Equity in early intervention starts with relationships that are culturally responsive and respectful. Build awareness, knowledge, and skills to advance equity through culturally competent practices. Explore concepts of diversity, equity, and cultural competence while reflecting on personal biases and values. Consider how cultural beliefs influence family expectations and experiences. Engage with real-world scenarios, hear family perspectives, and review current data on equity challenges in early intervention. End with practical strategies that make equity and inclusion part of everyday professional practice.
Behavior Bits are a collection of short, focused learning interactions designed to introduce early childhood and intervention professionals to the foundational principles of behavior. Each bit presents a key concept in a simple, practical way, with real-world examples relevant to early intervention settings. Whether you’re new to behavior concepts or looking for a quick refresher, this course will help you build confidence in understanding why behaviors happen and how to support positive behavior change.
Learn how to directly teach behavior expectations and peer related social skills as preventative classroom-wide practices that are research-based and promoted by the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations. Self-assess how you currently teach behavior expectations and peer-related social skills and further learn how direct teaching can decrease challenging behaviors and promote desirable behaviors. Build upon what you are already doing to be more intentional and systematic with implementation. Leave with action steps that can be implemented immediately in early childhood and intervention settings.
Learn how to use positive attention and establish predictable schedules and routines within routines as preventative classroom-wide practices that are research-based and promoted by the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations. Self-assess your current use of these practices and further learn how using positive attention, predictable schedules, and routines can decrease challenging behaviors and promote desirable behaviors. Build upon what you are already doing to be more intentional and systematic with implementation. Leave with action steps that can be implemented immediately in early childhood and intervention settings.
Understand deafness and hearing loss in children under the age of five and how early detection can benefit a child’s development over a lifetime. Discover the first steps to identifying concerns and then connecting families to services and resources. Focus on understanding, screening, testing, service provider roles, and empowering families to support their child with hearing loss or deafness.
Structured literacy is defined as systematic, explicit instruction that provides a strong core of foundational skills in the English language system. Structured literacy integrates listening, speaking, reading, spelling, and writing, and emphasizes the structure of language across the speech sound system, the writing system, the structure of sentences, the meaningful parts of words, the relationships among words, and the organization of spoken and written discourse.
The purpose of progress monitoring is to identify steps the child is making to successfully participate in their everyday activities and routines. Effective progress monitoring begins with the assurance that identified outcomes/goals are functional and measurable, followed by identifying an efficient plan for data collection. In this course, participants will identify outcomes/goals that are functional and measurable and identify a process for collecting data. The process will include determining what data is being collected, who will collect the data and when, where, and how the data will be collected. Throughout the course, participants will follow a case study and engage in activities to practice strategies discussed.
Learn how to establish, build, and maintain positive relationships which support the inclusion of all children in early childhood classrooms. Focus on working in partnership with other adults, and on exploring and demonstrating how the principles of partnership work together to support children, families, and one another.
All organizations encounter change and adversity. Employee needs evolve, stakeholder attitudes shift, and the climates that Early Intervention programs operate within, change. Is your team prepared? Now, more than ever, successful teams demonstrate courage and resilience. Learn what resilience is and strategies for developing resilient traits and habits in your team. Explore how building psychological safety and creating a culture of continuous improvement encourages innovation and responsible risk-taking, in addition to examining how the role of positive work relationships and self-care impact resilience.
Overview Embedded Instruction for Early Learning and how it is implemented across the state. Embedded Instruction for Early Learning is an evidenced-based approach to intentionally planning, implementing, and evaluating instruction for preschool-age children. In Pennsylvania, Early Intervention and Early Childhood Education (ECE) professionals work hand in hand to provide supports to preschool-age children with disabilities to enhance their growth and development. They support children to successfully access and participate in everyday routines and activities at home, in the classroom, and within community settings.
