CONWAY, S.C. (WBTW & PRESS RELEASE)- Coastal Carolina University announced plans this week to launch a new Early Childhood Education program that will include a full-day kindergarten and half-day programs for 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds.

The Department has operated the Chanticleer Center for Literacy since 2012 but will now be combined with the Early Childhood Lab School.

“The big difference is now we have is this facility houses both our Literacy Center and Child Development. So they’ll be able to collaborate more closely about different curricula, different opportunities for student learning but also for research,” Dr. Ed Jadallah, dean of the College of Education said.

The program will also focus on curriculum that will challenge the students in a different way.

“In a project-based curriculum, students go from reading the nonfiction book or being read to, to actually building structures or blocks and being able to manipulate and so that’s more developmentally appropriate.”

Children in the lab school will learn Spanish and English in the project-based kindergarten and preschool. These types of programs are offered in other parts of the country, but the CCU initiative will be the first in this region.

“So, the opportunity to not only learn their own language but also to have their native language accommodated. Especially in Horry County, for example where there’s a large Hispanic population. It’s going to be a very significant part of this Child Development Center.”

Dr. Jadallah says the department will hire three full-time instructors for the three classrooms that will have a maximum of 20 children enrolled in each level. In addition, students in CCU’s early childhood education program will have the opportunity to be involved in the program.

The center will provide options for faculty, staff and students to have their children on campus for education and development.

The early childhood lab is scheduled to open the spring semester of 2017, upon the completion of renovations to Kingston Hall, the campus building where the center will be located.