1. Designing and Implementing a Curriculum Framework for ALL Children
Jennifer Grisham-Brown, EdD
University of Kentucky
Introduce self
Mention where work originated
Blended Practices book – emphasis on planning for groups of children and for individual children
Research on linking assessment and instruction – impact on planning tools, quality of classrooms, and child outcomes
Paper for DEC – framework for considering curriculum for all children

2. A Curriculum Framework – Linking assessment and intervention
Professional Development
Leadership Plan
Data-Driven Decision Making
Progress Monitoring
Activities & Instruction
Assessment
Scope & Sequence
A Curriculum Framework – Linking assessment and intervention
What is curriculum?
Some people think its just a set of activities
We think that a curriculum contains four elements:
-Assessment – for gathering information about all children
-scope and sequence – what children learn and the general order in which they learn those skills.
-Activities and Instruction – contexts and supports/circumstances under which children learn the skills
-Progress monitoring – how to determine if instruction is working; how to make decisions about change
Analogy of the umbrella;
-each panel of the umbrella is a component of the framework
-the panels are smaller at the top than at the bottom – indicating that there are broad practices at the bottom that should be used for all children and practices at the top that are specialized and intended for individual children
-The umbrella is held up by collaborative partnerships between professionals and parents
-The “fabric” that holds the curriculum framework together includes strong leadership, sound professional development, and the use of data-based decision making
-I’m going to focus on the activities and intervention panel, but will describe all of the panels first
Collaborative Partnerships

3. Developmental and Content Areas
Assessment
Guide
Authentic
Family Resources, Priorities, Concerns
Baseline
Interests and Preferences
Assessment is the first panel – gathering information about all young children in an inclusive classroom is essential to understanding what to teach. This slide shows the descriptors of what the assessment should be:
-authentic
-comprehensive and holist
-a baseline of the child’s development
-a guide to what to teach children, how to teach them, where to teach them and who will help
In the end, the assessment should tell us:
-the families priorities
-the children’s interests and preferences
-areas in which to focus intervention
Developmental and Content Areas
Comprehensive

4. Summarizing and Interpreting
Summarize data
Numerical
Visual
Narrative
Interpret and make decisions
Programming/Progress Monitoring
Sort and prioritize
Plan instruction based upon needs
Revise instruction based upon data
Once the assessment has been completed, we have to summarize the assessment information and make meaning of it
Data can be summarized in one of three ways. Teachers should consider what is most useful and can be related to families
Once the information is summarized we have to interpret the information and make decisions about what we’ve learned.
What patterns emerged from the summary?
What are the child’s areas of strength and need?
What type of instruction is going to be more useful? 4

5. Skill Set for Interpreting
Collect comprehensive and accurate information
Summarize child's current performance
Reconcile information, examine patterns and trends and compare to knowledge of development.
Work as a team to prioritize and draw conclusions.
Identify common outcomes, targeted needs, and III needs that are functional and generative
Teams know how to perform steps 1-4 (or at least they’re trying)
What we’ve added to this skills set as a result of the curriculum framework is the notion that we need to consider that some skills require more intensive instruction than others. We submit that teachers need to use assessment data to determine which skills
All children need to learn
Some children need some targeted instruction on
Which skills are considered priorities (or III)

6. Functional and Generative Means that Skills:
Promote Independence
Promote Exploration
Encourage Adaptability
Can be taught in multiple settings
Can be used in real-life
Are priorities for the family
Are understandable by all team members (measurable and observable)
Regardless of “tier”, all goals for children should be funtional and generative meaning the folloowing…

7. Sort and Prioritize
What skills can be addressed through development, play, maturation, and exposure/experience? Tier One
What skills are emerging, need practice and repetition? Will these skills improve in independence or fluency with time and practice? Tier Two
What skills and concepts are unlikely to emerge without intensive instruction? Tier Three
When interpreting assessment data for programming, you have to consider both the a) individual needs of each child; and b) the collective needs of the group of children with whom you are teaching in any given year.
There are three levels of needs that will be addressed. Refer to pyramid on next slide.
The bottom tier is that set of skills that a child is likely to learn through incidental instruction in the classroom. These are skills that are part of the general curriculum in preschool and are the focus of instruction throughout most preschool days. For example, teachers are constantly talking about numbers, colors, and shapes, as they perform large group activities, walk to the playground, and work with children in activity centers. Teachers need to examine the AEPS data for their entire class and determine the areas in which the greatest emphasis should be placed within a given year. Repeated exposure to those skills across the year will likely result in acquisition for MOST children. Using the AEPS data in this manner focuses the general curriculum on what children need to learn instead of on “fun activities” that happen to be part of a seasonal or holiday theme. Activities are generated around the outcomes that are part of the general curriculum.
There will be some children, however, for whom “exposure” is not enough. For example, let’s say that a child is getting multiple opportunities to write letters in their name (sign in, name on art work, writing in learning centers), but they are not making progress. In that situation, a teacher may move to tier two – targeted instruction. With this tier of instruction, adaptations and modifications are made that may enhance the child’s capacity to learn the skill (e.g., writing model). As well, the teacher may increase the frequency with which the child has opportunities to practice the skill (e.g., have to “sign in” each time you play in a center).
Sometimes even with exposure, adaptations, modifications and more frequent opportunities, children do not learn the skill they need. Under these circumstances, the teacher would identify the skill as one that needs/requires intensive, intentional, individualized instruction. This means that an intervention plan is developed that specifies the circumstances under which a child will be taught the skill (i.e., what the teacher will do to set the occasion for the child to learn the skill). The determination about which skills require this level of instruction will depend on the severity of the child’s disability, the extent to which the child needs to learn the skill in order to participate in activities and routines, and the age of the child. 7

8. Scope and Sequence
From assessment summaries… determine children’s needs that fall across three tiers
Prioritized Needs
Targeted
Needs
IN SUMMARY…
Common Needs

9. Activities and Instruction
Intensive
Intentional
Individualized
Instruction
Type of activities and instructional strategies vary in frequency, intensity, and intention
Targeted
Instruction
THE NEEDS OF THE CHILDREN DICTATES THE LEVEL OF INTENSITY OF INSTRUCTION THAT CHILDREN WILL NEED. COMMON NEEDS ARE ADDRESSED THROUGH UNIVERSAL INSTRUCTION; TARGETED NEEDS ARE ADDRESSED THROUGH TARGETED INSTRUCTION; AND PRIORITY NEEDS ARE ADDRESSED THROUGH III INSTRUCTION
Universal Instruction

10. Progress Monitoring
Progress Toward Specific Skills and Concepts
Used to Revise Activities and Instruction
Progress monitoring practices vary in frequency, intensity, and intent
Progress Toward Targeted Needs
PROGRESS MONITORING IS DONE TO DETERMINE WHETHER INSTRUCTION IS SUCCESSFUL. THE PROGRESS MONITORING TECHNIQUE SHOULD MATCH THE INTENSITY OF THE INSTRUCTION. FOR COMMON GOALS, RE-ADMINISTER A CBA TWICE A YEAR. FOR TARGETED GOALS, PERHAPS RE-ADMINISTER ONLY PORTIONS OF THE CBA THAT RELATE TO THE TARGETED NEEDS OF THE CHILDREN; PRIORITIZED NEEDS THAT ARE RECEIVING III INSTRUCTION SHOULD GET DAILY PROGRESS MONITORING..
Directly Linked to S&S and A&I
Progress Toward Common Outcomes

11. Progress Monitoring
Tier One: Repeat entire CBA with all children to gain information on children’s acquisition of universal goals
Tier Two: Repeat portions of CBA related to targeted goals
Tier Three: Collect ongoing data on prioritized goals
Emphasize how the AEPS can be used to report progress monitoring data. The type of data that are collected differ depending on the type of goal that the teacher needs to report about.
-Pre-post AEPS data will provide teachers with information about children’s progress on universal goals. For this purpose, the entire AEPS should be completed a minimum of two times per year.
-Targeted goals can be monitored by repeated strands of the AEPS. For example if the teacher is concerned about a child’s pre-writing, she can regularly re-administer Strand B of Fine Motor – Level II which will give information on children’s progress in that area.
-Prioritized goals (or IFSP/IEP goals/objectives) require more regular data collection and will include the use of checklists, narratives, and portfolios. Progress monitoring data for priority goals should ideally collected data so that teachers will know if the intervention is addressing the goal.

12. EMPHASIS ACTIVITIES AND INSTRUCTION
Professional Development
Leadership Plan
Data-Driven Decision Making
Progress Monitoring
Activities & Instruction
Assessment
Scope & Sequence
EMPHASIS ACTIVITIES AND INSTRUCTION
WE’LL TURN NOW TO TALK ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES AND INSTRUCTION PORTION OF THE UMBRELLA.
Collaborative Partnerships

13. Activities and Instruction
Key words: intense, longer duration, high intensity, individualized
III
Instruction
Type of activities and instructional strategies vary in frequency, intensity, and intention
Key words: at-risk students (any child), high efficiency, rapid response
Targeted
Instruction EM
Universal – DAP, KY early childhood standards,
Targeted – small group, extra opportunities, intentional planning
Intensive – one-on-one, intentional, frequent
Key words: all settings, all students, preventive, proactive, core
Universal Instruction 13

14. Activities & Instruction
All Practices Are:
Evidence-Based
Continuum of Strategies
Team/Family Guided
Developmentally Responsive
Embedded Learning Opportunities EM

15. Continuum of Teaching Behaviors
Directive
Reduce
Error
Variety of prompts
III
Instruction
Mediating
Moment to moment
Variety of prompts
Targeted
Instruction WS
Non-Directive
Implicit modeling
Indirect verbal cues
Environment
Universal Instruction

16. Universal Strategies Universal Design Environmental modifications
Embedding
Multiple opportunities

17. Targeted Instruction Small Group Instruction Adaptations
Increased opportunities
Activity Matrix

18. Emphasizes the use of routine activities
Activity Matrix
Emphasizes the use of routine activities
Incorporates family priorities
Assists teams in identifying activities that are appropriate for embedding
Allows for individualization of group and center-based activities
Ensures multiple opportunities to practice and strengthen skills
Useful to organize data collection EM
Utilizing children’s routine and daily activities is generally more effective than imposing a set of specific training sessions. Thus, activity schedules can be used to ensure children’s daily activities are utilized as the context for intervention efforts. Activity schedules, or activity matrixes, are a second implementation strategy for use within an activity-based approach.
In general, teams need to consider the following when creating activity schedules. First, whether the schedule is for one child, such as a young child receiving home-based services or services in a community-based program or childcare center and is visited weekly by an itinerant teacher, or for a group of children all receiving services within the same playgroup or center. Second, teams need to consider how the activity schedule or matrix will be designed. There are several variations found in the literature. The variations can be constructed for either individuals or groups of children and can align targeted skills with daily schedules, activity centers, state standards, developmental or subject areas, or team members responsible for intervention and data collection efforts. Third, teams need to consider the type of information that will be placed within the “intersections” of the schedule/matrix. Depending upon the purpose and type, different information can be placed within the intersections (e.g., possible teacher behaviors, desired child responses, data related to child performance).
The creation of activity schedules should not preclude variations and spontaneity in the type and sequence of activities used for intervention. If, for example, when children introduce a change or an unplanned event occurs that can be used to foster the development of targeted goals and objectives, then team members should not be reluctant to deviate from the activity schedule. When developing and using activity schedules, it is critical that all team members have a “working” knowledge of children’s targeted goals and objectives. A working knowledge of targeted skills allows interventionists to follow children's’ leads and interest even when they deviate from planned events and ensures multiple opportunities for practice on targeted skills. Teams implementing activity-based intervention are encouraged to experiment with Activity Schedule formats.

19. Activity Matrix Example
Schedule
Objective 1
Make Choices
Objective 2
Answer yes/no questions
Objective 3
Follow Directions
Math – Calendar/
Weather/
Jobs/
Attendance
Make choice about job
Answer yes/no questions about who is present
“come to circle and find your spot”
Learning Centers
Make choice about which center to work in
Answer yes/no questions about material on computer
Follow directions - “put two blocks in the truck”
Story time
Whom to sit with in circle
Ask yes/no questions about what child will be Halloween
“come to circle and find your spot; sit down”

21. Intensive Instruction
Intentional/Planned
Individualized
Multiple opportunities to practice skill
Interventions Plans

22. Intervention Plans -- Developed after child goals are determined
-- Malleable planning guide that can be altered and modified
-- Link between what a team agrees on for a child and actual day-to-day practice
-- Designed to ensure multiple learning opportunities
-- Include
-- Measurable goals and objectives
-- Strategies and teaching considerations
-- Modifications and progress monitoring procedures WS
The intervention plan is an implementation strategy that services as a 1) systematic guide for planning intervention and 2) record of the intervention process. Prior to planning activities or being able to use routine events or child-directed actions effectively, the team should develop intervention plans. Intervention plans provide guidelines and criteria for teaching each targeted set of skills and for making databased decisions. Initially, intervention plans may appear to be extra paperwork. In practice, however, teams will discover the benefits of the organization and structure intervention plans can provide. Since intervention plans are designed for teams to use following the completion of the IFSP/IEP, they can guide the team’s initial conversations about intervention efforts. As such, teams address key issues such as:
·      How will intervention look?
·      When will learning opportunities be provided?
·      Where will learning opportunities occur?
·      Who will be responsible for ensuring multiple and varied learning opportunities and monitoring children’s performance over time?
·      What skills will be addressed and in what order?
·      What are the unique needs of the child?
Further, intervention plans provide teams with a written record of their conversation and can serve as a reference at subsequent meetings. Beginning with an intervention plan that outlines specific efforts for each child’s individual goals and objectives, starts a team off on the same page and can reduce unnecessary trial and error methods.
Intervention plans can take on a variety of formats, but should include the following information 1) identifying information such as the child’s name, intervention team member names, dates for initiation and expected completion of intervention, and type of setting intervention will occur; 2) intervention area and IFSP outcome; 3) targeted goals, objectives, and/or program steps; 4) intervention strategies and teaching considerations for addressing targeted skills; 5) curricular modifications necessary for practice and participation in social and physical aspects of environment; 6)child progress evaluation procedures, and 7) and decision rules to be used (Bricker, 2002).

23. Team Considerations for Intervention Plan
How will intervention look?
When will learning opportunities be provided?
Where will learning opportunities occur?
Who will be responsible for ensuring multiple and varied learning opportunities and monitoring children’s performance over time?
What skills will be addressed and in what order?
What are the unique needs of the child? WS

25. Modifications/Adaptation
Intervention Plan Example
Skills
Antecedent
(Activities/where)
Behavior
(+) = Targeted behavior
(-)=Not targeted behavior
Consequence
Modifications/Adaptation
Kaylee will use eating utensils to feed herself IND at least 3 times a wk for 2 wks
Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Adult present spoon, fork, cup and food
K. scoop or poke food, bring to mouth with minimal spillage.
Gets food in mouth.
Verbal praise
Adapted spoon, fork, and cup.
Physical prompts when needed.
Throw utensil, unable to scoop/ poke, lots of spillage.
“No throw”. Physical prompt to scoop/ poke food and bring to mouth
Kaylee will use her hands to functionally play with least 4x day
Pegs, stacking blocks, puzzles, coloring, playing w/ playdough, instruments, shape sorter, switch toys,
Uses one or 2 hands to maniuplate or attempt to manipulate objects.
Desired effect of toy.
*Full physical prompt if needed.
*Switch toys.
*Seated at table for some activities.
Throws toys on floor.
Puts toys in mouth
“No throw”. Pick up toy and full prompt to manipulate..
“NO mouth”. Full prompt to manipulate
Kaylee will use her mobility skills to access the classroom and environment & least 5 times/day
Gym, outside, centertime, music, table to table, transition to activities.
Scoot on bottom, crawl, walk w/ adult, walk w/ walker, standing, walking
Get to desired location.
Verbal praise.
*Wheelchair for long distances.
*Walker
*Full physical prompts

27. Activity: Consider a child with whom you work/have worked
Identify an appropriate goal for the child that requires “III” instruction
Design an intervention plan that includes:
Antecedent
Behavior
Consequences

28. Consideration for Determining Level of Instruction
Age
Next setting
Developmentally appropriate practice
Family concerns
Child’s abilities EM

29. Resources
Pretti-Frontczak, K, Jackson, S., Goss, S. M., Grisham-Brown, J., Horn, E., Harjusola-Webb, S., Lieber, J., & Matthews, D. (2007). A curriculum framework that supports quality early childhood education for all young children. Young Exceptional Monograph Series, No.9, 16 – 28.
Grisham-Brown, J. L., Hemmeter, M. L., & Pretti-Frontczak, K. (2005). Blended Practices in Early Childhood Education. Brookes Publishing Co.
Grisham-Brown, J. (2008). Best practices in implementing standards in early childhood education. In A. Thomas & J. Grimes (Eds.), Best practices in school psychology V (pp ). Washington, D.C.: National Association of School Psychologists. Texas: Psychological Corporation.
Curriculum Framework Google Group – Contact

30. Life’s Journey According to Mister Rogers: Things to Remember Along the Way Fred Rogers
“Anyone who has ever been able to sustain good work has had at least one person – and often many – who have believed in him or her. We just don’t get to be competent human beings without a lot of different investments from others.”
Not only do we need to make investments in our children but we need others on our “team” that make investments.