Building Blocks for Including and Teaching Preschoolers with Special Needs Susan Sandall, Ph.D. University of Washington

Objectives Describe the Building Blocks framework Describe the four levels of support Offer examples of planning forms and methods

The Building Blocks model provides a set of educational practices designed to help teachers do a more effective job of including and teaching young children with disabilities and other special needs in early childhood classrooms and settings.

Challenges ECE - lack of specialized training on the skills needed to teach child with special needs ECSE - difficulty in meeting individualized needs within active, busy preschool classroom Consulting teacher - lack of effective, easy-to-use methods to share with classroom teachers

Using the Building Blocks framework can help all children participate, learn, and thrive in their preschool classrooms. Based on the work of the Early Childhood Research Institute on Inclusion.

Building Blocks Can be used with state standards, guidelines or benchmarks Can be used with federal outcomes

The Building Blocks framework can be used with the curriculum that the teacher already uses. Creative Curriculum High/Scope Project Approach AEPS

Quality Early Childhood Program Curriculum modifications & adaptations Embedded Learning Opportunities Child-focused Instructional Strategies

The foundation Quality Early Childhood Program

Safe Engaging Responsive Culturally and linguistically relevant Learning opportunities Positive approaches to guidance Meaningful involvement of families

Quality Early Childhood Program Curriculum Modifications & Adaptations

Teachers and other members of the team make modifications to activities, routines, and learning areas in order to include children with special needs and to enhance their participation.

Curriculum Modifications & Adaptations Environmental Arrangement Materials Modification Simplify the Activity Special Equipment Peer Support Adult Support Child Preferences Invisible Support

Curriculum Modifications Study (Sandall et al., 2000) 13 focus groups Discussed modifications for curriculum areas, learning centers, routines >500 modifications 8 categories Confirmed by experienced teachers and inclusion experts

Environmental Arrangement

Materials modification

Simplify the activity

Special equipment

Peer support

Adult support

Child Preference

Invisible support

Quality Early Childhood Program Curriculum modifications & adaptations Embedded Learning Opportunities Child-focused Instructional Strategies

Complete Learning Trial (CLT) A logically occurring or planned A ntecedent is followed by a B ehavior that leads to a logically occurring or planned C onsequence 25Embedded Instruction for Early Learning

Quality Early Childhood Program Curriculum modifications & adaptations Embedded Learning Opportunities

Teachers create short teaching episodes within ongoing classroom activities and routines. Teaching episodes focus on a child’s individual learning objective.

Minimal changes to classroom activities Motivation to participate and learn should be enhanced Skills are used in natural contexts Skills are used with a variety of people and materials Advantages of ELO

Research Findings Embedded instruction is effective for teaching a variety of valued skills to young children (e.g., Horn et al., 2000). A variety of instructional strategies have been embedded effectively (e.g., McBride & Schwartz, 2003). Embedded instruction seems to enhance generalization (e.g., Wolery et al., 2002).

Research Findings cont’d Teachers assess embedded instruction favorably (e.g., Horn et al., 2000). Teachers differ in the extent to which they can apply embedded instruction within their activities and classrooms (e.g., Filla et al., 1999). Preservice teachers can learn and use embedded instruction in their field experience placements (e.g., Sandall & Davis, 2004)

Results 63 students and children participated Variety of objectives taught; most from cognitive domain 87% of children made progress 42.86% of children achieved objective Diagnosis# Children DD24 Down Syndrome7 Lang/Speech7 Autism21 ADHD2 Typical1 Health1 Total63 Instructional Domain Selected Number Cognitive40 Social10 Social- Communication 11 Gross Motor1 Fine Motor1 Table 2: Number of ELO instructional objectives by domain Table 1: Number of children participating in ELO instruction

Quality Early Childhood Program Curriculum modifications & adaptations Embedded Learning Opportunities Child-focused Instructional Strategies

Child Focused Instructional Strategies Unique learning objective Requires more systematic or more intensive instruction

Getting Started with Building Blocks Assess the quality of the learning environment Plan/revise the schedule Plan for the individual child Clarify the learning objective(s) Construct an activity matrix Develop learning plans Implement and evaluate the plan

Building Blocks Provides a framework for planning and teaching Builds on a quality early childhood setting Provides for individualized levels of support

Quality Early Childhood Program Curriculum modifications & adaptations Embedded Learning Opportunities Child-focused Instructional Strategies