How to Establish Preschool Training Programs in Your Community

1
How to Establish Preschool Training Programs in
Your Community

• Elizabeth Zylla-Jones
• Auburn University
• Auburn Alabama
• Zyllael_at_auburn.edu
• [phone]

2
Introduction

• Successful early intervention programs focus on
  training caregivers to work with and teach their
  own children
• Success of early intervention is directly related
  to changes in caregivers style of interacting
• (Mahoney, 1999)

3
Natural Environments

• Skills taught by the childs caregiver in natural
  environments are more likely to generalize and be
  maintained
• (Shearer Shearer, 1997)
• Four key components needed to establish effective
  caregiver-training programs were incorporated
  into training sessions

4
Key Components

• Presenting information in a clear manner
• Providing concrete examples
• Coaching
• Providing feedback
• (Hester, Kaiser, Alpert, Whiteman, 1996)

5
Results of Initial Project

• (Zylla-Jones, 2007)
• 10 teachers received both workshop training and
  technical assistance (TA)
• 7 teachers received workshop training only did
  not have language delayed children in their
  classroom and elected not to receive technical
  assistance
• All teachers completed a survey pertaining to the
  effectiveness of training

6
Analysis of Initial Project Data

• Average ratings from teachers that received both
  workshop training and technical assistance
  4.7/5.0
• Indicating these teachers felt the program was
  very helpful
• Average ratings from teachers that requested
  workshop training only 4.0/5.0
• Indicating these teachers felt the program was
  helpful

7
Training Format

• Workshop format
• Presenting Information
• Providing examples
• Technical Assistance Visits
• Coaching
• Feedback

8
Workshop Topics

• Speech and language development
• Red Flags Knowing when to refer
• Tips to improve childrens communication skills
• Strategies for improving childrens communication
  skills during routine classroom activities (play,
  books, music, snack, arts crafts)
• Suggested goals

9
Technical Assistance VisitsFormat

• Minimum of three technical assistance (TA) visits
  made to each teacher
• Visits designed to assist participating teachers
  in implementing language facilitative techniques
  during class routines

10
TA Visits Format Continued

• Modeling language facilitative techniques
• Observing and assessing teachers ability to
  implement language facilitative techniques
• Providing feedback on implementation
• Assisting in problem solving
• Answering questions

11
Modified Version

• Workshop
• One presentation
• - same topics as original program
• - may include video demonstration
• Technical Assistance
• One post workshop visit
• Demonstrate techniques during class activities
• (play, books, music, snack and crafts)

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Video Demonstration

• Video demonstrations are useful for shorter
  modified versions of the program
• Videos demonstrate language facilitative
  techniques
• how to model language at the single word and
  short phrase level
• how to withhold objects to encourage requesting
• Videos demonstrate language facilitative
  techniques during
• play, books, music, snack and crafts

13
Training Workshops

• Following are a few examples of the type of
  information covered in each workshop topic
• More in depth and detailed information is covered
  during the actual presentations
• Examples provide the speech language pathologist
  with an idea of topics to cover when delivering
  similar workshops

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Examples of Presentation Topics
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Developmental MilestonesExpressive Receptive
Language

• Use any of a variety of sources for developmental
  norms of communication development
• (i.e. http//www.asha.org/public/speech/developme
  nt/01.htm.)
• Present both expressive and receptive language
  development
• Present skills at different age levels examples
• Birth-3 mos. 4-6 mos. 7-12 mos. 12 mos.-18
  mos.
• 18 mos.-2 yr. 2 yr.-3yr. etc.

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Developmental MilestonesExpressive Language

• Birth 3 months
• differentiates cries smiles at adult
• 4 6 months
• babbles sounds such as m,b,p vocalizes for
  pleasure and displeasure
• 7 12 months
• imitates speech sounds vocalizes to obtain
  desired objects

17
Developmental MilestonesReceptive Language

• Birth 3 months
• startles to loud sounds quiets or smiles when
  spoken to
• 4 6 months
• responds to changes in tone of voice attends
  to music
• 7 12 months
• looks in direction of sounds listens to voice

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Red Flags When to ReferExpressive
Language(Child already delayed if.)

• 12 months limited interaction
• 18 months no words or just a few (1 or 2 ) words
  
• 2 years limited single words, not imitating any
  2 word phrases
• 3 years not combining 2 word phrases
• 4 years not combining 3 word phrases

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Red Flags When to ReferReceptive
Language(Child already delayed if..)

• Child at any age not responding to environmental
  sounds
• 12 months does not recognize own name or names
  for family members
• 18 months does not recognize names for common
  objects does not follow simple commands (i.e.
  come here)
• 2 year does not point to pictures in a book
• 3year does not understand functions of objects

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Tips to Help Your Child Communicate

• (Hanen, 1985)
• Give your child the opportunity to communicate
  do not communicate for your child
• Be eye to eye
• Have realistic expectations do not expect your
  child to say words he has never heard or said
  before
• Imitate your childs actions and sounds/words

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More Tips to Help Your Child Communicate

• (Hanen, 1985)
• Label give your child words for objects and
  activities
• Talk about what is happening
• Use words and phrases your child can understand
• Say each word slowly and clearly
• Wait! Pause so your child can respond
• Be enthusiastic and have fun

22
Increasing communication during play-time

• (Hanen, 1985)
• Play is important for all children, especially
  for those who have difficulty initiating
  communication interactions
• Play activities can result in several
  opportunities for you to model language and
  increase childrens communication skills

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Play activities are good for children who

• have difficulty concentrating or have a short
  attention span children may attend longer to
  toys they enjoy.
• have difficulty turn taking toys such as balls
  are naturals for turn taking.
• rarely communicate children may be motivated to
  communicate about a toy

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Goals targeted during play-time

• Social skills interacting and playing with
  peers
• Attention span children may attend to high
  interest toys
• Turn taking rolling balls
• Receptive communication identify toy
• Expressive communication requesting toy

25
Increasing communication during story-time

• Story-time can increase a childs interaction
  skills, language comprehension, and verbal skills
• It is important to know your childs level of
  communication. Several children can work on
  different goals during story-time

26
Goals targeted during story-time

• Joint referencing - while looking at pictures
• Attention span while looking at books
• Turn taking take turns turning pages
• Receptive language pointing to pictures
• Expressive language naming pictures
• Sequencing skills retell a story

27
Increase communication during music-time

• Almost all children love to listen to music
• Children like to listen to the rhythm of music
• Use songs with actions and simple repetitive
  words
• Children respond to music in different ways, some
  respond physically by dancing and some respond
  vocally by attempting to sing

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Goals targeted during music-time

• Increasing attention span actions associated
  with some songs may keep childs attention
• Listening skills listening to songs
• Motor imitation - clap hands
• Turn taking London Bridges
• Following direction If youre happy and you
  know it clap your hands
• Identifying body parts Head shoulders knees
  and toes
• Verbal imitation Old Mac Donald

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Increase communication during snack-time

• Use snack time to encourage children to request
  for more.
• Children can request napkins, cups, plates, food,
  drink, etc.
• Provide children with a small amount of drink
  (juice, milk) and food (crackers)
• If children have a full glass or plate, they do
  not need to request for more

30
Increase communication during arts and crafts

• Use arts and crafts to encourage children to
  request for more.
• Children can request paper, glue, crayons, paint,
  etc.
• Provide children with a small amount of art
  supplies
• If children have an abundance of art supplies
  they do not need to request for more

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Goals to target during snack and arts and crafts

• Requesting verbal or with signs or pictures
• Identifying objects wheres cup?
• Following directions throwing trash away
• Verbal communication
• single word naming
• 2 word phrases recurrence _____

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How to Establish Contacts

• Many daycare employees are required to receive
  continuing education credit CE credit can be
  given for attending language workshops
• Contact Department of Human resources (DHR) or
  local Childcare Resource Centers
• Contact directors of preschool programs serving
  language delayed children
• Contact any neighborhood preschool programs

33
Materials Used

• Reference Books Baby Signs Little Hands Big Fun
  Craft Book Games to Play with Toddlers
• Childrens Books My Big Animal Book Goodnight
  Moon Hop on Pop Fairy Tales
• Childrens Musical Tapes Classic Nursery Rhymes
  Classic Childrens Songs

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Conclusions

• Caregiver training programs are most beneficial
  when workshops are combined with technical
  assistance visits
• Effective training should include
• information, examples, coaching, feedback
• When time is an issue, present one workshop plus
  one technical assistance visit
• Video demonstrations of language facilitative
  techniques are useful especially if TA visits are
  limited

35
Conclusions

• Suggested topics include
• Normal language development
• Red flags when to refer
• General tips for increasing language
• Increasing language during class activities
• play books music snack arts crafts
• Suggested goals for each of the above

36
References

• ASHA How Does Your Child Hear and Talk.
  Retrieved from ASHA web site 9.2.2008 from ASHA
  website http//www.asha.org/public/speech/develop
  ment/01.htm.
• Hanen, A. ((1985). It Takes Two to Talk Workshop
  notebook.
• Austin , TX.
• Hester, P.P., Kaiser, A.P., Alpert, C.L.,
  Whiteman, B.C. (1996). The Generalized Effects of
  Training Trainers to Teach Parents to Implement
  Milieu Teaching. Journal of Early Intervention,
  20, 30-51.
• Mahoney, G. (1999). Parent Education in Early
  Intervention A Call for a Renewed Focus. Topics
  in Early Childhood Education,
• Sherer, M.S., Sherer,D.E. (1977). Parent
  Involvement. In Jordan, A. Hayden, M. Karnes,
  M. ward (Eds.), Early Childhood Education for
  Exceptional Children (pp. 85-106). Reston, VA
  Council for Exceptional Children.
• Zylla-Jones, E. (2007, November). Training
  preschool teachers to facilitate communication
  skills in children. Paper presented at ASHA,
  annual convention, Boston.