Embedding Interventions and Monitoring Progress Kristie Pretti-Frontczak Kent State University September 2007

Embedding as a Process Children's goals and objectives are addressed in activities by providing multiple and varied learning opportunities that are –integral to the activity –expand the activity in a relevant or meaningful way –modify the activity to accommodate the child in such a way that it continues to capture the meaningfulness of the activity and interest of the child

Embedding as a Verb “To make something an integral part of …” “Embed” is a transitive verb—one requiring a direct object to complete its meaning. Must ask, “What is the direct object?” or “What is being embedded?” –Answer: Learning opportunities across tiers of instruction

Activities and Instruction Universal Instruction III Instruction Targeted Instruction Type of activities and instructional strategies vary in frequency, intensity, and intent

ACTIVITIES The context in which important concepts and skills are addressed, guided by children’s interest during daily routines Examples of daily activities include those that are child-directed (e.g., free play or center-time), routine (e.g., snack or arrival time), or planned (e.g., circle time or art table) Daily activities are designed to integrate concepts and skills from across developmental and content areas

INSTRUCTION Refers to practices, actions, and methods used to deliver the content Quality instruction for young children is grounded in a responsive developmental perspective –Reflects a view of learning in which children create their own knowledge through interactions with the social and physical environment Quality instruction entails: –being responsive to the child as his/her needs and personal preferences which may change across daily activities –understanding the role of adults, peers, and the environment as influences on children’s learning –creating multiple and varied embedded learning opportunities –tiering instruction to meet the needs of all young children across common outcomes, targeted needs, and individual goals

Activity Tiers Things in Common Same concept or skill Whole class activity Begins where students are Some activities in the task may be the same Differences In Amount of structure Number of facets Complexity Pace Level of Independence All Tiers Should Build understanding Challenge students Be interesting and engaging Be”respectful”

Instructional Tiers Common Tier Key Words: all settings, all students, preventive, proactive, core Targeted Tier Key Words: some students (at-risk), high efficiency, rapid response, targeted Prioritized Tier Key Words: intense, durable, of longer duration, high intensity, individualized

Key Roles of the Itinerant Provider Identify what is keeping the child from accessing participating and making progress in daily activities Target individual goals that belong to the child not to particular team members Create embedded learning opportunities across tiers of needs Monitor implementation and progress over time and interpret changes

Sort “Needs” Into Tiers Common Outcomes Particular Skills and Concepts Targeted Needs

Observable Individual Goals Observable behaviors are those that can be seen and/or heard Those which multiple people can agree have occurred The behavior is an action that has a beginning and end

Observable v. High Inference or Cognitive Processes Examples to avoid –Motivation –Attention –Memorization –Visual perception –Motor planning –Comprehension Replacements –Motivated to do what –Difficulty attending to what? –Memorizing or remembering what? –Interpreting which part of what is seen? –Motor planning to do what? –Comprehending what or in what way? Avoid behaviors that are used to infer about another attribute Avoid cognitive processes without carrier content What does the child/student do to make you say that?

Measurable Individual Goals Measurable behaviors ensure that a criterion is used to determine the success of the intervention –Criterion or level of acceptable performance is noted for each behavior

Behaviors: Observable and measurable targets which can be seen or heard and which have a beginning and an end. Behavior is a verb – an action word –Examples StateClassifyDefinePredict SolveEstimateMeasureLocate OrderNameGiveCut Puts onTakes offZipJump PoursCopySelectPlace WalkRemainAnswerLook InitiateSeekMaintainReach –Non Examples IncreasesUnderstandsComprehends Realizes DemonstratesKnowsAppreciates Tries –Gray Area Examples Manipulates (describe how they manipulate) Participates (describe how they participate) Uses (describe how they use)

Dimensions of Behavior Frequency - how often a behavior occurs Latency - how long it takes a child to initiate a behavior once a cue has occurred. Intensity - amount of force with which the behavior occurs. Duration - length of time a given behavior lasts (total duration, duration per occurrence, percent of time) –Endurance - length of time a given behavior can be repeatedly performed. Accuracy - extent to which a child's behavior conforms to criteria/expectations set by the team.

Recommendations Target the underlying patterns Prioritize (use filters) Keep focus on functional attributes –Critical to successful participation –High degree of impact

Embedding Schedules Sometimes called embedding matrixes or activity schedules Designed to identify or create embedded learning opportunities Matrixes can vary –Individual v. groups –Common outcomes, targeted needs, v. III needs –Single skill across activities –Single activity multiple skills Examples frontczak/ frontczak/

Consider the Intersect Boxes Child action? Teacher behavior? Peer action? Skill(s), activities/routines, children

Progress Monitoring Progress Toward Common Outcomes Progress Toward Specific Skills and Concepts Progress Toward Targeted Needs Used to Revise Activities and Instruction Directly Linked to S&S and A&I Progress monitoring practices vary in frequency, intensity, and intent.

Skill Set for Interpreting Gather –Implementation and child data Summarize –Narratives, visuals, nummerically Reconcile –Multiple sources = multiple perspectives Examine –Trends and patterns Compare –Child development, age expectations, child attributes