Thank you for your interest in writing for Teaching Young Children (TYC), NAEYC’s magazine for preschool educators. Please review the following guidelines, then complete the TYC article proposal form to describe the article you want to write.
We will acknowledge the receipt of your submission via e-mail. Although we are not able to provide specific feedback on all submissions, we will contact you if your submission is a good match for the current needs and interests of TYC readers. Articles selected for publication are considered a contribution to the profession; authors do not receive fees or royalties. TYC does not accept previously published articles or adaptations of previously published articles, whether published in print or electronic format. We expect that articles have not been simultaneously submitted to other publications.
- The submission process
- Writing guidelines
- Photograph submission guidelines
- Article proposal form
- Online activity form
The submission process
The following table illustrates the steps and corresponding time frames for those interested in publishing articles in TYC.
Those interested in submitting an activity for publication should complete an online activity form. The TYC editorial team will acknowlegde reciept of the form 5–7 business days and will notify whether the activity has been accepted in 8–16 weeks.
Step |
Time frame |
Proposal submission. Potential authors complete then submit an article proposal form. |
N/A |
Proposal received. The TYC editorial team acknowledges receipt of the proposal via e-mail. |
The editorial team will respond in 5–7 business days. |
Proposal decision. The editorial team decides whether the proposal meets the needs of TYC. Authors receive one of the following notifications via e-mail:
|
The editorial team will provide a decision in 8–16 Weeks. |
Article submission. Authors who recieve accept notifications for their proposals develop and submit their articles to TYC. |
Authors have 6 months to submit their articles. |
Article recieved.The editorial team acknowledges reciept of the article via e-mail. |
The editorial team will respond in 5–7 business days. |
Article decision. The editorial team decides whether the article meets the needs of TYC. Authors will recieve one of the following notifications via e-mail:
|
The editorial team will provide a decision in 12–16 weeks. |
Article published. The article appears in an issue of TYC. |
When planning individual TYC issues, the editorial team considers the content, style, topic, and length of each article. It is difficult to determine in advance the exact publication date of an article, but generally articles are published 6–24 months after acceptance. |
Writing guidelines
Articles published in TYC are not subject to external peer-review; they are reviewed by the TYC editorial team. TYC does not accept previously published articles or adaptations of previously published articles, whether published in print or electronic format. We expect that articles have not been simultaneously submitted to other publications.
Please consider the following guidelines when developing material for submission.
Content
- Include your firsthand experiences working with preschool children and their families.
- Provide specific, practical, research-based, and developmentally appropriate tips and strategies for preschool educators.
- Present information that reflects the current knowledge base in early childhood education.
Focus
Because TYC articles are short, it is important to pick a topic that you can cover thoroughly yet still stay within the word limit. To achieve this:
- First, identify the broad, overarching topic. For example, you may want to write about literacy, dual language learners, or science.
- Once you have identified the broad topic, think about how you can narrow it to focus on specific strategies for preschool professionals and children.
The following table shows the most appropriate publication format for broad versus narrow topics, with the last row illustrating an appropriate focus for a TYC article.
| Topic | Length needed to cover this topic thoroughly | Best format | Example |
| Literacy teaching strategies for young children | 100,000+ words | Book | Building Literacy with Love: A Guide for Teachers and Caregivers of Children from Birth to Age 5 by Betty S. Bardige and Marilyn M. Segal |
| Developing and planning effective read-alouds for young children | 3,000–6,000 words | Young Children article | The Power of Planning: Developing Effective Read-Alouds by Margaret Shedd and Nell Duke |
| Tips for supporting writing through everyday preschool activities | 400–1,200 words | TYC article | Supporting Writing in Preschool by Janis Strasser and Lisa Mufson Koeppel |
Length
Focus on specific ideas to keep articles brief. One-page articles average 400 words. Longer feature articles are between 750–1,200 words.
Format
- Present information using bullets, subheadings, lists, checklists, and high-resolution photographs, if available. If you have an idea for an infographic (a visual presentation of information), describe what it would include and how it would look. Our designers may be able to produce it.
- Use plain language that is clear, straightforward, and easy for readers to understand.
For more information about writing style, please review NAEYC's Plain Language Tips or go to www.plainlanguage.gov.
Photograph submission guidelines
- Authors are encouraged to submit with their articles high-resolution photographs that convey key messages and communicate other information related to the topic of the article. Please review the Photograph Submission Guidelines for more information.
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In addition to photos that accompany article submissions, TYC authors can submit photos that demonstrate developmentally appropriate practice. These may be selected for inclusion in another article in a later issue or in the Picturing Good Practice feature.
