The Early Childhood Personnel Center

This sample syllabus provides ideas for resources, activities, readings, and assignments, aligned with the Initial Practice-Based Professional Preparation Standards for Early Interventionists/Early Childhood Special Educators (2020) and DEC Recommended Practices (2014). Consider state and university policies and add them as appropriate. This is a sample only and is not a complete syllabus; nor is it intended to suggest that the Standard would be addressed in only one course in the curriculum.

Sample Syllabus Standard 6: Using Responsive and Reciprocal Interactions Interventions and Instruction - Part 1 (components 6.1, 6.3, 6.6, 6.7)

Sample Syllabus Standard 6: Using Responsive and Reciprocal Interactions Interventions and Instruction - Part 2 (components 6.2. 6.4)

Sample Syllabus Standard 6: Using Responsive and Reciprocal Interactions Interventions and Instruction - Part 3 (components 6.2, 6.5)

Learning Activities

The projects or assignments require learners to apply the practices/skills related to Standard 6: Using Responsive and Reciprocal Interactions, Interventions, and Instruction. Since these are application activities, they most align with the evidence-based practices for adult learners of authentic learning, reflection, guidance, performance feedback, and follow-up activities. The sample learning activities are organized by the seven components for Standard 6.

Evidence-Based Practices

Complete the Iris Center’s Evidence-Based Practices Part 1 module: Identifying and selecting a practice or program. Submit your responses to the following questions (adapted from the assessment section of the module):

• Define an evidence-based practice (EBP)
• List at least three benefits of implementing an EBP
• List three areas that professionals need to think about when selecting an EBP. Discuss some considerations for each
• Briefly describe the process you can use if you cannot find an EBP that matches your students and your resources
• Imagine that you are a preschool teacher and want to expand the communication opportunities for a student. A colleague has recommended Social Skills Training, and another has recommended Bright Beginnings.
• Using more than one source, complete the EBP Comparison Worksheet
• Based on your findings, describe the program you will use and justify your response

Fidelity of Implementation

Complete the Iris Center’s Evidence-Based Practices Part 2 module: Implementing a practice or program with fidelity. In a one-page summary, describe the importance of implementing an EBP with fidelity.

Social Narratives

Read the AFIRM Social Narratives Brief Packet that presents the evidence-based overview of social narratives. You will plan, develop, implement and revise two social narratives, one together with your family partner and one together with your preschool teacher partner.
Identify a social behavior for change that will result in positive social interactions and additional social learning opportunities for the child. Use the Social Narratives implementation checklist, found in the brief packet, as both a guide and as a self-assessment for both social narratives you create.

For both social narratives, submit the initial plan, revised plan, the final social narrative, and the implementation checklist. Write a two-page reflection about the experience, including feedback from the family and preschool partners.

Environmental Rating Scales

Complete one of the following environmental rating scales: the FCCERS-3, the ITERS-3, or the ECERS-3, including scoresheet and profile. A summary of strengths and suggested classroom environment practices to target for change should be included in the profile.

Strategies to Build Relationships

Alternative discipline strategies aim to address the root causes of challenging behavior by building strong and healthy relationships with children and improving their engagement with the learning environment. Strategies that are popular include positive behavioral interventions and supports, restorative practices, and trauma-informed practices. Take a closer look at these strategies and think about the following questions:

• How does the implementation of each of these strategies increase child engagement?
• How might each strategy improve overall child behavior?
• How might the strategies potentially decrease the number of children excluded from the learning environment for disciplinary reasons?
• What elements do the strategies have in common?

Complete a Functional Behavior Assessment

With your preschool partner team, follow the process document and use the PTR forms to complete a functional behavior assessment for one child. Identify the data to collect and use a behavior rating scale. Complete the PTR checklists as part of the FBA process.

Observe Play

In the preschool partner classroom, observe how children play on five different visits for 20 minutes each visit. Observe a variety of environments including outside play. Record your observations for each of the five visits. Think about the stages of object and social play and identify the stages observed. Include children’s conversations during play when possible. Write a three to five-page summary of your observations.

Characteristics of Coaching

Watch the Hartford Foundation video: Foundations of Coaching in Early Childhood: Partnering with Parents and Professionals. With your discussion group, talk about the characteristics of coaching. Define each characteristic and identify examples of each. Submit the characteristics of coaching, definitions, and examples to the instructor.

Assistive Technology Solutions

Explore the assistive technology solutions at the fabricATE website. Select three assistive technology examples, develop a script of how you would share, and discuss each of the three examples with your partner family and partner preschool.