Setting the Stage for Success

To help optimize development across all domains, there are several aspects of the environment that must be considered, including:

  • Arrange the physical space to ensure that the environment is accessible by all children.
  • Follow a daily schedule that promotes optimal activity and development, while keeping in mind the unique needs of a young child with special needs.
  • Set up activity areas and learning centers that encourage learning, along with play and exploration.
  • Promote independence.
  • Provide appropriate and adaptable materials that enable learning of important problem-solving skills.
  • Provide environments that promote positive interactions and the development of social skills.

 

According to David and Weinstein (1987), environments should fulfill five basic functions for young children: 

  1. Foster personal identity and a sense of belonging.
  2. Enable children to develop confidence and master new skills.
  3. Provide opportunities for growth in stimulating surroundings.
  4. Encourage a sense of security and trust by being safe, warm, inviting, and predictable.
  5. Designed so that children have opportunities for both social interaction and privacy. 

Arranging the Physical Space for Accessibility by all Children

A responsive environment for infants and toddlers with special needs includes:

  • Materials designed to be challenging and provide feedback.
  • Adults who know how to read non-verbal communication signs.
  • A physical setting that is not too crowded or overwhelming.

When arranging a daily schedule for infants with special needs, it is important to allow as much flexibility as possible. In general, these aspects should be considered:

·        Most infants are more alert in the morning.

·        There should be multiple times during the day allotted for active play, rest, eating, and quiet play.

·        Feeding an infant with special needs may take longer than usual.

·        While some infants with special needs require more rest and sleep than their peers, many require less.

·        Consideration must be given for the child’s therapies, such as speech, language, physical therapy, or occupational therapy.

 

The Toddler Arrives

Arrival time may well be the most important time of the day for a toddler. However, there are methods that may help the reluctant toddler with special needs deal with anxiety after his arrival:

  1. Greet the child the same way each day.
  2. Lean or squat down, so you are at eye level with him, and remember to call him by name.
  3. Keep in mind that a child with special needs, especially a child with sensory impairments, may respond better if you gently touch him on the arm or should when you address him.
  4. Try using music to help the toddler transition to your classroom. Try the “Welcome Song” (shown below) to help with transitions.

 

Welcome Song

(Sung to the Tune of Three Blind Mice)

Hello __________(insert child’s name)

Hello __________(insert child’s name)

I’m glad you’re here! I’m glad you’re here.

Let’s put your things away and find out what to do today,

Hello __________(insert child’s name)

Hello __________(insert child’s name)

 

      5. Some children with special needs may need extra cues, to help them understand what is expected of them. Try using a communication apron (apron with pictures attached) or a picture schedule to show the child what to do when he arrives.

 

While a toddler schedule is usually more structured than an infant schedule, it is still important to keep in mind that children with special needs may need more flexibility, especially with respect to the times when they need to eat or rest. Most daily schedules for toddlers include: 

  • Large group time (usually two or more per day);
  • Small group time;
  • Individual instruction;
  • Free-choice time (usually spent in learning centers);
  • Creative activities (art, music, drama, etc.);
  • Transitions between activities; and
  • Time for active play and climbing, either outdoors or indoors.

Let’s look at each of these and how they can be adapted for children with special needs.

Large Group Time

In order to make this time meaningful for toddlers and young children with special needs, remember to keep it short (less than five minutes) and follow these guidelines:

  • Plan activities that require participation by the whole class.
  • Keep large group time as short as possible.
  • Make the activity as meaningful as possible for the child with special needs.
  • Incorporate movement and music during the large group instruction.
  • Make sure seating is comfortable.
  • Consider making large group time optional

 

Small Group Time

 

Small group time usually involves working with only a few children. Some guidelines for helping children with special needs function in a small group include:

  • Review what was previously learned, keeping in mind that after a long break like a holiday or long weekend, the child may need extra review.
  • Remember that children with special needs have trouble generalizing information; provide as many concrete examples as possible.
  • During small group time, provide multiple opportunities for participation. Ask questions frequently and look for ways to keep the child engaged. If he is non-verbal, look for ways to help him be part of the group.
  • Offer the child opportunities to practice.
  • Toddlers with special needs require extra time to process new information, so plan accordingly.
  • Provide positive feedback, and don’t forget to praise a child for his attempts, even if those attempts are not successful.

 

Table 1 – Modifications for Learning Centers

Modifications for Learning Centers

Center

Modifications

Literacy

 

 

 

 

 

 

·    Place books that feature people with disabilities as part of the community.

·    Offer plenty of large “board books” that have bright pictures.

·    Provide books that make noise when they are opened or have different textures that a child can touch, such as in Pat the Bunny.

·    Children with motor delays may need adaptive equipment, such as a “page-turner,” to help him turn pages, or a special switch, to help him turn a tape recorder on and off.

 Block

 

 

 

·    Offer blocks of different sizes and other materials that can be stacked, such as clean plastic food containers or boxes.

·    Consider using blocks with handles or knobs, so a child with motor delays can participate in building activities.

 Manipulatives

 

 

·    Provide puzzles with knobs and handles.

·    Offer activities that help develop fine motor skills, such as the Rock ‘n Stack the Fisher Price Activity CenterTM.

Exploration

 

 

 

·    Offer magnifying glasses of varying strengths. If possible, try to provide one with a built-in light.

·    Provide large and small items to explore. Add a pair of tongs, to help children with fine motor issues pick up objects.

Music

 

 

·    Provide opportunities to dance, sing, and play music on instruments.

·    Adapt tape recorders with switches so that children can turn them on and off more easily.

Art

 

 

 

 

·    Provide adaptive paintbrushes and double-hold scissors for children with motor issues.

·    Assure the art materials are available in bright colors.

·    Provide a variety of textures and art media (clay, paint, paper, sand, etc.) to encourage exploration of new things.

Computer

 

 

 

·    Make sure there is an adaptive keyboard, such as IntellikeysTM (see appendix Adaptive Equipment), available for children with special needs.

·    Provide computer programs for varying abilities and skills. Programs that offer instant feedback are especially good for children with special needs.

Quiet

 

 

 

·    Make sure there are comfortable places to sit and the lighting is soft.

·    Provide an audio player with headphones, so the child can listen to music. If necessary, fit the player with an adaptive switch or battery interrupter so the child can turn it on and off.

Dress-Up

 

 

 

 

·    Place clothes in the dress-up center that have buttons and zippers, to give the child extra practice.

·    Provide clothes of varying colors, and invite the child to sort them by color, shape, size, etc.

·    Include hats, caps, and accessories, such as shoes and purses.

Home Living

 

 

 

 

 

 

·    Make sure some of the materials have large handles for the child to grip.

·    Home living is a great center for role-play. For example, children can role-play enjoying meals with friends or everyday routines, such as getting ready for or preparing for school.

·    Place sequence cards for everyday things, like setting the table or getting ready for school, in the center. The cards will help the child learn the steps of routine activities.

 

 

Non-Traditional Centers

Touch

·   Provide objects and materials of varying shapes, textures, and sizes.

·   Make “feely” boxes with things of different textures hidden inside. Remember some children may be hesitant to put their hands into a box. Offer to do the activity with the child.

Friendship

·   This center can reinforce in-class activities, by giving children an opportunity to practice friendship skills.

·   Role-playing activities or friendship circles (a circle where friends sit and talk) are all useful, and can help children with special needs interact with their peers.

·   Include activities that children can do together, such as building with blocks painting a mural.

International

·   Feature people and places that are foreign to them or different from what they are used to. Provide props to go with each activity. This center may help you continuing to teach about diversity.

·   Bring foods from other cultures for the children to sample, to help them learn about new and different tastes. This is also a good center for collaborative activities.

 

Contributed by Clarissa Willis, Ph.D.  Dr. Willis has worked for the past 20 years on behalf of children with autism spectrum disorder and their families. She is the author of five books including the award-winning titles Teaching Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Inclusive Literacy Lessons for Early Childhood. Her articles on child development and early childhood special education have been published both nationally and internationally. Formerly an Associate Professor of Special Education and the Associate Director of the Center of Excellence in Early Childhood Learning and Development at East Tennessee State University, she currently works as an early childhood consultant and frequent speaker at national and international conferences. Dr. Willis lives in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.