Special Designations for Early Childhood Special Educators

Development Domains and Special Designations for Early Childhood Special Educator (ECSE)

The assessment of a toddler’s or a child’s skills is critical to ensuring that they pass all the developmental stages. The desired results developmental profile (DRDP) is a primary tool for assessing the skills from eight essential domains from early infancy to kindergarten entry. The DRDP is administered in familiar and natural settings to a child where the teachers’ and families’ observations also take place, which allows to properly observe children without stressing them. This eight-domain continuum ensures that every child’s learning process can be evaluated and further improved to demonstrate one’s knowledge and skills.

The DRDP is primarily based on eight domains that focus on specific knowledge, behavior, or skills that are characteristic of this developmental construct. The domain of Approaches to Learning and Self-Regulation (ATL-REG) explores the mastery of a child of self-control and abilities critical to fruitful learning. In other words, it investigates whether a child is able to maintain attention, engage and be initiative during the learning process, along with control of one’s emotions and behaviors. ATL-REG 7 is a crucial example of this domain skill which is sharing space and materials with other people. It evaluates whether a child can control one’s behavior when it comes to someone using one’s personal belongings or being situated in the same space.

Social and Emotional Development (SED) is another critical developmental domain that assesses a child’s readiness to understand and interact with others with the aim of forming healthy relationships. The skills of this group are essential for the child’s future at school to be able to communicate one’s needs and preferences with familiar adults or peers and especially strangers. For instance, SED 4 estimates a child’s social skills in terms of one being able to form relationships with children of the same age and engaging in social interactions with them. Similarly, actual communication skills are determined by the domain of Language and Literacy Development (LLD). The children are expected to present their mastery of the language through any mode of verbal transmission or writing. As an example, LLD 3 evaluates the ability of a child to communicate and express oneself in English.

Furthermore, fine and gross motor along with self-help skills, fall under the domain of Physical Development-Health (PD-HLTH). This group identifies a child’s capacity for movement concepts along with the basic routines of self-help, such as hygiene, nutrition, and safety. Therefore, PD-HLTH 8 evaluates whether a child can engage in a particular form of self-help, such as dressing, meaning the ability to put different types of clothes on. As for cognition skills, the domain responsible is Cognition, Including Math and Science (COG). This skill group is quite complex, considering that it focuses on the exploration of objects and concepts (spatial relationships, numbers, patterns, shapes, and the natural world). Consequently, this domain has many measures, including COG 4, which defines a child’s development in understanding the sense of numbers in terms of maths as a discipline.

Regardless, the following assessments and observations are also apparent in special education. Yet not everyone is eligible for such a form of education, and according to The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) written in 2004, a child has to have at least one condition out of the following 13 disability groups to qualify for special education (Lee, 2022). The chosen disabilities are likely to negatively influence or act as a severe obstacle in the learning process, meaning that an Early Childhood Special Educator (ECSE) has to adjust the program to fit the requirements. Autism spectrum disorder may impair specific skills from SED and LLD domains, so the special education program is expected to work with children who have this disability (Lee, 2022). Deaf-blindness is a severe obstacle for achieving the development of ATL-REG, SED, LLD, and ELD skills (Lee, 2022). Deaf children can also face problems with the processing of linguistic information, requiring different education approaches (Lee, 2022). Emotional disturbance (bipolar disorder, depression, schizophrenia, etc.) can impact education in unexpected ways, starting from being unable to learn, maintain relationships, or self-express (Lee, 2022).

Similarly, hearing impairment (not the same as deafness) can have adverse effects on educational performance and the development of LLD or ELD domain skills (Lee, 2022). Visual impairment (including blindness) impedes or complicates children from acquiring knowledge through reading or writing (Lee, 2022). Intellectual disabilities (such as Down Syndrome) can negatively impact adaptive behaviors and imitation (ATL-REG and SED) (Lee, 2022). Orthopedic impairment (fractures, amputations, etc.) severely influences the development of PD-HLTH skills, fine and gross motor (Lee, 2022). According to Lee (2022), learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, etc., affect the learning experience differently, requiring specific education program adaptations. Lee (2022) recognizes speech or language impairment as complicating factor in education performance, specifically in the development of LED and LLD domains. Traumatic brain injuries have diverse effects on the learning process, making it ECSE’s responsibility to design a unique education program (Lee, 2022). All in all, complex approaches are required for children who have multiple disabilities, which means accommodating the special education program to cater to the student’s needs and capacities.

Developmental Milestones by Age and Observations

At a certain age, a toddler or a child is expected to show the development (or mastery) of specific skills. That is why the age range for the developmental stages defines whether a child meets standardized norms or the adjustment to the education program is required to reach the milestones. The following age groups are divided based on the particular developmental milestones expected from the children:

• 0-3 months: Closer to the age of 1-2 months, the infants are expected to show emotional development in the form of smiling at familiar people and calming down when spoken to by close family members. Besides, children should show interest in observing parents by closely looking at their faces or tracing their moves. At this age, infants need to show reactions to loud noises and imitate different noises (not including crying). There are also critical PD-HLTH skills expected from children 0-3 months old, which are holding their heads up when being on their tummy and moving hands and legs.
• 3-6 months: When infants are up to 6 months, they are expected to not only pay more attention to familiar adults but recognize them. They should also like to look at themselves in mirrors, showing early development of SED 1 (identity of oneself in relation to others). At this age, infants have to demonstrate essential communication skills in the form of imitating conversations by making sounds after being spoken to. The exploration of different objects is expected to happen through chewing or biting them. Yet infants usually opt to close their mouths to indicate that they do not want to eat anymore. Movement milestones for this age range include rolling from the tummy onto the back and pushing up when lying on the stomach.
• 6-9 months: During the 3 months up to 9 months, children are expected to show a tremendous development in the SED domain. To elaborate, toddlers have to show different emotions like shyness, happiness, sadness, anger, or fear (usually of strangers). Strong reactions to familiar adults are typical of this age when toddlers cry or reach for them when they are leaving. Children imitate different words by making certain sounds that resemble the intonation of how they are spoken to. At 6-9 months old, children explore different objects by banging them together or searching for them when they fall. Most importantly, children are expected to freely move to a sitting position without any assistance and remain sitting without support.
• 9-12 months: Closer to their first birthday, toddlers have to freely show their emotions and reactions to different situations and play easy games with others (like pat-a-cake). Waving bye-bye should be a normal reaction to familiar adults leaving. Besides, a child has to call one’s parents “mama” or “papa” or other nicknames that resemble these words. Toddlers should show reactions when they are denied something (with the word “no”), like briefly stopping doing what they are forbidden to do. The primary cognitive milestone for this age is for children to search for familiar objects when they are being hidden while they are looking at them. At 9-12 months, children can either already walk or start pulling up to stand by themselves or to walk by using furniture as their support. The development of fine motor skills is becoming apparent for toddlers as they start holding different objects between their thumbs and pointer fingers.
• 12-24 months: At 15 months, a child should excel at imitation (ATL-REG 33) during interaction with peers when one does the same things as other children one’s age. Furthermore, a child must have clear and more defined reactions to something that makes them happy, like clapping, laughing, or smiling. The signs of affection are typical at this age and can be directed either to favorite toys, pets, familiar kids, and especially family members. What is more, a child does better in repeating words after someone, but usually, a few letters from a word might be missed. Toddlers are also expected to remember the names of many objects and indicate them when they are talked about. A cognitive milestone at this age is a child’s attempts to properly use certain objects like a phone or book (repeating after older individuals). At this age, every child is expected to make at least a few steps without additional support and feed themselves using their fingers.

In fact, 18 months is a point when many children start showing the development of various PD-HLTH skills (4, 6-8). For instance, children move their legs and arms while being dressed by someone to help them and can put their hands out for adults to wash them. Moreover, toddlers should make progress with their communication skills by saying more words (except for “mama” and “papa” or alternatives). Imitation at this age reaches the motor skills as well because children usually repeat simple movements after adults (jumping, sweeping, or dancing). Similarly, toddlers should attempt to use spoons or forks and pens to scribble something on paper.

Closer to the age of 2, toddlers start understanding the emotions of other people better and tend to seek reactions from adults when doing something on purpose. Furthermore, children are able to answer simple questions by pointing at something. Using gestures at this age is critical, and toddlers should master blowing a kiss or nodding. Most importantly, children start multitasking when they, for example, hold something in one hand and play with the other. Fine motor skills should also be often employed to press little buttons, switches, or knobs. Running is expected at this age as well, along with other movement concepts like kicking objects and climbing a few stairs.

• 2-3 years: Toddlers who are 30 months old should show the development of many SED skills, such as social interaction or the use of shared space. Besides, children like being complimented, so they often show off their skills to impress others. The communication progress at this age should be apparent as toddlers know and can say around 50 words and can form simple sentences with one action word. Besides, children start getting curious and asking what something is when they see something unfamiliar. Simple problem-solving skills are expected in the form of using a chair to reach something or a stick to get something from under the couch. In addition, toddlers can use their hands to twist something like a doorknob or a jar lid. Children are also expected to take certain clothes articles off without any help.

Closer to the age of 3, children start reacting to someone they know leaving better, and it gets easier to calm them down. The verbal exchanges with a child get better, and they can reply to the questions using a few words. This age is recognized as a peak of curiosity, so the toddlers continue asking many questions about anything that interests them, like “Where is mama?” or “What is this?”. Furthermore, children start drawing better, especially when shown how to by somebody. PD-HLTH 8 is expected to be an apparent skill at such an age as toddlers may put different clothes on by themselves.

• 3-5 years: When a child is 4, one starts showing more understanding of other’s emotions, feelings, or reactions, so they can comfort a child who is crying or hug when someone is sad. At this age, children also like helping others with simple tasks and start asking if someone needs their assistance. The communication skills are expected to progress, and children should form sentences of 4-5 words when talking about what they did during the day. Furthermore, they can serve food or pour water into a glass without any help.

At the age of 5, children are expected to do simple chores like putting dishes in the sink when they are done eating. Furthermore, they are likely to perform for their parents or other family members by dancing, singing, or acting. They should show comprehension when they listen to the stories and answer some questions about the plot or characters. The development of the COG skills should be apparent: counting to 10, using time-related words, writing letters, and naming them.

• 5-6 years: At 5-6 years, children are expected to show progress in SED, LED, LLD, and COG skills. To elaborate, they should show more independence and do more chores without help (cleaning after themselves, folding clothes, or playing). They start understanding more about their place in the world and start wondering about the future. The formation of relationships gets easier for them, and they start making friends and are likely to want to impress them. Self-expression should be apparent at this age, and children are expected to clearly show their feelings or emotions. Besides, they get more concerned about individuals who surround them instead of themselves.

Toddler Observation

Time (video timestamp), Environment, and Activity Where is the observation taking place (e.g., location, video)? What is happening in the environment? Who is there?	Observation Notes: Child Actions What did the child do? What did the child say? How did the child react to the environment or to another person? What did the adult(s) do? Say? How did the adult(s) support their independence? Learning? Progressing with developmental outcomes?	Comments + Connections to ITF/PLF/CCSS What developmental domain did you observe? What skills did you observe that demonstrated development in these areas? How did the child’s action(s) demonstrate development or mastery of specific skills? Connect the developmental skills to particular developmental milestones and the child’s age
The observation is conducted in a familiar place to the toddler (one’s home) to ensure that one would feel comfortable during the process.	The toddler is playing with his toys, but then he goes to the child-safety gate to exit the room. After failing at opening it, the toddler is asked by his mother to come back on the carpet to play.	Throughout the observation, the toddler imitates saying his name after being called or asked something (ALT REG 3). It is apparent that he shows his skills by imitating certain facial expressions or responses. It is critical that toddlers at such an age show the development of ALT REG 3, so this response is expected.
The child is crawling on the rug and playing with his toys.	The child is too young to say particular words, but he is excelling at imitating different sounds and words at such a young age.	The toddler shows the SED 3 and Sed 4 skills. He manages to quickly and in comfort engage in the interaction of any sort with his mother (familiar adult) and his brother, who is a few years older than him (peer).
His mother and his older brother are participating in the observation with him.	The toddler is showing interest in playing and interacting with his older brother.	The LLD 2 domain is notable as well, considering that the toddler demonstrates responsiveness to the language (his mother’s talk).
	His mother is supportive of his actions and helps him whenever he needs it. She allows him to explore the space freely. Besides, she is constantly talking to him, which is excellent for the development of ALT REG skills.
Suggestions + Strategies for Promoting Learning and Development Attention maintenance (ALT REG 1) is challenging for the toddler, so it is advised to find other ways to attract his attention at times when talking to him. Apart from it, to boost development and learning, it is recommended for the toddler to spend more time with his peers, which would help in the mastery of ALT REG and SED skills.
Family Connection and Follow-Up The toddler’s response to his mother is acceptable, which asks for further active engagement with him to support the development processes.

Preschool Student Observation

Time (video timestamp), Environment, and Activity Where is the observation taking place (e.g., location, video)? What is happening in the environment? Who is there?	Observation Notes: Child Actions What did the child do? What did the child say? How did the child react to the environment or to another person? What did the adult(s) do? Say? How did the adult(s) support their independence? Learning? Progressing with developmental outcomes?	Comments + Connections to ITF/PLF/CCSS What developmental domain did you observe? What skills did you observe that demonstrated development in these areas? How did the child’s action(s) demonstrate development or mastery of specific skills? Connect the developmental skills to particular developmental milestones and the child’s age
This observation was conducted in the lesson present with two teachers who used a co-teaching strategy.	The child is engaged in interactive exercises with his peers.	ALT REG 1, 4-7 are apparent during the class as the child is paying attention to what his teacher say and successfully engages in doing the tasks with his peers.
The child is actively participating in the class with his peers.	He participates in discussions with other kids of his age and, together with them, answers his teachers’ actions.	SED domain is developed as expected at such an age, allowing him to comfortably behave amid his teachers and peers during the interactive lesson.
In the lesson, his teachers and peers are present.	The child feels comfortable around his peers, pays attention to the lessons, and does not appear nervous.	LLD 1-4 skills are expected in the tasks offered by the teachers, and the child successfully shows his mastery of them.
	The teachers foster learning by asking the children to engage in active learning together.
	They are allowed to make mistakes when doing different tasks, and the teachers give them an opportunity to explore the exercise together to reach the final answer.
Suggestions + Strategies for Promoting Learning and Development It is advised to continue active engagement in classes or different types of interaction with the child’s peers to foster the development of other ALT REG and LLD skills.
Family Connection and Follow-Up It is recommended that the family members encourage the development of skills in the ELD domain, considering that the child of preschool age would soon be expected to go to school.

Types of ECSE Services and Processes for Referral

Special education is a complex concept that consists of diverse services that are helpful for children with different disability groups. For instance, occupational therapy is recommended for school-age and young children who have Down’s Syndrome, cerebral palsy (orthopedic impairment), or learning disabilities. Naturally, occupational therapists (OTs) choose an appropriate education program based on the child’s needs and conditions. Mostly though, the OTs focus on fostering the development of motor and oral-motor skills and adaptive equipment needs (Knuth, 2022). Furthermore, another type of ECSE is a physical therapist (PT), which aims at treating the disease, injury, or disability with the use of physical means (Franks, 2022). To elaborate, PTs opt for employing “heat, cold, light, electricity, and water” to enable or remediate motor or sensory development (Franks, 2022). All in all, the aforementioned services and others are responsible for providing adequate education to children with special needs. The high number of ECSEs types is critical for ensuring that specialists focus on helping children with the disabilities they are certified in, and thus, being able to ensure productive education performance.

The referral process for special education is complex and consists of various steps that take some time to complete. Such a complication is critical for ensuring that the child (if eligible) receives appropriate education that would cater to one’s needs and capacities. Thus, the process begins with the request for evaluation to determine whether the child is eligible for special education. Consequently, if the process continues, the observation of the child’s skills is conducted to identify the domains that are in need of development. Naturally, informed written consent is required for proceeding with the observation. The evaluation team then has a meeting with the parents to decide whether the child is eligible for special education. If so, the Individual Educational Plan (IEP) is designed to specifically cater to the child’s needs and foster the development of chosen domains. Finally, it is required for the parents to provide their consent (in written form) for their child’s placement in the special education program.

Teams of Support and Support Plans

IEP is a critical step in starting special education, and usually, during this stage, a transdisciplinary team is formed to create the program and further work with the child. In other words, the transdisciplinary team allows its members to collaborate with each other to provide the child with the best possible therapy that would yield numerous fruitful benefits. Besides, such a framework requires educators to share roles and cross discipline boundaries to create an adequate IEP based on the significant developmental domains. All in all, the primary benefit of a transdisciplinary team is to combine and integrate the knowledge of professionals with different certifications to reach a comprehensive assessment and its further integration into the IEP.

Inclusive practices are another form of special education, but it does not focus explicitly on the IDEA’s approved students but rather on every child. To elaborate, it is the unique approach that educator takes toward every student to ensure that their learning differences are acknowledged and that they have equal opportunities to learn as their classmates. Furthermore, inclusive practices are based on the idea of student diversity being an integral part of a productive learning experience in the classes (Collier, 2022). This approach appears advantageous in terms of children learning to accept the differences of their peers and that it is normal to not be the same. In the future, such knowledge could make the children more empathetic and understanding. Naturally, the framework can improve friendships and foster the development of the SED domain (Collier, 2022). Not to mention that this approach could promote parental confidence that their children are accepted in the class and valued, leading to them contributing to the developmental process more at home.

Inclusive Pedagogy in Practice: Lesson Plan

Student’s interest: Playing with dolls (female mostly), animals, and playing hide-and-seek

IEP goals: Fine and gross motor skills, self-care skills (PD-HLTH domain)

This lesson aims at combining various activities that focus on different developmental domains to engage diverse skill groups. Keeping in mind the primary focus on improving fine and gross motor skills, the following activities are proposed to be included in this lesson plan.

• Activity 1: Using spoons and forks (plastic toys) to feed dolls.

Notes: The child’s interest in playing with dolls has been recognized at the start of this unique education program, so this activity is likely to attract the child’s attention. Besides, it is an excellent way of developing fine motor skills (PD-HLTH 4).

• Activity 2: Imitating the movements of animals (stomping feet like an elephant, jumping like a rabbit, etc.). It is crucial to compile the clips of the animals doing this so that the child can repeat after them.

Notes: It has also been noted that the child likes animals and has pets at home, so this activity is likely to peek one’s interest. Not to mention that these exercises aim at improving gross motor skills (PD-HLTH 2).

• Activity 3: Looking for shoes in the classroom to form their pairs and then tie them.

Notes: Self-care exercises are often dull, and it becomes quite challenging to attract the child’s attention and interest in doing them. Therefore, this little game is a perfect solution to the problem as the child is likely to find it entertaining to look for the shoes in the class to form their pairs. Yet the primary focus of this activity is to teach the child how to tie their shoes, which the child would be required to do after forming the pairs.

All in all, this lesson plan is designed to foster the development of the PD-HLTH domain only and is estimated to last for about an hour. What is more, the aforementioned activities focus on the IEP goals along with implementing the student’s interests into the exercises to make them more exciting and entertaining.

References

Collier, E. (2022). What is Inclusive Practice? The Hub | High Speed Training. Web.

Franks, C. (2022). Physical Therapy. David J. Franks, Ph.D. Web.

Knuth, S. (2022). Occupational Therapy in Early Childhood – Handicapped. David J. Franks, Ph.D. Web.

Lee, A. M. I. (2022). The 13 disability categories under IDEA. Web.