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Have Fun: Purposeful Routines For Large Group Times
Ron Roybal Positive Early Learning Experiences Center
University of Colorado Denver
Kelly WilsonOffice of Early Childhood
Denver, CO
Objectives
1) Participants will gain an understanding of routines and the key elements for establishing effective routines.
2) Participants will be able to develop routines for arrival, large group and story times.
3) Participants will be able to plan for routines within routines in their environment.
4) Participants will be able to add visual supports that enhance routines and large group engagement, and reduce challenging behavior for all children.
Agenda
1. Define Routines and Visual Systems
2. Schedules
3. Arrival Routines
4. Large Group Time
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Arrival, 3% Classroom jobs, 0.4%
Circle/Large group activity, 20%
Small group activity, 7%
Centers/Indoor play, 13%
Meals, 6%Quiet time/Nap, 8%
Outdoor play, 7%
Special activity/Field trip, 0.1%
Self care/Bathroom, 3%
Transition, 18%
Departure, 4% Clean-up, 4%
Therapy, 0.2%
Individual Activity, 0.3%
Other, 6%
ActivitiesAll Programs
What is Engagement?
Levels Looking
Verbal
Motor
Verbal and Motor
Active
Meaningful
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Routines
What are routines? A course of action
Detailed
Followed regularly
Sequential
Predictable
Promote independence
Where to Start?Classroom
Start with universal environmental systems in your classroom.
Build individual strategies from universal environmental systems. Have plan to fade individual strategies.
2 Levels to Implementation
Universal Environmental Level
• Strategies are part of your setting, schedule and routines
• Routines within routines
• Strategies used for all children
Individual Level
• Strategies implemented to support an individual child’s behavior or communication needs
• Strategies focus on an individuals interests, strengths
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Simply Keeping To A Routine Is Insufficient Routine For Many
Routines should help provide answers to these key questions.
1. What am I doing now?
2. How do I know I’m making progress?
3. How do I know when I’m finished?
4. What comes next?
ESTABLISHING EFFECTIVE ROUTINES
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Individual Strategies
Individual schedules Object schedules Picture schedules
How do you use them? Vertical vs. horizontal As a transition tool, removed to “All Done”
When do you fade them?
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Establishing Effective Routines Within Routines
Keeping To A Routine Is Insufficient Routine For Many
Routine = Redundancy
Routine = Restricted Stimuli
Embedding Consistent Routines within Routines within Routines throughout your day
Routines Within Routines Within…
Daily Schedule
• Arrival• Table Time• Opening
Circle• Centers• Story Circle• Snack• Outside• Small Groups• Closing Circle
Opening Circle
• Greeting Song
• Calendar• Child Choice
Song• Social Skill
Lesson• Choosing
Centers
Calendar
• Clap the Month
• Days of the Week Song
• Add Today• Motor Cube• Pattern• Review
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Arrival/Small Group Routines
“Welcome” / “Come In” sign
Home to School Transition Board (school bus, school house, etc.)
Visual boundaries for where children can play when they arrive.
Materials out and presented in a way that will attract children to the area.
Arrival/Small Group Routines Within Routines
System for dividing children into groups Name or label tables for small group
Posters with child names and table symbol
Individual cards for each child with a table symbol
Visual Sequence of project/task
Model for children to work from
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Individualized Arrival Routine
Curricular modifications
Task analyze sequence
Timer system to increase engaged time
First ___ / Then ___ board
Communication system to request materials from adults and peers
Picture of child to designate their “cubby”
Visual sequence of behavioral expectation i.e. Hang up backpack, Take off coat, Hang up
coat
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Circle Routine
Opening/gathering song
Calendar
Song choice
Social Skill
Center planning
Circle (Large Group Time) Routines Within Routines
Cues for where children should sit Child Pictures, carpet squares, spots on the rug,
Velcro line, etc.
Poster Boards for each activity of group time Props and Materials Big books, Song props, magic wand, motor cube,
“Quiet” and “Crisscross” pictures
Name Cards or Job System for picking children for jobs
Motor Actions
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Circle – Routines, Props, Materials
Individualized Circle(Large Group Time)
Individualized sequence Individualize poster boards with highly
preferred material Spiderman, Rug Rats, Dora, Blues Clues, etc.
Additional picture cues with individual children
Additional copies of story book/pictures Communication system/device to help child
respond in group
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Story Circle Routines
Gathering Song
Story
Phonemic Awareness
Music Movement
Story Routines Within Routines
Story sequence Read Story
Felt Board
Puppets
Act out
Sound devices for letter of the week
Props for music movement
The Mitten
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Final Thoughts
Meaningful engagement reduces challenging behavior!
Routines and Routines Within Routines
Increased Engagement and Participation
Answer 4 questions – Expectations
Requires Universal Classroom and Individual Levels
DISCOVERY IS NOT IN THE SEEING OF A NEW WAY…BUT
RATHER, A NEW WAY OF SEEING THINGS.