YOUNG CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS UNIT 6 SEMINAR Sarah Barrett, MS Special Education

Checking in….

Welcome to Unit 6 Seminar Our agenda for tonight’s discussion focuses on discussing your role in enabling and empowering families of children with special needs.

Announcements and Updates  Unit 6 Project is due : Tomorrow

Unit 6 Project You will write a letter to the parents of a child “Joey” who has recently demonstrated signs of a possible developmental delay in your preschool environment. *In our unit 6 you can click on an example of a business letter. *Please check the rubric for unit 6 before turning in your letter

WHO WE ARE WRITING ABOUT:  Joey is a three year old child who is showing signs of a language delay. He does not pronounce beginning and ending sounds. Some concerns with his speech and language include: articulation, fluency, word finding, expressive language, receptive language and letter recognition.  During a recent observation, there also seemed to be delays in Joey’s behaviors; social maturity, frustration tolerance, and interaction with peers.

GRADING RUBRIC  Unit 6-Letter about Developmental Delays  Total:125 points  Content 100 points  · Use of sample business letter  · Inclusion of reasoning for the letter to parents (why as the teacher are you concerned?)  · Discussion of concern about the delays (discuss what the signs are, observations, refer to readings about behavior and language)  · Description of support for the parents and the child (where do they go? What happens next?)  · References to the readings/unit material  Mechanics/Structure: 25 points  Spelling, Grammar checked  Clear writing, smooth transitions  Complete sentences (no sentence fragments, run-ons)  Subject/Verb agreement, punctuation, capitalization, etc.  12 point font (Arial or Times New Roman)  Double-spaced  Inclusion of a title page/reference page

SAMPLE Sarah Barrett 1234 E. Chester Dr. Scottsdale, AZ Mr. and Mr. John Doe 1234 E. Sycamore St. Chandler, AZ Dear Mr. and Mrs. Doe, I am a teacher at Chandler Christian Preschool. I love working with Joey and his fellow classmates. I recently have become concerned about Joey’s language development when ……. (list observations…be specific) (use specifics from readings that explain observations of possible delay) In addition, some of the behaviors Joey is displaying in the class raise some concern. He is ….. My hope is that ……… (referral to appropriate services) (work with family and other professionals) Sincerely, Sarah Barrett ***** DO NOT FORGET YOUR TITLE PAGE AND REFERNCES!!!****

Unit 6 Outcomes Describe the importance of partnership with the family of a child with special needs Identify strategies for advocacy on behalf of a child with special needs Explain the importance of empowering families of children with special needs Demonstrate how to write a letter of advocacy on behalf of a child with special needs

Families of Children with Special Needs Parents are the best educators : ature=related

Empower a family with special needs Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) Public Law (IDEA) clearly defines the rights of children with disabilities and their parents. A basic provision of Public Law (IDEA) is the right of parents to participate in the educational decision-making process.

Rights under Public Law (IDEA) The child is entitled to a free, appropriate public education Appropriate means that it meets the unique educational needs of the child. The school must notify the parents if the child needs evaluation or a change in educational placement, or refuses a request for an evaluation or a change in placement. The parent has the right to request an evaluation if they think the child needs special education or related services (Child Development Institute, 2007)

Rights under Public Law (IDEA) The school needs a written parent consent that states the parent understands and agrees in writing to the evaluation and initial special education placement for the child. Parent consent is voluntary and may be withdrawn at any time. Right to obtain an independent evaluation if disagree with the school's evaluation. Right to request a reevaluation if they suspect the child's current educational placement is no longer appropriate. The school must reevaluate the child at least every 3 years, but the child's educational program must be reviewed at least once during each calendar year (Child Development Institute, 2007)

Rights under Public Law (IDEA) The right to request that the child be tested in the natural language An interpreter can be requested for a child that is hearing impaired. The school must communicate with parents in primary language. The parent has the right to review all of the child's records and obtain copies of these records, but the school may charge a reasonable fee for making copies (Child Development Institute, 2007)

Rights under Public Law (IDEA) The right to request a hearing to challenge the questionable information in the child's records. The parent must be fully informed by the school of all the rights provided to parent and child under the law. The parent has the right to participate in the development of the child's Individualized Education Program (IEP) or, in the case of a child under school age, the development of an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP).

Rights under Public Law (IDEA) The school must make every possible effort to notify the parent of the IEP or IFSP meeting and arrange it at a time and place agreeable to the parent. The right to due process (Child Development Institute, 2007).

Role of the Early Childhood Professional Facilitate empowerment for families Respect family choice Appreciate cultural differences Value linguistic differences Communicate effectively with families Recognize you are part of a team to help the child (Allen & Cowdery, 2009).

Ideas to discuss in DB this week  *Have a family fun night at the school  *Cultural food events  *Phone calls home  *Research a families culture  *Tone of voice  *Family involvement/class project  *Learn phrases in the students’ home language  *Learn about the child’s disability/ask questions

Support Parents  Autism Speaks Walk 2009

Advocate for a child or family Recognize that the parent has a long term involvement in the child’s current and future educational processes Understand that parents may be on burn out mode Help parents develop coping strategies Give parents opportunity to share what form of communication works best for them (Allen & Cowdery, 2005).

Advocates for the family and child Stress positives or appreciative comments about the child’s day in front of child and parent Discuss concerns in private Encourage parental observations Encourage involvement in parent support groups Provide home visits and other services as needed (Allen & Cowdery, 2005).

Read : Welcome To Holland  My post in this units discussion board “Welcome to Holland” discusses the importance of understanding where parents are coming from who have children with special needs.

Have a Great Week!  me at :  Sarah

References Allen, E.K., Cowdery, G.E. (2009). The Exceptional Child: inclusion in early childhood education. United States of America: Thompson Delmar Learning Child Development Institute. (2007) Rights and Responsibilities of Parents of Children With Disabilities. Retrieved May 11, 2008 from website link in unit 6 in CE240: Caring for Infants and Toddlers with Special Needs by Kaplan University.