1. Carrie Kerr– Child’s Nature
Enhanced Milieu Teaching in a Parent-Child, Peer Integrated EI Language Group
Carrie Kerr– Child’s Nature
Hwa Lee & Hailee Kaleta
Bradley University
ICEC 2016
Niles, IL

2. Introduction/Background
Who we are
Who you are
How we began…
Where we are now
Where we are going

3. Objective
To present EI Language Group intervention strategies and documented benefits for children with and without disabilities and their parents.

4. Peer modeling

5. EI Language Group Play-based Naturalistic
Promote enhanced communication for young children
Inclusive
Dyadic/Triadic Strategies

6. Language Intervention (What works..)
Natural environment (Kaiser & Roberts, 2011)
Positive interaction between caregiver and the child (Kaiser et al., 2011)
Family-Professional Collaboration (Coogle et al., 2013; McCollum, 2000; Yoder & Kaiser, 2011)

7. EI Language Group
Utilize Parents Interacting with Infants (PIWI) & Enhanced Milieu Teaching (EMT)
PIWI (McCollum & Yates, 2010)
-dyadic/triadic model
EMT (Hancock & Kaiser, 2005)
- a set of language tools to facilitate the child’s
communication growth

9. Toddler Talk Group-Cont’d
EMT Strategies utilized:
Setting up an interactive context
Responsive Interaction
Modeling and expanding play
Modeling communication targets
Time delay strategies
Milieu Teaching procedures
Using social stories for children with Autism is beneficial for reducing disruptive behaviors (Hanley-Hochdorfer, Bray, Kehle, & Elinoff, 2010)

10. About the Group 6 weekly sessions that repeat
6-8 parent-child dyads per session
The Leader/Facilitator (SLP)
Student Volunteers
Family Members

11. EI Language Group Format
Greeting & Parent Meeting with SLP
Welcome song
Child-led play with Parent shadowing
Snack (modeling)
Story Time
Parent Observation and Debriefing
Good bye song and Dismissal
Any changes? They wanted actual demo of the format via video if possible.

12. Types of Data Collected
0-3 & 3-5 groups
Survey
Child Progress Clinical Note
Self Reflection/Report
Narrative Data
Summer 2014-Fall 2016
Any new data? Include youtube links

13. What we found out Parent Progress Child Progress
Survey
Follow up data
Self Reflection
Child Progress
Clinical note on short-term and long- term goals
Parent report on the child’s progress

14. What parents say.. Benefits: -Increased child development knowledge
-Opportunity meeting with other parents
-Opportunity for my child to interact with other children
-Improvement of my child’s language/speech
-Learning speech/language strategies

15. What parents say .. Gained knowledge and skills:
-modeling and expanding language
-Noticing and responding to communication
-Playing and engaging
-Using time delay

16. What parents say ..
“Managing challenging behavior during play group was the hardest task to do”.

17. Managing difficult behavior

18. What parents liked most ..
“Carrie was a wonderful teacher, an exceptional leader. She’s kind and patient with the children. Has a wealth of knowledge and skills to share with the group. She gave helpful tips on managing difficult behavior”.

19. What parents liked most ..
“My child had the opportunity to play with other kids her age and I learned how to better interact with her”.
“I enjoy that he is able to be in a setting with peers that have similar play skills”.

21. What parents liked most ..
“The structure enabled me to do something alone with my daughter and for her to socialize with other children. ”
“It’s like a mommy-and-me set up. I like the structure”

22. What parents liked most ..
“Everything. Loved the environment, the subject matter each week, the relationships both the children and parents gain. ”

23. What parents liked least ..
Proximity of location, driving
“Wish it was a little closer”.
“The distance that I had to drive. I’d love for it to be more widely available”.
“Only once a week. Should be twice a week”.

25. Discussion Positive outcomes of parents and children
Availability & location of the program
Qualified personnel and volunteers
Follow-up: alums

26. Outing nature

27. Future Plans Continue find funding source
Collaboration with local university for volunteers
Train future leaders (graduate students…in speech or early intervention)
Create a group for 3-5 age group
Utilize alums

28. Child’s Nature New program evolved
EI Language Group in second location
3-5 group created: emphasis on nature
Videos Developed
Training New Therapists

30. Child’s Nature Theme/Strategy & matching Video link
modeling

32. Your experiences relevant to the parent child group? Your thoughts?
Sharing
Your experiences relevant to the parent child group?
Your thoughts?

33. Little guy graduating