of Abecedarian research in UNC Chapel Hill's Endeavors reviews the success of the program celebrating 45 years of research.
In December 2016, UChicago News ran a story, “Investment in early childhood programs yields robust returns,” highlighting Nobel Prize winning economist James Heckman’s return on investment analysis of 2 of the original Abecedarian research studies.
This short March 2016 report, “Equipping parents with learning activities helps close cognitive development gap between disadvantaged and high-resourced children,” comes from RTI and reports on a research study that used a version of the Abecedarian Approach published as Partners for Learning.
“How Preschool Can Make You Smarter and Healthier,” a Nova Next article on Abecedarian from April 2015.
The Cairns Post article, “New education program shows promise in Mareeba early childhood centres,” from May 2015 reports on Queensland, Australia’s statewide rollout of the Abecedarian Approach.
A May 2015 news story, “Children urged to be seen, and heard,” from The News, Mornington Peninsula describes an Abecedarian pilot project in Australia.
A 2014 New York Times article reviews the long term health effects of the Abecedarian program.
In May 2014 the Sydney Morning Herald published an article entitled, “Joseph Sparling’s Abecedarian Approach – A ground-breaking education project that changed the lives of disadvantaged children in the US is now being repeated in remote Aboriginal communities.”
“Off-the-street smarts – Program improves IQ of Manitoba’s most at-risk kids,” in the Winnipeg Free Press (Canada) in July 2013 looks at the use of the Abecedarian Approach in a Canadian childcare program.
This New York Times op-ed piece by David Brooks ran in February 2013, talks about the importance of early childhood, and cites the Abecedarian Project’s success.