Embedding IEP Goals of Focus Child into Learning Activities

The attainment of the child's IEP goals and objectives depends on the effectiveness of the strategies used by the teachers in interesting and motivating activities that the child engages in. Observing my study child in her everyday interaction with peers and materials in the classroom give me valuable information on which activities I can do with her that would interest and motivate her to participate and help in attaining her IEP goals.

Our text states that the content of the curriculum must include goals that are meaningful and relevant to each child and as much as possible, intervention strategies should evolve around activities that target specific skills within the context of functional and normal daily activities (Cook, et al., 2008). It is important that I plan activities that are meaningful and relevant to my focus child for her to be able to use the skills she is going to learn in her everyday experiences. As stated in our text, "When including young children with special needs in educational settings, early educators must select activities that allow for a wide range of abilities as well as interests. Intervention should be embedded within the daily activities and routines (Cook, et al., 2008)." It is important that the activities I plan for my study child originate out of her natural play behavior. My study child enjoys looking at books, pretending in dramatic play center, building in blocks center, and drawing pictures. Therefore, my activity plans to help her accomplish her IEP goals will be embedded in those daily play experiences that she is interested and motivated to participate in.

The use of language  is a critical factor in assisting children's learning. My focus child has speech-language impairment and using effective strategies to help her make progress in her speaking and language skills is essential. Strategies such as using referential language in naming things and actions, when talking about picture scenes from the book that we read, objects she plays with and actions she does in dramatic play and the constructions she builds and draws, will have positive effect on her language development. It will help her identify specific objects and actions, and it will encourage her to use these words when talking about what is going on in the book, her drawings and her pretend play. Providing comprehensive input is important for my focus child to be tuned in and understand what I am talking about, even if she does not actually understand all the words. As she enjoys playing in different learning centers, I can follow that lead and talk about what she is doing, playing with and experiencing. The classroom provides plenty of opportunities for peer interactions and concrete objects that she can see, feel or hear that we can talk about according to her interest.

One recommended child-focused practice is that adults use systematic procedures within and across environments, activities, and routines to promote children's learning and participation. It stated that specialized procedures (e.g., naturalistic strategies and prompt/prompt fading strategies) are embedded and distributed within and across activities (Sandall, et al., 2005). It is important for me to provide my focus child opportunities to learn and practice targeted skills during routine, planned, and child-initiated activities.

Resources:

Cook, R.E., Klein, M.D., & Tessier, A. (2008). Adapting early childhood curricula for children with special needs. (7th Ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Sandall, S., Hemmeter, M.L., Smith, B.J. & McLean, M.E. (2005). DEC recommended practices: a comprehensive guide for practical application in early intervention/early childhood special education. Missoula, MT: Division of Early Childhood.

Importance of Collection of Progress on IEP Goals

Progress monitoring is a scientifically-based practice that is used to assess children's performance on their work towards the attainment of their IEP goals and evaluate the effectiveness of instruction. It involves collecting and analyzing data to determine student progress toward specific skills and making instructional decisions based on the review and analysis of the data (http://www.pattan.net/).

Monitoring children's progress through data collection and analysis is an effective way to determine if the classroom instruction or therapy session is meeting the needs of the child, and benefits all those involved in the education process. Data collection can be done through observation and use of monitoring forms and other formal and informal assessments. When data on the child's progress are collected,

• early childhood professionals can evaluate their instruction based on data not hunches and decide what needs to be focused on during work or therapy sessions,
• parents can be kept well informed about their child's progress, supported by specific information about how their child is responding to instruction and intervention,
• the IEP team will have the data-based information needed to determine current instructional levels and if the child still meets eligibility for special education and needs specially designed instruction.

Certain information must be recorded, kept up to date, and made available to parents and other members of the child's educational team.  Progress must be monitored on an ongoing basis. Collection of progress on IEP goals is important because it facilitates constant fine tuning and adjustment of programs and procedures. It is also important that it is done in the simplest manner possible, efficient and functional (Cook, 2008).

Analysis of the child's progress allows educators to step back and see whether the educational strategies they are employing allow the child to make adequate progress toward his/her IEP goals. If the child is not making adequate progress, the data can be used to provide guidance about how a particular teaching strategy might be changed. Teachers/specialists can incorporate the data collected into decision making about how a child should be taught. The important point about record keeping is that it must be done to carefully monitor the child's progress and the effectiveness of intervention procedures (Cook, 2008).

Resources:

Cook R.E., Klein, M.D. & Tessier, A. (2008). Adapting early childhood curricula for children with Special Needs (7th Ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Progress Monitoring, http://www.pattan.net/teachlead/ProgressMonitoring.aspx Retrieved on February18, 2011.

Importance of the Individual Education Plan and How it is Used to Implement Services

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires that an individualized family service plan (IFSP) be generated for infants, toddlers, and their families and that individualized education programs (IEPs) be developed for preschoolers who are eligible for services. These written individual education plans are important for the family and for each professional working with the child with disability to have a clear understanding of all aspects of the child's program and to work toward the child's attainment of these goals and objectives in a timely manner. The cognitive, physical, communication, social/emotional, and adaptive development of the child can only be achieved through a collaborative effort by all members of the team.

With the IFSP, the team will identify the family's strengths and resources as well as their concerns and priorities. They will identify the child's strengths and present levels of development. Directly related to the family's priorities and concerns, they will identify the IFSP outcomes that they would like to work on in a specific time frame and the responsible agency or group that will provide the services. It also includes the transition plan. The purpose of the IFSP is to identify and organize formal and informal resources to facilitate the families' goals for their children and themselves.

With the IEP, the team will identify the child's overall strengths and summarize the assessment information. It includes the parents'/family's concerns and vision for their child's future. They will identify the present level of academic and functional performance of the child. From these information, the IEP annual goals and short-term objectives will be identified to meet the child's needs. Procedures for evaluating achievement goals and objectives will be discussed. With the written individual education plan, parents, professionals and other agencies can determine placement options and related services for the child. To implement the plan, the team will identify strategies for program delivery--when, where, by whom, and with whom.

The effectiveness of the child's individual education plan can be assured only with proper implementation and monitoring of the plan. The child's family, special education teachers, regular education teachers, and other agencies will work together to implement the goals and objectives. Proper implementation and monitoring depend on appropriate sharing of information among those involved with the child and on regular evaluation of the child's achievement and progress towards meeting the goals and expectations set out in the individual education plan.

Resources:

Cook, R., Klein, M., & Tessier A. (2008) Adapting Early Childhood Curricula for Children with Special Needs (7th edition). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey:Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall.

Council for Exceptional Children D.V.I. Quarterly, The Importance of IFSP, Retrieved from http://www.cecdvi.org/ on February 11, 2011

Importance of Family Involvement in the Individualized Plan

Parents/Families of children with special needs play a very important role in planning for the education of their children and working effectively with teachers and other professionals in creating a meaningful individualized plan. Family involvement in the individualized program process is very important and has many benefits.

• Family involvement increases the teacher's and other professionals' understanding of the child's environment. Parents/families are the experts on their child and the information that they share with the teachers and other professionals are essential to the better understanding of the child's environment as well as development. Teachers and other professionals will gain information on the parents'/families' concerns for enhancing their child's education, priorities, and their vision for their child's future.
• Family involvement adds to the parents'/families' knowledge of the child's educational setting. They gain information on how their child learns in school, the strategies used in the classroom and the level of academic and functional performance of their child.
• Family involvement improves communication between parents/families and the school. Collaboration will be easier and effective in providing services and support for both the child and his/her family when there is a respectful and open communication established and maintained. 
• With improved understanding between home and school, family involvement will increase the likelihood that mutually agreed upon educational goals will be attained to benefit the child. Parents/families can also indicate which objectives they can help teach or reinforce at home.

Parents/families are empowered when they are well-informed of the services and resources available to them and how to access them, and when they know that teachers and other professionals support and truly care about their child and their family. Whatever strategies early interventions use to encourage family involvement, success will most likely depend on the ability of the professionals to develop a sense of trust.

Families have diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and opinions about what is important and how intervention activities should be implemented. Specific interventions must be derived from an understanding of what each family wants for their child. With the family's involvement in the individualized plan, intervention practices will be individualized and specific to the child's and his/her family's unique needs and situation.

Resources:

Cook, R.E., Klein, M.D., & Tessier A. (2008). Adapting Early Childhood Curricula For Children with Special Needs. Pearson Education, Inc: NJ

Smith, S. W. (2001) Involving Parents in the IEP Process. http://www.ericdigest.org/ Retrieved on February 3, 2011