1. Helping Children with Exceptionalities in the Preschool Classroom
Donna Jo Hewitt
Calvary Christian School

2. Team
T – Together
E – Everyone
A - Achieves
M - More 2

3. Four Areas of Exceptionality
Children with Motor Difficulties
Children with Perceptual and Sensory Difficulties
Children with Visual Difficulties
Children with Auditory Difficulties

4. Children with Motor Difficulties

5. Children with Motor Difficulties
Some children have difficulty with their reaction to movement and changes in position. Most people are able to move or adjust smoothly but for some the information from the brain to the body gets confused. This may cause challenges with writing, posture, clumsiness, or sports or games.

6. Children with Motor Difficulties
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Attention Deficit Disorder
Cerebral Palsy
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Premature or Traumatic Birth
Low Muscle Tone
Developmental Delay
Environmental Cause

7. Children with Motor Difficulties
Fine Motor Activity

8. Children with Motor Difficulties What does this affect in the Preschool classroom?
Arts and Crafts
Games
Playtime
Circle Time
Self-Help

9. Strategies
*Most Important*
Empathy and Awareness

10. General Strategies Group activities Larger tools (crayons, pencil)
Modified art (choices)
Role in games
Buddy to assist

11. Specific Strategies Group Times
Shorten length of time sitting on carpet
Allow children to sit in chairs
Incorporate times of movement
Have optional alternative seating available i.e. beanbag chair

12. Specific Strategies Art
Build up handles on brushes and other tools
Place artwork inside box or cookie sheet
Offer larger tools: crayons, markers
Offer modified art (choices)
Use stencils or Wikki sticks to assist
Offer a variety of scissors

13. Specific Strategies Games
Praise/reinforce attempts
Encourage different activities
Use a buddy system
Consider role in games

14. Specific Strategies Self-help Skills
Suggest Velcro or snaps instead of buttons
Provide sub schedules of activities

15. Specific Strategies Music/Instruments/Action Songs
Position children for safety (designated space)
Teach to orient self in space
Vary type of movements used
Allow choice of movement

16. Children with Perceptual and Sensory Difficulties

17. Children with Perceptual and Sensory Difficulties
Some children have difficulty with muscle coordination and agility. Others have struggles with being over stimulated by sounds, sights, tastes, or textures. This may cause challenges with integrating into the environment or with participating in games and activities. It can lead to behaviour struggles as this disorder can be painful for students.

18. Children with Perceptual and Sensory Difficulties
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Attention Deficit Disorder
Learning Disability
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Premature or Traumatic Birth
Sensory Integration Disorder
Anxiety Disorders

19. Children with Perceptual and Sensory Difficulties
Perceptual & Sensory Activity

20. Children with Perceptual and Sensory Difficulties
What does this affect in the Preschool classroom?
Arts and Crafts – textures,
smells
Games/Participation
Music
Drama/puppets
Environment-sounds, smells, visuals

21. Strategies
*Most Important*
Empathy and Awareness

22. General Strategies Use Visuals Reduce stimulations if possible
Provide a break or way to withdraw
Modified art (choices)
Role in games
Buddy to assist
Strategic seating
Earphones or headphones

23. Specific Strategies Art
Allow gloves to be worn for finger painting or put in Ziploc bag
Markers may be more tolerable than messy alternatives
Introduce materials slowly, allow to watch first
Use hand over hand to assist (not a soft touch)
Allow child to stand to do activity

24. Specific Strategies Games
Use pictures to show instructions and steps
Introduce activities slowly, allow to watch first
Provide a choice of activity if possible
Allow child to participate separately
Be aware of the noise and lights in the gym

25. Specific Strategies Music, Drama, and Puppets
Be aware of noise levels
Introduce activities slowly, allow to watch first
Allow a break if over stimulated or overwhelmed

26. Specific Strategies Environment (sounds, smells, visuals)
Seat away from distractions
Provide dimmer lighting if possible
Prepare student for loud noises
Remove over-stimulating decorations
Provide sound reducing headphones if they help
Give student a break if overwhelmed

27. Specific Strategies Transitions
Follow a clearly established schedule and routine (use a visual schedule)
Prepare students well in advance for changes to the routine
Use the same song, phrase, signal to signify change (bell)
Allow a transitional object if it helps

28. Questions/Comments Break Time

29. Children with Visual Difficulties

30. Children with Visual Difficulties
Some children have difficulty with their vision. Some may wear glasses but certain types of vision struggles cannot be completely corrected. Others may see clearly but have trouble interpreting what they see correctly. This can lead to problems in understanding information, completing an activity, safety, or participating in group games.

31. Children with Visual Difficulties
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Learning Disability
Irlens Syndrome
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Premature or Traumatic Birth
Low vision/visual impairment

32. Children with Visual Difficulties
Visual Activity

33. Test Your Awareness
FINISHED FILES ARE THE RESULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTIFIC STUDY COMBINED WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF MANY YEARS.

34. Children with Visual Difficulties
What does this affect in the Preschool classroom?
Arts and Crafts
Games/Participation
Environment- layout

35. Strategies Children with Visual Difficulties
*Most Important*
Empathy and Awareness

36. General Strategies Buddy to assist Pre-exposure to room
Modified crafts (choices)
Role in games
Strategic seating
Consistency in room and routines

37. Specific Strategies Use of Sensory Cues
Allow child to smell, touch, and hear the item or activity described before engaging.
Most helpful are sound (verbal) and tactile (touching) cues.
Be aware of how other senses can help child understand.

38. Strategies for Enhancing Low Vision
Lighting: consider whether an object should be lit from above or behind, or beside. Some children, who are light sensitive, may need a lower lit area to work in.
Contrast: dark coloured objects should be placed on a light coloured background, while light coloured objects should be placed on a dark background.

40. Strategies for Cortical Visual Impairments
Reduce multi-sensory (over) stimulation to allow the child to concentrate on the visual information.
Allow child to touch objects while looking at them.
Place objects far apart to help with visual over-crowding
Bring objects close to child
Use contrasting colours (yellow and red are preferable to black and white).
Allow child to use peripheral vision if stronger (may look like not paying attention).

41. Children with Auditory Difficulties

42. Children with Auditory Difficulties
Some children have difficulty with hearing information that is presented. Others may struggle to filter out background noises and are easily distracted. Some cannot process information as quickly or accurately as others. This may cause challenges with understanding instructions, focus, and attention. It can also lead to behavioural and social struggles.

43. Children with Auditory Difficulties
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Learning Disability
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Premature or Traumatic Birth
Auditory Processing Disorder
Deafness, Hearing Loss, or Impairment

44. Children with Auditory Difficulties
Auditory Activity

45. Children with Auditory Difficulties
What does this affect in the Preschool classroom?
Arts and Crafts
Games/Participation
Instructions
Environment
Social Interaction

46. Strategies
*Most Important*
Empathy and Awareness

47. General Strategies Buddy to assist Visuals
Completed art projects in steps for display
Demonstration in games
Strategic seating
Consistency in room and routines

48. Specific Strategies Seat the child close to the sound source.
Make sure the child can see your face.
Speak clearly and at a good volume.
Use the child’s name to get his/her attention.
Use visuals and tactile cues.
Learn about the child’s hearing aid if he/she has one.

49. Early Childhood Give simple directions
Strategies
Give simple directions
Provide visual cues with oral directions
Speak slowly
Maintain eye contact
Limit background noise 49

50. School Aged Strategies Use visual aids with oral teaching
Give visual cues to gain attention before speaking
Assign a friend to help with following directions
Provide preferential seating
Have student repeat back important instructions 50

51. General Strategies Get to know your students (information sheet)
Teach situational behaviour
Use visuals as much as possible
Be consistent with rules and routines
Allow choices whenever possible
Demonstrate instructions
Create a calm and caring environment – demonstrate and require empathy and kindness

52. Visuals Schedules 52

53. Visuals Mini Schedules/Labels53

54. Visuals Independence/Self-Help Routine
Choice Board 54

55. Visuals Social Stories Classroom Rules55

56. Sensory Supports/Sensory Rooms
Seating – bean bag chairs, wobble stools, sensory seats, thera-bands
Fidgets – snap apart, squeeze balls, finger fidgets
Calming – weighted vest (blanket, hat), sound reducing headphones, music, dim lights (lamps)
Room – ball pit, lava lights, fibre optic lights, bubble walls, steam roller, weighted balls, brushing
What else?

57. Allow Christ to work through you and expect miracles!
Most Important
Allow Christ to work through you and expect miracles!