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Session A

Facilitator Guide

Introduction to Children with Special

Needs

Curriculum Revised February 2018 2 hours

All materials developed with funding from the Minnesota Department of Human Services, Child Development Services are copyrighted and protected under Pub. L. No. 94-553, 90 Stat. 2541. via a contract with the Center for Early Education and Development, University of Minnesota

Copyright and Limitations on Use and Liability

This curriculum was developed with funding by the Minnesota Department of Human Services. The Minnesota Department of Human Services makes no representations and accepts no liability on its use or results. This curriculum may not be reproduced, copied, sold or otherwise distributed without the written approval of the Minnesota Department of Human Services.

To request written permission for use or reproduction of any portion of this curriculum, e-mail: [email protected]

The Trainer Guide provides a delivery framework and key concepts with respect to the session content. Trainers are to deliver the training as a series-based training and follow the curriculum script, ensuring that all information is addressed, except where noted in the trainer guide that material may be shortened or deleted as an option. While trainers may adapt delivery to their participant audiences, trainers may not change the script in terms of omitting key content, adding information (such as examples or clarifications) not supported by research or evidence-based practice and/or not meeting training objectives is not acceptable.

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UMID

State curricula uses the Minnesota Framework for Universal Multicultural Instructional Design.The Framework is a tool that:a) Reflects current and emerging theory and practice for supporting all learners and instructors.b) Supports instructors in valuing learners’ knowledge and experience in addition to the curriculum content and activities.c) Supports various early childhood learning experiences and audiences in order to beinclusive in training design and delivery.

The document identifies four foundations for Universal Multicultural Learning Design:1. What we learn/what we teach.2. How we learn/how we teach.3. How we access support services/how we support learning.4. How we demonstrate what we have learned/How we assess learning.

Each foundation includes key principles, reflective questions, and examples of strategy types that illustrate the principle. The framework is intended for those who develop, deliver, facilitate, and fund professional development in early childhood care and education.

The framework can be accessed via the following link:

http://www.cehd.umn.edu/CEED/publications/reports/UIDCEEDfinaldraftframework8.pdf

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

Maya Angelou

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The following are general training delivery principles. Please review prior to training.

Facilitator as Guide - Meeting the Needs of All Learners1. Remember that, since trainers deliver the training as designed, they are the front-line personnel converting

theory and practice from the training plan into the actual training.

2. Recognize that a universal multicultural design places less emphasis on instructor-directed (expert-novice)models and more emphasis on collaborative models that intentionally ask, reflect, and value participants’ real-life knowledge and experiences. The framework recognizes the expertise of both trainers and participants. These collaborative principles will fit some trainers’ natural style well; others who are more used to the role of expert may need support and professional development to go beyond that familiar role, learning how and when to employ it and when to “go with the flow” of the group.

3. Begin sessions by connecting with participants’ lives and then adding information and opportunities to reflect on what it means for them.

4. Acknowledge any challenges that may interfere with training participation or emotional engagement. This could range from a crowded room to sudden family issues that arise immediately before the training.

5. Maintain “cultural humility.” Content is influenced by theory and research, which in turn is limited by the communities where the research was gathered. Learners should be enabled to add culturally-relevant sources of information to course content.

6. Provide multiple examples of how the content applies in different settings.

7. Think about what participants might already know and do. Identify strategies to assess their prior knowledge/experience or address potential gaps.

8. Consider whether participants can re-state training objectives in their own words, if professional terminology is used. For example, when they read the objective, can they answer questions like: “What does this mean for me?”, “What will I be able to know/feel/do with this information?”, and “Will I have a plan when I leave?”

9. Think about what you, as a trainer, need to learn in order to provide examples or ask questions that connect to the participants’ understanding. For example, child development research on developmental expectations have not always been normed on a wide diversity of children.

10. Check in with participants about what issues they might be dealing with – it helps to offer support and referrals to other services as needed.

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11. Consider how you, as a trainer, create a safe space (e.g., emotional support, affirmation, facilitation skills, respect) so that all participants feel supported as they grapple with ideas that may challenge their value systems.

ICONSTrainer actions: These are found in the body of the SCRIPT

SAY: This icon gives suggested wording for what to say in a mini-lecture or when giving instructions for an activity.

DO: This icon describes an action on the part of the trainer. Usually it applies to logistics (pass out handout 5; divide the group into 6 small groups; etc.) and at times there are alsoASK: suggestions for comments to make or follow-up thoughts for debriefing an activity.

ASK: open-ended reflection question

Instructional strategies: These are found in the column to the left of the Script

Mini lecture

Large group activity

small group discussion/activity

pair share

individual activity/reflection

optional activity

Participant home assignment (making connections between knowledge & practical application)

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Audio-visual: These are found in the column to the left of the Script

audio recording

Power Point Presentation (slides)

video clip

website

Written materials: These are found in the column to the left of the Script

Activity needing chart paper and/or post-it notes©

Reference to Participant Guide

stand-alone handout

website article

book or manual

Activity referencing a children’s book to be read in class

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Session A Overview

Knowledge and Competency Framework (KCF) Content Area, MN Core Competency Content Area, CDA Content Areas, Parent Aware Training IndicatorsThe Primary Knowledge and Competency Content Areas, the MN Core Competencies Content Area, the CDA Content Areas, and (as appropriate) Parent Aware Training Indicators are listed here to help participants understand what competencies, content areas and/or indicators are addressed in the training.

KCF Content Area: Child Development and Learning,

CDA Content Area: Principles of Child Development and Learning

Learning Objectives:

This session was developed to address the following learning objectives. You can reasonably expect that, by the end of this session, actively engaged participants will be able to:

Describe strategies for children with challenging behaviors for increasing social/ emotional competence Identify the red flags in development Explain the importance of observation in early care environments

Trainers should always be mindful of these objectives and be sure their delivery and feedback during the course supports the participants’ mastery.

Session A Overview of sectionsTime Section Overview

10 minutes Introduction 35 minutes Understanding Behavior and its

Impact on Development Presentation - Understanding Behavior Activity - Expectations in Behavior

35 minutes Red Flags in Development Presentation - What are Red Flags and Developmental Concerns

Activity - Identifying Red Flags30 minutes Observation and Talking with

Parents Presentation - Observation

and Documentation Activity - Talking with Parents

10 minutes Closing Discussion - Summary Discussion - Assignments

2 hours total

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Preparation

Materials

Trainer Guide Participant Guides, one for each participant plus 2 – 3 extras Chart paper and markers

Copy of Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs (3rd Edition) by Carol Copple and Sue Bredekamp (editors), 2009, NAEYC

Copies of Early Childhood Indicators of Progress Blank paper Drawing tools (crayons, markers, etc.) Post It® notes Sample Developmental Checklists

Trainer preparation

Gather all the materials Copy Participant Guides and handouts, one for each participant plus 2 -3 extras Create a chart paper page showing the title of the session, your name and your contact

information. Display this page in the training space. Create a chart paper page showing the session’s learning objectives. Display this page in

the training space. Create chart paper for Red Flags Activity

Environment preparation

Arrange classroom so participants have writing spaces such as tabletops Arrange chart paper where it is clearly visible to participants

Participant preparation (pre-work or assignments from other sessions)

There is no pre-work for this session

Section 1 Welcome & Introduction

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Suggested time 10 minutesOverview of Section

Welcome

Session Objectives

• Describe strategies for children with challenging behaviors for increasing social/ emotional competence

• Identify the red flags in development• Explain the importance of observation in early care environments

Facilitation Techniques

mini lecturelarge group discussion/activitysmall group discussion/activitypair and shareindividual activity/reflectionPowerPointchart paperDVD, video clipaudio recordingtextbook, book, or manualparticipant guide/handoutwebsite

Materials for this Section

Chart paper, writing paper, markers, pens

Slide 2

DO: Welcome the participants to the first course in Introduction to Special Needs class. This class has two sessions. Review course objectives on chart paper.

Introduce yourself, telling the participants your name and a little bit about your background as a trainer and in early childhood education. (If needed, set ground rules for the class and your interaction together or share logistics of the evening.)

ASK: each of the participants to tell the group a little bit about themselves. Suggest they share:

Name; Where he or she works, type of program, general location; Age group he or she works with; and What prompted him or her to sign up for this class?

SAY: During these two classes, we will be talking about children with special needs and inclusion. The probability that a care provider will identify developmental delays in a child or care for a child with special needs is very high. Preparation, awareness and knowing the resources to support you as a care provider as well as the child and their family is important.

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After completing this session, the participants should be able to:

Describe strategies for children with challenging behaviors for increasing social/ emotional competence

Explain the importance of observation and its importance in early care environments

Identify the red flags in development Understand when and where to refer for screening and/or assessment

After reviewing the objectives, ask for questions.

Section 2 Understanding Behavior and its Impact on DevelopmentSuggested time 35 minutes

Overview of Section

Presentation - Understanding Behavior Activity - Expectations in Behavior

Session Objectives

Describe strategies for children with challenging behaviors for increasing social/

emotional competence Identify the red flags in development Explain the importance of observation in early care environments





Presentation - BehaviorSlide 4

Say: "Environments that are engaging, predictable, and characterized by on-‐going positive adult- ‐child interactions are necessary for promoting children's social and emotional development and preventing challenging behaviors".

"Children are less likely to engage in problem behavior when they know what to do, how to do it, and what is expected."~ Hemmeter, M.L., Ostrosky, M., & Fox, L. (2006). Social and emotional foundations for early learning : A conceptual model for intervention. School Psychology Review, 35 (4), 583-‐601.

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Children may display certain behaviors as a means of communication and to assist them in understanding the world around them. Behaviors can communicate a need, such as

• Protection from an overwhelming situation• To intensify sensory input to a level they can feel• To meet the individual's needs or wants• To organize or make sense of their environment

Through our discussion we will talk about challenging behaviors and how they can inform rather than frustrate us so that we can support the children as they learn social skills and self-‐regulation. To start this discussion, let's first talk about our expectations of children.Slide 6

Say: What are appropriate behavioral expectations?

Children learn through their many experiences in life, sometimes making mistakes, but always learning from these experiences. Through modeling and guidance from the adults in their life, they will develop the skills they need for later in life. For some children, they need very intentional support and intervention for their social and emotional development so that challenging behaviors can be minimized.

As providers we also need to remember that children will be at different stages of developing these skills, even though chronologically they may be at the same age. Providers need to know what the appropriate expectations are for children and how to modify these expectations based on individual child needs. To assist in this process, we look at the motivation for behavior so that we are informed and intentional in our decisions on interventions and next steps for children. Let's look at the grid for this discussion.Slide 7Let's spend some time exploring a bit more our expectations in development.

Activity - Expectations in Behaviors

Do: Divide the participants into groups of 3-‐4 participants. Give each group a scenario. Options are included in Appendix A:

Slide 8

Say: I have given your group a scenario that you experience in your program or you might find in a typical early childhood environment.

Take a few minutes to think about this scenario – Discuss what might be the triggers for this behavior? What might be the motivator for the child to display the behavior?

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What might they be trying to communicate? What are some strategies you can try to intervene? What are your expectations of this child based on their age?

Do refer the groups to the participant guide and the grid to work on this activity along with Proactive Strategies Guide

You can also use the Proactive Strategies to Guide Behavior to document ideas of the strategies discussed

Do: After about ten minutes, gather the whole group together to discuss the results.

Ask each group to share what they discovered.

Guide the discussion to address the expectations the provider describes based on the age of the child - are the expectations appropriate?

Discuss the areas that may be more controversial such as expectations to attend and for what lengths of time, transition expectations, etc.

Section 3 Red Flags in Development Suggested time 35 minutes

Overview of Section

Presentation – Children and Bias Discussion – Avoiding the Tourist Approach

Session Objectives







Presentation - What are Red Flags that are Developmental Concerns

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Say: A child's growth is physical, social, mental and general health. We learn throughout our lives, starting at birth. We need to monitor development early on and can do this through observing how a child plays, learns, speaks and behaves.

While the majority of children develop on a similar path and meet developmental milestones, we must also be aware of the key milestones when a child is not meeting these, needs increased monitoring or a referral for a screening or further evaluation.While all children are unique and we certainly want to allow this, there are key indicators or "red flags" that we can monitor for children.

We can tell typical from atypical development by understanding the key social-‐emotional, physical, cognitive and communication milestones, by knowing the slight differences, by knowing the red flags and by using informal screening tools.

Slide 9

SAY: Red flags are behaviors that should warn you to stop, look, and think and then observe and document. To complete this process,

Know the normal patterns of growth and development. Observe a child in a variety of situations. Look for patterns or clusters of a behavior. Compare the child's behavior to a "norm" of six months younger and six

months older. Note how much the child has grown in the past 3-‐6 months-has he/she progressed?

Keep in mind the factors that may be influencing the development.There are some subtle signs of concern including a regression or loss of skills, sensory aversions, little or no eye contact, child not responding to name, unusual motor behaviors or motor planning and displaying rigidity or getting stuck on certain activitiesSlide 10Note for trainers:Website with multiple videos on milestones by age and brief but great for providers and parents. Included in the PowerPoint is the one for 3-year old milestones.https://www.parents.com/toddlers-preschoolers/development/growth/red-flags-to-watch-for/

SAY: Social Reciprocity is the primary component of healthy social development. Joint attention includes joint attention, purposeful language (including body language) and pretend play. Lack of Social Reciprocity is a key red flag, whether a child is engaged in the world around him - this concern should not be

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https://www.parents.com/toddlers-preschoolers/development/growth/red-flags-to-watch-for/

https://www.parents.com/toddlers-preschoolers/development/growth/red-flags-to-watch-for/

ignored.

Do: Direct the participants' attention to the Participant Guide

Activity - Red Flags in Development

Do: Post the chart paper around the room. Divide the paper into two columns, label one column 'expectations' and the other 'concerns.'

Slide 11

Say: To get us started thinking about developmental concerns, let's start by thinking about how our expectations in development and what we see as some red flags. Think about children you have worked with or know.

What have been some developmental signs that you watch for and when do concerns arise?

Move around the room and write on the chart paper some of the expectations you have of the children and some of the behaviors or developmental areas that you consider red flags.

Do: After 5 minutes of individual work, call the group's attention to the chart paper. Discuss, as a group, some of the comments that participants have charted.

Slide 12Make note of how the expectations are aligned with the ECIPs and any other developmental checklists. Have various domains from the ECIPs available for reference.

Make mention to the revisions of the ECIPs – creating a continuum of development from birth on and the addition of some domains.

Refer to list below for examples of areas of development and red flags and the expectations we have for children.

• By 3 months, baby does not respond to loud noises.• By 3 - 6 months, baby does not roll over, lift head, coo, babble, imitate sounds.• By 6 -‐ 12 months, baby does not sit without support, crawl or creep,

respond to own name.• By 12 -‐ 18 months, toddler dos not use words to communicate, show

interest in imitating others.• By 18 - 24 months, toddler's communication is limited to only a few

words or gestures, does not run, jump, move about.• By 2 to 3 years, toddler continues to use only one to two words to

communicate, shows no interest in playing with other children.• 3-‐5 years, challenging behaviors that are impacting peer relationships, daily

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functioningSlide 13

Say: We have noted that there are many variations in children in their developmental path. Knowledge of these milestones, the subtle differences and observation of development is critical in our care of young children.

Section 4 Observation and Talking with ParentsSuggested time 30 minutes

Overview of Section

Activity – What’s your metaphor? Presentation /Discussion – Family Centered Child Care Presentation – Introduction to Strengthening Families Activity – Strengthening Families

Session Objectives







Presentation - Observation of DevelopmentSlide 14

Say: You have spent some time sharing the red flags in development, you would not have recognized these concerns without being observant of children. Observation is important as we monitor children's development. Natural observation is where we observe children in natural settings while they are playing independently and in groups as well as in various social situations. It can also be important to record time of day, day of week and activity the child is engaged in during observation, this is especially important when observing behaviors to determine why some behaviors may be occurring (e.g. chronic biting.)When observing, keep it simple and natural, choose a format that works for you. If

you set up a system of observation that is too complex, it will be hard to follow 14

through. Examples of how to do this may be to keep sticky notes available to write quick notes, or a tablet handy to write notes, or taking a quick picture or a situation.

Do: Ask participants for other ideas of documentation during observation.

Say: We also want to observe the child when they are involved in a variety of activities and over an extended period of time. Picking two days a year to observe and take notes will not give you an accurate picture of all that a child can do and we all have "off" days. Natural observation is continuous. You also want to observe how children follow directions, how they react to requests and how they initiate social situations and general need requests.

Slide 15

SAY: As we gather information about a child and their development, be sure to also get parental input. Ask parents about their routines and how children react to those routines and daily activities, what is hard for them, how do they as parents modify their schedules to accommodate their children's needs. Encourage parents to document their concerns.

Monitoring of children's development is a partnership with parents. The ongoing documentation that is gathered is very helpful to the screening process, especially if developmental concerns arise.

When concern arise, we want to be prepared. The first steps we take when there are "First Signs" of concerns with a child's development are to determine whether or not the "Red Flags" we see are truly areas for concern. We also look at what we can do as providers to share our concerns with parents in a way that will support them and encourage them to seek help for their child.

Often, parents express concerns about their child's development and they hear advice such as: "Don't worry". " boys develop slower than girls," "Einstein was a late talker", "she'll grow out of it," or "let's wait and see". Our role is to provide facts, be supportive and provide resources. We need to document development and be confident about their findings and recommendations.

We need to share resources, so families understand typical development.

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SAY: When concerns arise, we want to look at possible reasons for the concerns. The following are some questions to ask yourself when concerns arise:

Is the expectation we are having developmentally appropriate? Is the concern/behavior consistently occurring?Are there cultural components to be aware of that impact development? Is the area of concern getting in the way of?

Learning Communication Social Interactions

We also want to look at the whole child and the whole family situation and factors that may impact the child's development, these may include:

Cultural differences Poverty Abuse/ neglect in the family Nutrition Sleep issues Allergies English Language Learners (multiple languages) Birth risk factors (e.g. prematurity)

Slide 17

SAY: There are many other screenings and areas to check that should be evaluated when there are concerns to be sure they are not the trigger of the concern. They include:

Lead Screening. Lead poisoning is a risk for some children and not something to ignore. If there is a possible risk, have the child check with their pediatrician.

Hearing Screening. Vision Screening Sleep habits. Lack of sleep or sleep patterns that are inconsistent or

interrupted can lead to other challenges for children. Fatigue in children can be played out through behaviors that are challenging.

Slide 18

Talking with Parents about Concerns

SAY: There will be times when you have to talk with parents about concerns in development or progress that a child is making. It is important that you can quantify the information for parents, share facts about the concerns, not opinions.

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Do: Ask Participants about their experiences with sharing concerns with parents. What has worked and gone well, what have been the challenges. Chart responses.

Section 5 ClosingSuggested time 10 minutes

Overview of Section

Closing

Session Objectives







Discussion - Session Summary

Say: During this session, we have focused on children's behaviors and challenges they may behaving, red flags and developmental concerns and the importance of observation of development.

Do: Review the objectives introduced at the beginning of the session (from the chart paper page).

Slide 19

Say: We started this session with goals to be able to: Describe strategies for children with challenging behaviors for

increasing social/ emotional competence Identify the red flags in development

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Explain the importance of observation in early care environments

Did we cover these objectives? Questions do you continue to have?

Great job! It sounds as though we have met our objectives for this session! Now it is time to get ready for our next session.

Discussion – AssignmentsSlide 20 Go to the website Help Me Grow – www.helpmegrowmn.org and review the site.

Find the area where you can make a referral for screening. Review areas where development is presented. Bring questions and comments about the site to the next session.

Complete the "What is the Behavior" grid for either a child you have in your care now or a child you know. Be prepared to share this information at the next session.

SAY: Thank you for this time and I look forward to seeing you at the next session!

Appendix AChallenging Behavior

Scenarios

A 3 year old girl is enrolled in a preschool classroom. She is struggling during circle time where she most often lays on the floor on her back, spreading out, or sitting on other children. When walking down the hall during transitions she tends to go out of the line and bump in to walls. She avoids activities where she is asked to sit at the table and draw with markers or crayons, but loves to sit at the table with fingerpaints, playdough and any messy activities. She has a few girls that she prefers to play with, however, one of the girls tends to frequently bite or scratch her during their play or as they pass each other.

A three-‐year-‐old boy who is an only child seems to have challenges initiating play with peers. He tends to try to enter into play by knocking down peers block towers, taking away toys or just "crashing" into the play situation. He spontaneously hits, kicks, and bites the children at child care which has caused the other children to avoid him or choose not to play with them.. He seems to ignore the verbal directions given to him by the teachers and instead goes with what he prefers to do in the group rather than what he is asked to do.

A four-‐year-‐old girl just started to go to preschool but doesn't have any friend at school and doesn't even try to make friends. She doesn't talk to kids much. She plays well with her younger brother and sister at home, but when it comes to other kids she doesn't try to be friends with them.

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http://www.helpmegrowmn.org/

A 9 month old boy has been in child care for 3 months, but continues to prefer to be held at all times. He will cry when set down on the floor. He can sit independently but is not yet crawling. He will often refuse food at feeding times, pursing his lips tight so a spoon cannot get it. When food is on his tray of the highchair, he usually just plays with it.

Resources

Center for Disease Control (CDC): Learn the Signs-‐Act Early h t tp : // www . cd c.g ov/n c b d d d /actea r l y / index. h tml

Children and Challenging Behavior Making Inclusion Work Edited by Cindy Croft and Deborah Hewitt, 2010, Center for Inclusive Child Care

Data Resource Center for Child & Adolescent Health www.childhealthdata.org

Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs (3rd Edition) by Carol Copple and Sue Bredekamp (editors), 2009, NAEYC

Early Childhood Indicators of Progress: Minnesota's Early Learning Standards http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/dse/early/ind/

First Signs http://www.firstsigns.org/

Minnesota Association of Children's Mental Health (MACMH) Brief handout descriptions on various mental health disorders www.macmh.org

Minnesota Parents Know www.mnparentsknow.info

NICHCY http://www.nichcy.org/Disabilities/Milestones/Pages/Default.aspxBrief handout descriptions on various special needs and disabilities www.nichcy.org (go in to "OurPublications)

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http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/dse/early/ind/

Practical Tips for Sharing Developmental Concerns with Families, 2011, Center for Inclusive Child Care.

So This is Normal Too? By Deborah Hewitt, 2012, Redleaf Press

The Six Keys: Strategies for Children's Mental Health in Early Childhood Programs by Cindy Croft, 2007, Sparrow Press

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