The purpose of this study was to examine students’ beliefs and practices about developmentally appropriate practice with infants and toddlers. This study examined whether coursework in child development, combined with a lab experience engaging with children of the same age group, was related to developmentally appropriate beliefs and practices of student teachers. In particular, the study examined how coursework and practicum taken concurrently may have differed from taking the coursework alone. The relationships between descriptive data and student teachers’ developmentally appropriate beliefs and practices were also of interest. A total of 390 college students participated in this study. These students were enrolled in an undergraduate Infancy and Early Childhood course and some were also enrolled in an Infant Toddler Lab. The students completed a questionnaire at the beginning of the semester and again at the end, which was designed to measure teachers’ developmentally appropriate beliefs and practices in an early childhood classroom. The results showed that there were no statistically significant relationships between college major, marital status, or number of children and pretest beliefs scores. Individual means on practices scores also showed very little difference. The results demonstrated that beliefs about developmentally appropriate practice increased for all of the participants from the beginning of the semester to the end, with those in the class and lab increasing slightly more. On the practices items some of the developmentally appropriate scores went up and some went down. These findings have implications for infant toddler teacher training. When participants were compared based on group membership, whether they were in the class alone or took the lab concurrently, results showed that while not statistically significant, belief scores were higher for those who were in the class and lab combined. Many specific practices items were statistically significantly different between groups, especially at posttest, where those in the class and lab had higher scores of developmentally appropriate practice. However, some results indicate that idealized postulations of developmentally appropriate practice may not be realistic in actual classrooms. Suggestions of how these findings can be used in the training of early childhood teachers are presented. (103 pages)

The purpose of this study was to examine differences in early intervention (EI) referral and service frequency for children with blindness or visual impairment (BVI) and gather information about the practices and experiences of vision professionals across the United States. The study focused on obtaining data from certified teachers of students with visual impairment (CTVI) and certified orientation and mobility specialists (COMS) in the United States. Information collected included descriptive statistics and professional information about EI for children with BVI, and information about the referral process and service frequency for children with BVI during EI. Thirty-three states were represented in the collected data. Of these states, 26 had responses from four or more professionals, the criteria for inclusion in the analyses. Participants provided information based on a researcher-developed survey requesting information related to the procedures used to provide EI services for children with BVI. Questions were adapted from established instruments where possible. Across states, there were some statistically significant differences in CTVIs and COMS reports of procedures regarding the role of professional collaboration, parent/caregiver participation in IFSP meetings, strengths/resources utilized by vision professionals, and challenges parents/families encountered when accessing EI services for their child with BVI. No statistically significant differences were identified across states for type of referral method, most commonly initiated by health care professionals, or method by which service frequency was determined. Results will be used to inform future research to further examine EI for children with BVI in the United States.

Young children’s attention to a variety of object features has been studied. However, very few studies have examined young children’s understanding of object weight. In order to investigate developmental changes in perception and categorization of weight, three tasks were given to 59 18-month-old to 3-year-old children. Three age groups (20; 27 and 34 months old) were analyzed for the final results. The first two tasks used a familiarization and novelty preference paradigm in which attention was assessed by measuring each child’s looking time. The first task’s goal was to evaluate young children’s ability to discriminate objects on the basis of weight. Children were familiarized with an object of one weight and then tested with an identical looking object that had a novel weight. Half of the subjects were familiarized to a heavy weight and half to a light weight object. Results showed a decrease in looking time over the familiarization trials (p = .0001) and an increase in attention to the novel weight (p = .0001). Thus, all children in the first task were able to discriminate object weight. Additional analyses for the first task assessed physical discrimination of object weight by examining the amount of arm movement each child exhibited within 250 milliseconds after taking an object. A significant difference in arm movement was found between the last familiarization and novel weight trials of the heavy (p = .0097) and light (p = .0001) conditions. The second task’s goal was to evaluate children’s ability to attend to object weight when appearance varies. Children were familiarized to four objects that had the same weight but differed in appearance. Half of the subjects were familiarized to heavy objects and half to light objects. After familiarization, the children were tested with one object that had the same weight but a different appearance and another object that had the same appearance but a different weight. Results revealed that the children’s looking time decreased over the familiarization trials (p = .0001). Analyses of test trials revealed that only the two older age groups had significant novelty preference scores for both the new weight and new appearance trials. The third task used a balance scale to measure understanding of weight by observing a child’s ability to pick a heavy object to make a balance scale tip. Children were given a light and heavy object with the same appearance and asked to choose which one would tip the balance scale. Results showed that only 34 month olds had significantly more correct trials (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the study’s results indicated that all young children are capable of discriminating object weight when familiarized to one object but that only the two older age groups were significantly capable of doing this when familiarized to more than one object. Results also indicated that only 34 month olds were capable of using weight differences in a more functional way, namely to tip a balance scale.

Children with cerebral palsy that have severe motor impairments, and often co-occurring visual impairments, may often have an impaired ability in prelinguistic forms of communication. In order for children to establish intentional communication, research suggests that prelinguistic communicative competence must be in place. Access to alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) is not sufficient to enhance interaction if motivation to communicate intentionally does not exist. The purpose of this literature review is to discuss the important aspects of early assessment and intervention for children with cerebral palsy who have severe motor impairment. There is a wealth of information about the development, assessment, and intervention of prelinguistic communication in typically developing children and children with developmental delays; however, limited empirical research focuses on children with severe physical impairments. The aim of this project will be to draw conclusions from the available research in order to formulate a protocol for speech-language pathologists to use in assessment and intervention of prelinguistic communication in young children with cerebral palsy. / text

There is a limited understanding of the practices provided by interventionists under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Part C, and there is no knowledge of how providers deliver services for children who have challenging behaviors. In particular, few studies have examined the extent to which Part C interventionists use evidence-based practices. Decreasing occurrences of challenging behaviors in early childhood is particularly important, as there are many negative ramifications associated with untreated challenging behaviors, including troubled peer and adult relationships, academic failure, and increased antisocial behaviors in adulthood. Research has shown that Positive Behavior Supports and the Pyramid Model are empirically supported frameworks for treatment of challenging behaviors among young children. Thus, interventionists should be utilizing PBS when serving young children with challenging behaviors. The purpose of this study was to gain a preliminary understanding of Part C interventionists’ knowledge and understanding of evidence-based practices for young children with challenging behaviors and to identify interventionists’ process of intervention identification and implementation. Also examined were the challenges associated with service-delivery and the role of Part C in alleviating such challenges. This understanding was gained through semi-structured interviews with a sample of 10 interventionists who served young children with challenging behaviors. A thematic analysis resulted in 15 themes and two subthemes. In addition, interventionists were evaluated using a 4-point rating scale, which provided additional insight regarding the level of evidence-based practice utilized by interventionists. Themes and ratings revealed interventionists have a limited understanding of best practice associated with identifying appropriate evidence-based interventions for young children with challenging behavior. Moreover, a number of barriers hindered consistent implementation of behavioral interventions. Results indicated a need for a wider scale study of Part C interventionists’ practices. In addition, results demonstrated a critical need for ongoing professional development for Florida Part C interventionists.

Screening and assessment play a critical role in the lives of young children and their families. The results of these procedures can paint enduring portraits of the strengths and vulnerabilities of both children and families. This article explores the challenges of cultural dynamics and family issues relative to six areas of assessment: the target of assessment, the setting, the methods, the personnel, the uses, and, finally, the fusion of assessment with intervention. While the authors' examination of these challenges does not eliminate the problems inherent in the screening and assessment with infants and young children, it can, perhaps, raise issues and stimulate ideas that can help us to enter the homes and worlds of diverse families and their children in ways that are both respectful and responsive.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to address gaps in the trauma treatment literature related to the expense and inaccessibility of evidence-based interventions for children with disabilities who have experienced trauma. Another aim of this study was to provide additional support for a newly piloted intervention for children with disabilities who have experienced trauma. This intervention is known as Smart Start: Parenting Tools for Children with Developmental Delay, Social-Emotional Concerns, and Trauma. A non-concurrent multiple baseline method was used to determine whether there was a functional relationship between the intervention and children’s challenging behaviors for five caregiver-child dyads. In addition, three of five caregiver-child dyads were assessed for improvements in child PTSD symptomatology, positive parenting practices, parenting stress, and treatment acceptability. Results from visual analysis, masked visual analysis, and hierarchical linear modeling were mixed, but generally supported a statistically and clinically significant relationship between participation in Smart Start and improved caregiver ratings of children’s challenging behaviors. Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test did not show statistically significant changes in interventionists’ ratings of challenging behavior, but descriptively, four of five children were rated as improved. Reliable change index scores revealed statistically significant changes in trauma symptoms and parenting stress for two participants. Positive parenting practices improved significantly for all participants according to the reliable change index. The intervention was implemented with good fidelity. All caregivers found Smart Start highly acceptable. Future research with larger samples is warranted based on the extremely promising results of the present study.

近年來，嬰幼兒閱讀的議題在國內逐漸受到重視。2006年2月，信誼基金會與臺中縣政府、臺北市政府共同合作，正式在臺灣推行「閱讀起步走」。為了推動親子共讀，新北市亦於2009年開始實施「閱讀起步走」，除了致贈圖書禮袋外，並搭配親子共讀講座、新生兒故事活動、新生兒借閱證辦理等活動。 本研究目的希望可以透過對於活動執行者與參與者的調查研究，來檢視新北市辦理「閱讀起步走」之具體成效、參與者的滿意情形，以及活動執行者在活動辦理過程中所遭遇的困境，據以歸納相關經驗，提出未來發展建議供其他縣市辦理「閱讀起步走」計畫之參考。 本研究主要以問卷調查法與訪談法進行資料的分析。首先針對參與過「閱讀起步走」的嬰幼兒家長採隨機抽樣的方式進行活動滿意度問卷調查，共計有效樣本為250份；另擇選6位活動承辦人員與3位參與家長進行深度訪談，以得知活動執行者與參與者對於活動本身的實際看法。 研究結果顯示： 一、參與民眾與承辦館員普遍肯定「閱讀起步走」的政策與理念，並認為此活動有助於落實親子共讀觀念。 二、參與民眾對於館員的服務態度、活動內容的滿意度較高，對於活動的時間與場地安排、館舍硬體設備、館藏內容數量等滿意度較低。 三、參與民眾認為目前圖書館所採用的行銷方式在日常生活中並無法明確感受到，因此對於現行的行銷方式滿意度最低。 四、承辦館員在推動「閱讀起步走」時所遭遇最大的問題在於人力與宣傳的不足。 五、承辦館員認為影響活動辦理的因素為人力與空間環境。 六、各館在推動「閱讀起步走」時所需之協助為增加人力及官方統一宣傳。 本研究對於「閱讀起步走」未來的發展建議有： 一、充實嬰幼兒書籍館藏，提升閱讀品質。 二、家長學習課程可以團體型態的工作坊或讀書會進行。 三、整合目前的宣傳策略，由官方力量統一推動。 四、提升圖書禮袋發放的普及率。 五、持續推動相關政策，銜接目前所欠缺之閱讀階段。 / Over the years, reading for infants and toddlers has gained attention from the society. In February 2006, Hsin-Yi Foundation, by means of recruiting cooperative efforts from Taichung County Government and Taipei City Government, initiated Bookstart, a reading activity for parents and kids, in Taiwan. Three year later, New Taipei City started to execute Bookstart, including a good number of funny, inspiring activities such as granting participants with a “Bookstart Pack”, holding parent-kid reading seminars, story-reading for newborns and applying for library cards for newborns. The study aims to conduct a survey among in-charge librarians and participants, and evaluate the actual effects of Bookstart executed in New Taipei City, including to what extent participants are satisfied with the activities, and the problems or predicament encountered by in-charge librarians in the process of implementation. By so doing, the study induces relevant experiences and offer suggestions for other counties or cities that intend to execute the program of Bookstart in the future. The study undertakes the analysis of the data with questionnaire investigation method and interviewing method. To start with, by means of random sampling, a questionnaire over satisfaction is conducted among the parents with young-aged kids who have participated in Bookstart; effective copies were 250. Meanwhile, 6 in-charge librarians and 3 parents were selected to take in-depth interviews, so as to better explore the thoughts and ideas of the aforementioned people. The research results have indicated that: 1.The participating citizens and librarians all give approval for the notions of Bookstart, thinking it beneficial to the promotion of parent-kid reading. 2.The participating citizens have a better satisfaction over the librarians’ attitude of service and the content of the activity, yet their satisfaction for the time and venue of the activity, the hardware facilities of the library and the quality and quantity of the stock is relatively low. 3.Participated citizens do not think the promotion adopted by the library has been well received in everyday life, and hence have the lowest satisfaction for current promotion. 4.The most serious problems facing up to in-charge librarians were short of manpower and insufficient promotion. 5.In-charge librarians regard the factors that affect the quality of activities as manpower and the environment of the library. 6.The assistance needed in promoting Bookstart includes “adding manpower” and “a packaged promotion by the government”. Hence, the study offers suggestions for the future development of Bookstart as follows: 1.Enrich the collection of books for infants and young children to enhance reading quality. 2.Parents learning courses can group types of workshops or study will be conducted. 3.The current promotion strategies shall be incorporated, and the activity should be promoted by the government as a package. 4.To enhance reading the penetration rate paid by the Bookstart packs. 5.Related policies should be publicized in the future, so the new program can be connected with the current one by adding a “reading phase”.

No description available.