ECED 230 - The Exceptional Child
PREREQUISITES: ENGL 111 - English Composition and ECED 120 - Child Growth and Development
PROGRAM: Early Childhood Education
CREDIT HOURS MIN: 3
LECTURE HOURS MIN: 3
DATE OF LAST REVISION: Fall 2023
Provides an introduction to caring for and educating each exceptional child. Includes theories and practices in accordance with NAEYC and DEC position statements and IDA standards regarding inclusion with access, belonging and support. Develops teaching techniques and Explores public policy including legislative mandates. Explores the categories of special needs and provides methods for assistance. Students will create and implement differentiated instruction. Students are required to complete observations and field experiences with children in this course.
Students are required to meet personnel requirements for child care licensing which may include, but are not limited to: FBI fingerprints, 5 panel drug screen, TB test, physical/vaccination history, criminal history checks, CPS registry checks, reference checks, health and safety protocols, and completion of the ILEAD mandatory training modules- Health and Safety Modules 1-4, Intro to the Indiana Early Learning Standards, and Child Abuse Prevention and Detection.
MAJOR COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Upon successful completion of this course the student will be expected to:
1. Identify, describe, and discuss society’s changing attitudes including cultural differences towards children with special needs. (1b, 1c, 1d)
1.1 Identify key historical events that have influenced societal attitudes towards children with special needs.
1.2 Describe cultural variations in the perception and treatment of children with special needs.
1.3 Discuss the impact of changing societal attitudes on the inclusion and support of children with special needs in educational settings. (KPS 5.8)
2. Investigate various types of disabilities and developmental delays including those specific to reading difficulties. (1b, 1d)
2.1 Identify common types of disabilities and developmental delays.
2.2 Describe the characteristics of specific reading difficulties. (KPS 2.3)
2.3 Investigate the causes and symptoms of various developmental delays.
2.4 Discuss the implications of different disabilities on learning and development.
3. Understand risk factors and teratogens that can be related to specific disabilities. (1a)
3.1 Define teratogens and their potential impacts on fetal development.
3.2 Identify common risk factors associated with disabilities in children.
3.3 Explain the relationship between prenatal exposure to teratogens and developmental disabilities.
3.4 Discuss preventive measures and interventions to reduce the risk of disabilities caused by teratogens.
4. Observe and design indoor and outdoor environments to evaluate compliance to meet the ability to meet the needs of children with exceptionalities. (4 field hours) (1a, 1b, 1c, 3b, 3c)
4.1 Identify features of environments that support the needs of children with exceptionalities.
4.2 Evaluate the compliance of observed environments with accessibility and inclusion standards.
4.3 Design modifications to improve the inclusivity and accessibility of educational environments.
5. Interview critical individuals, including a teacher or early intervention service provider and a family member, to inform teaching practices for children with exceptionalities. (2 field hours) (2c, 6a, 6c, 6d)
5.1 Develop interview questions focused on experiences and strategies for living and working with children with exceptionalities.
5.2 Conduct an interview with a family of a child with exceptional needs.
5.3 Summarize key insights and practical strategies shared during the interview.
5.4 Reflect on how the interview findings can inform your own practice.
6. Describe the main goals of early intervention and understand the purposes for screening, progress-monitoring, diagnostic, and outcome assessments throughout the developmental period of birth- age 8. (1b, 1c, 1d)
6.1 Define early intervention and its primary goals.
6.2 Describe the purpose and process of screening, diagnostic, progress monitoring, and outcome assessments for young children. (KPS 3.1)
6.3 Identify other means of support for child care centers and family child care such as First Steps, special education co-op, etc.
6.4 Discuss the impacts of early hearing or vision loss on reading development and the importance of hearing, vision, and literacy screening in early childhood. (KPS 3.1, 3.6)
6.5 Discuss interventions for struggling readers at the end of 1st grade and how intentional experiences in PreK can prevent reading difficulties.
7. Explore state and federal legislation impacting children with disabilities and their families and in relation to reading, teacher licensure, and reading difficulties. (6b)
7.1 Identify key federal laws that impact children with disabilities and their families.
7.2 Discuss the rights and protections provided by these laws.
7.3 Identify relevant state and federal laws pertaining to reading education.
7.4 Explain the requirements for teacher licensure related to reading instruction.
8. Recognize the tenets of the (2003) IDA definition, as well as the distinguishing characteristics, of dyslexia, and know fundamental provisions of federal and state laws that pertain to learning disabilities, including dyslexia and other reading and language disability subtypes.
8.1 Identify the key components of the 2003 IDA definition of dyslexia. (KPS2.1)
8.2 Know fundamental provisions of federal and state laws that pertain to learning disabilities, including dyslexia and other reading and language disability subtypes. (KPS 2.2)
8.3 Identify the primary characteristics of dyslexia. (KPS 2.3)
8.4 Explain how reading disabilities can present differently in various individuals. (KPS 2.4)
8.5 Understand how and why symptoms of reading difficulty are likely to change over time in response to development and instruction. (KPS 2.5)
8.6 Discuss the prevalence of various disabilities including dyslexia and learning disabilities as high incidence.
8.7 Explain the professional standards set by the IDA and their importance related to teacher preparation. (KPS 5.6)
9. Explain the term LRE (Least Restrictive Environment) and how this influences the services provided to infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and primary school age children with disabilities. (1d, 4b, 5c)
9.1 Define Least Restrictive Environment (LRE).
9.2 Describe the principles of LRE in educational settings.
9.3 Reflect on the challenges and benefits of implementing LRE in various educational contexts.
10. Define family/professional collaboration in regards to assessment, modifications of curriculum, and services provided to form respectful, reciprocal relationships. (2b, 3d)
10.1 Define the concept of family/professional collaboration (KPS 3.8).
10.2 Explain the role of collaboration in assessment and curriculum modification.
10.3 Discuss strategies for building respectful and reciprocal relationships with families. (KPS 3.8)
11. Explain the IFSP/IEP process and the requirements of each. (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d)
11.1 Define the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) and the Individualized Education Program (IEP) and their purposes.
11.2 Describe the process of developing and implementing an IFSP and an IEP.
11.3 Discuss the legal requirements and components of both IFSPs and IEPs.
11.4 Reflect on the role of educators and families in the IFSP/IEP process.
12. Develop strategies to work with children with exceptionalities including those impacted by trauma and support inclusion in the classroom setting and understand rationale for instruction to accommodate individual differences in cognitive, linguistic, sociocultural, and behavioral aspects of learning. (1a, 1b, 4a, 4b, 4c, 5b, 5c, 6b)
12.1 Identify effective strategies for supporting children with exceptionalities in the classroom.
12.2 Develop strategies for supporting children impacted by trauma.
12.3 Explain the importance of inclusion in educational settings.
12.4 Discuss how to accommodate individual differences in cognitive, linguistic, sociocultural, and behavioral aspects of learning. (KPS 4A.3)
12.5 Discuss considerations for adapting instruction for students with weaknesses in working memory, attention, executive function, or processing speed. (KPS 4C.5)
13. Determine and write instructional goals and create a differentiated learning plan for a child with exceptional needs. (1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 3b, 3c, 4b, 4c, 5c, 6b, 6c, 6e)
13.1 Identify specific instructional goals for a child with exceptional needs.
13.2 Explain the process of setting achievable and measurable goals.
13.3 Discuss the importance of individualized instruction in supporting student success. (KPS 4A.3)
14. Create adaptive materials to use with children with exceptionalities including understanding in practice considerations for appropriate uses of assistive technology for students with serious limitations in reading fluency and the appropriate uses of assistive technology in written expression. (1a, 1b, 1c, 4a, 4b, 4c, 5b, 5c, 6c, 6e)
14.1 Identify types of adaptive materials that support children with exceptionalities including those for written expression and fluency limitations. (4C.5, 4D.4, 4G.5)
14.2 Develop adaptive materials tailored to specific needs.
14.3 Reflect on the impact of adaptive materials and technology on student learning and engagement.
15. Complete NAEYC Key Assessment Advocacy Project
15.1 Identify a topic related to advocacy for children with exceptional needs.
15.2 Conduct research to support the advocacy project.
15.3 Develop a comprehensive advocacy plan.
15.4 Present the advocacy project to peers or stakeholders.
15.5 Reflect on the outcomes and potential impact of the advocacy efforts.
16. Complete a minimum of 8 hours of field experience which includes preparation/planning (including creation of materials)/observation, interviews, implementation/assessment/working directly with children with exceptional needs, and reflection, evaluation and professional communication with the site mentor/cooperating teacher. (6e, 7)
16.1 Plan and prepare for field experience activities, including the creation of necessary materials.
16.2 Conduct observations and participate in interviews during field experience.
16.3 Implement instructional strategies and assess their effectiveness in the field.
16.4 Work directly with children with exceptional needs to support their learning.
16.5 Reflect on the field experience, evaluating personal performance and outcomes.
16.6 Communicate professionally with the site mentor/cooperating teacher to receive feedback and guidance.
COURSE CONTENT: Topical areas of study include - Topical areas of study include - Typical and atypical development Research based practices related to inclusion Accommodations and adaptations Appropriate uses of assistive technology Adapting the environment for exceptional children IEP/IFSP Special education terminology, labels and statistics History of special education and the different special education roles Addressing the cultural and linguistic diversity of special education students The parent/guardian-professional relationship Family dynamics Characteristics of different exceptionalities Distinguishing characteristics of dyslexia Science of Learning Science of Reading |
2021 NAEYC Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators
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STANDARD 1
Child Development and Learning in Context
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NAEYC Standards covered in this course
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INTASC Standards Alignment
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1a: Understand the developmental period of early childhood from birth through age 8 across physical, cognitive, social and emotional, and linguistic domains, including bilingual/multilingual development.
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1b: Understand and value each child as an individual with unique developmental variations, experiences, strengths, interests, abilities, challenges, approaches to learning, and with the capacity to make choices.
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1c: Understand the ways that child development and the learning process occur in multiple contexts, including family, culture, language, community, and early learning setting, as well as in a larger societal context that includes structural inequities.
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1d: Use this multidimensional knowledge-that is, knowledge about the developmental period of early childhood, about individual children, and about development and learning in cultural contexts-to make evidence-based decisions that support each child
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STANDARD 2
Family-Teacher Partnerships and Community Connections
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2a: Know about, understand, and value the diversity of families.
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2b: Collaborate as partners with families in young children’s development and learning through respectful, reciprocal relationships and engagement.
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2c: Use community resources to support young children’s learning and development and to support families, and build partnerships between early learning settings, schools, and community organizations and agencies.
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STANDARD 3
Child Observation, Documentation, and Assessment
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3a: Understand that assessments (formal and informal, formative and summative) are conducted to make informed choices about instruction and for planning in early learning settings.
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3b: Know a wide range of types of assessments, their purposes, and their associated methods and tools.
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3c: Use screening and assessment tools in ways that are ethically grounded and developmentally, ability, culturally, and linguistically appropriate in order to document developmental progress and promote positive outcomes for each child.
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3d: Build assessment partnerships with families and professional colleagues.
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STANDARD 4
Developmentally, Culturally, and Linguistically Appropriate Teaching Practices
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4a: Understand and demonstrate positive, caring, supportive relationships and interactions as the foundation of early childhood educators’ work with young children.
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4b: Understand and use teaching skills that are responsive to the learning trajectories of young children and to the needs of each child, recognizing that differentiating instruction, incorporating play as a core teaching practice, and supporting the development of executive function skills are critical for young children.
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4c: Use a broad repertoire of developmentally appropriate, culturally and linguistically relevant, anti-bias, evidence-based teaching skills and strategies that reflect the principles of universal design for learning.
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STANDARD 5
Knowledge, Application, and Integration of Academic Content in the Early Childhood Curriculum
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5a: Understand content knowledge- the central concepts, methods and tools of inquiry, and structure-and resources for the academic disciplines in an early childhood curriculum.
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5b: Understand pedagogical content knowledge-how young children learn in each discipline-and how to use the teacher knowledge and practices described in Standards 1 through 4 to support young children’s learning in each content area.
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5c: Modify teaching practices by applying, expanding, integrating, and updating their content knowledge in the disciplines, their knowledge of curriculum content resources, and their pedagogical content knowledge.
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STANDARD 6
Professionalism as an Early Childhood Educator
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6a: Identify and involve themselves with the early childhood field and serve as informed advocates for young children, families, and the profession.
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6b: Know about and uphold ethical and other early childhood professional guidelines.
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6c: Use professional communication skills, including technology-mediated strategies, to effectively support young children’s learning and development and to work with families and colleagues.
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6d: Engage in continuous, collaborative learning to inform practice.
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6e: Develop and sustain the habit of reflective and intentional practice in their daily work with young children and as members of the early childhood profession.
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STANDARD 7
Field Experiences
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7a: Opportunities to observe and practice in at least two of the three early childhood age groups (birth - age 3, 3-5, 5-8)
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7b: Opportunities to observe and practice in at least two of the three main types of early education settings (early school grades, child care centers and homes, Head Start programs)
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GRADING POLICY
100 - 93% A
92 - 85% B
84 - 75% C
74 - 71% D
70 - 0% F
PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT:
All degree seeking students will be expected to present examples coursework that they deem suitable for a cumulative portfolio that will be reviewed prior to graduation. The portfolio will contain several artifacts and reflection pieces as evidence of the students’ demonstrated understanding of early childhood principles as outlined by INTASC and NAEYC standards. The cumulative portfolio should document each student’s dispositions and competencies reflected in assignments throughout their coursework. Creating a portfolio has value to students, the Ivy Tech Community College early childhood education program and potential employers. Students should select from a variety of assignments and are free to confer with their instructor about alternate choices of material.
Course Addendum - Syllabus (Click to expand)
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