1. SPECIAL NEEDS PRESCHOOL Teacher: Cyndi Chappel Cyndi_Chappel@douglas.k12.ga.us Factory Shoals Elementary School 2300 Shoals School Road Douglasville, GA 30135 770 651-3900

2. SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY Children identified as having delays in at least one of five developmental domains. Identified between age 3 and 5 May receive services through age 7

3. DEVELOPMENTAL DOMAINS Social Skills Activities of Daily Living (Self- Help) Motor Skills Cognitive Skills Communication Skills

4. SOCIAL SKILLS Appropriate Play Maintaining attention Use of materials Interaction Skills Initiating Play/Conversation Responding to Play/Conversation

5. MOTOR SKILLS Gross Motor Running Jumping Climbing Hopping Fine Motor Cutting Writing Small Object Manipulation Additional Support: Physical Therapist Additional Support: Occupational Therapist

6. COGNITIVE SKILLS Perceptual Skills Puzzles Sizes of objects Finding hidden objects Memory Rote Counting Singing Songs Retelling Stories

7. COMMUNICATION SKILLS Expressive Language Verbalizing wants and needs Identifying objects Receptive Language Following directions Knowing what objects are Additional Support: Speech/Language Therapist

8. ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING (SELF-HELP) Eating Skills Using utensils Appropriate manners while eating Taking small portions Dressing Skills Utilizing fasteners Toileting Producing Initiating Additional Support: Occupational Therapist

9. Sample Schedule 8:00-8:30 Job time/Breakfast 8:30-9:20 Jobs/DTT (Discrete Trial Teaching) 9:20-9:40 Circle time (Literacy Component) 9:40-10:00 Walk/Social skills within building 10:00-10:20 Snack 10:20-10:30 Art 10:30-10:45 Play skills 10:45-11:10 Outside play/ Gross motor activities 11:10-11:25 Circle (Creative Development) 11:25-12:00 Lunch and restroom 12:00-1:30 Rest time 1:30-2:00 Snack and review of skills 2:00-2:30 End of day

10. Arrival, Job Time, and Breakfast When students first arrive, they remove their daily folder from their backpack and place it in a desk. They put their backpacks and coats in their individual cubbies. They locate their picture, name, and task on the job board. They retrieve the materials needed for that job and complete it. When their job is finished, they use a picture exchange to receive their breakfast. This time period is concluded with a clean-up song. Students clean up materials and sit in their chair at circle time. Chairs are marked with seat markers.

11. Discrete Trial Teaching Discrete trial teaching is an applied behavioral analysis method of direct instruction. The method uses repetition and reinforcement so a student can understand what behavior is expected. Ten trials for each skill are presented in succession. Reinforcement is given when a child independently produces the skill, or when a gesture prompt is used. If a child does not produce the skill, the adult working with the child will offer hand over hand assistance. Data is taken and graphed for visual representation of each child’s level of function. This time period is concluded with a clean-up song. Students clean up materials and sit in their chair at circle time.

12. Circle Time- Literacy Development Concepts are introduced and/or re- visited. Students choose the story they want to read. Props are used to reinforce concepts and encourage active participation.

13. Walking and Social Skills Each day, we walk through the school building. This gives us the opportunity to practice remaining with our class. In addition, we work on our social skills through greeting adults and children we see as we walk. Vocabulary is addressed by looking at the displays outside the classrooms.

14. Restroom and Snack When appropriate, students work on toileting skills. Dressing and hand washing is integral to this time of day. Snack consists of a drink and snack items. Healthy snacks are introduced. This includes fruits and vegetables. Warm vegetables, fruit salad, oatmeal and pudding allow for utensil usage. Finger foods such as goldfish crackers and pretzels are a time work on the pincer grasp. Specialized diets and allergies are noted.

15. Outside Play/Gross Motor Weather permitting, our class goes outside to play. We climb, run, and slide on playground equipment. In inclement weather, or a time crunch, we stay in the class and work large muscles through activities. We crawl through tunnels, use a parachute or play songs that encourage movement.

16. Circle Time- Creative Development This group time includes musical choices This time tends to be more socially interactive with adults and peers.

17. Skill Encouragement Positive support is given throughout each activity. Reinforcement is given based upon the preferences of each child. Specific praise is given for compliance to directives Verbal reminders of expected behavior are given frequently. When necessary, time away from friends is used to help a child regain control. Parents are encouraged to share information about their children’s preferences.

18. Communication and Collaboration Teachers and Therapists Collaborative services are offered for speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and behavioral therapy on an eligibility basis. When services are received, teachers and therapists consult with parents and inform parents of interventions and the results of the interventions.

19. Communication and Collaboration School and Home Daily folder has information about the child’s day at school. Phone and email information is listed on the daily behavior chart. Parents are encouraged to share information about their child.

20. Research Based Methodology Used in the Classroom Color Coding Early Literacy Phonemic Awareness Left-to-right progression Applied Behavioral Analysis Discrete Trial Teaching

21. Color Coding Color coding is a visual strategy to help children function. In our class, we use it to help with the classroom routine and identifications. We use color coding for name recognition, cubbies, daily folders, and data logs.

22. Early Literacy in the Classroom Phonemic awareness, the ability to manipulate sounds, is stressed in the classroom. We use nursery rhymes, rhyming and rhythmic stories in the classroom to help children gain this understanding. Because books are read from a left-to-right and top-to-bottom progression, we use these same patterns of flow during circle time and snack time to pass out and gather materials.

23. Early Literacy in the Classroom To encourage participation with print material, books are frequently adapted to the needs of the child. This may include adding picture symbols of vocabulary concepts to the pages. Interactive activities with and without the books are integral to our literacy component of our classroom.

24. Applied Behavioral Analysis ABA teaching styles are a systematic method of teaching where a child is reinforced for appropriate responses at a high rate until the rate of responses is consistent. Student desires and learning styles are taken into account when a program is initiated.

25. Teacher Training 1990- Graduated with B. S. in Mental Handicaps 1990- Certification for teaching Specific Learning Disabilities and Behavior Disorders 1991- Certificate in Early Childhood Education 2003- Certificate for Special Education at the preschool level 2005- Graduated with M. Ed. in Special Education-Interrelated

26. Professional Development In addition to coursework for university credit and in-house staff development, I have gained knowledge from the following workshops: September, 2002 - Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills (ABLLS) August, 2003 - Autism Institute

27. Thank You! I am glad you looked at our program information. I hope you found it to be informative. Contact information: Cyndi_Chappel@douglas.k12.ga.us Cyndi_Chappel@douglas.k12.ga.us 770 651-3900 Program Supervisor: Nancy_Lamar@douglas.k12.ga.us 770 651-4350