1.
Starting With Their Strengths:
Using Children's Interests to Promote
Concept & Skill Development : Using
the Project Approach in Inclusive
Classrooms
Deborah C. Lickey M.Ed. and Denise J. Powers M.Ed.

2.
What Today Will Hold…
 Why Give the Children a Voice in
Creating Projects?
 Best Practices Validate the Project
Approach in Early Childhood
 Tiered Approach to learning: Using
Universal Design
 Embedding Concept and Skill Development
as well as Individual Objectives
 Break Out Groups-
A Sample Project Allowing Opportunities to
Go through the Project Approach Process

3.
The Process of Becoming…
 The Reggio Experience
 Asking ourselves: How does that
translate to working with children w/
disabilities?
 Translating that Experience to
Working in an Inclusive Environment
in the Public School

4.
 We consider children’s ‘Strengths’ to
be a combination of multiple factors
which make each child unique :
Children’s Temperaments
Children’s Learning Styles
Children’s Skill Sets
*Children’s Unique
Interests

5.
Meet ’Chaytor’

6.
Chaytor started with year
with an assessment that
indicated:
Social Emotional
Development delays:
 Interacting with adults
or peers appropriately
 Showing in interest in
peers
 Initiating preferred
activities
 Following through on
activities
Cognitive Development
delays
 Carrying out simple
directions
 Problem solving
 Using imaginary
objects in play
 Categorizing items
 Understanding
function of objects etc.
etc.

7.
And Multiple Communication
Delays such as:
 Communicate his needs to others
 Establish and maintain eye contact
 Answer yes/no questions
 Use multiple word sentences

8.
However…where he was
starting…
 Not making eye contact
 Screaming rather than attempting to
make needs or wants known
 Becoming very agitated at changes in
routine and transition times
 Running from one area to another
 Becoming somewhat aggressive with
the other children
 “Perseverating “with lights and ceiling
fans

9.
Using Observation tools as the next step of
Data Collection: Areas of Interest, Levels of
play, etc.
Child’s Name 1st Interval 2nd Interval 3rd Interval 4th Interval
Appendix D
Time Sampling: Areas of Interest
Observation of area played in at ____ minute intervals
Centers or Areas:
Date______
B= Block Area D= Dramatic Play
A= Art Area P= Puzzles
M= Manipulatives L= Literacy (letters, books, stories, etc.)
(List area of interest and a short explanation of child’s activity)

10.
After Purposeful Observation of
Chaytor we came to realize:
 Sensory issues were present that
needed to be addressed
 Chaytor needed a lot of visual support
and a very specific schedule of the
day
 Chaytor wanted to interact with peers
but did not know how
 Chaytor’s screaming increased in
proportion to the attention was brought
to that behavior

11.
So…he was provided with those
supports while continuing to observe
him for his interests and strengths
 Visual strategies
 Social supports
 Sensory supports

12.
And we soon found…
 Chaytor was very drawn to and good
at numbers
 Chaytor had great rote memory skills
 Chaytor wanted to interact with others
but did not know how
 Chaytor had a great sense of humor
that was often surprising
 Chaytor tended to ‘perseverate’ on
ceiling fans and lights

13.
Reframing the idea of
perseverating on ceiling fans to:
An intense interest in ceiling fans and
lights

14.
“Kids with autism often get fixated on
one thing, and it is important to expand
their fixations. If the child loves race
cars, then race cars can be used as
subject matter for reading and math. If
the child only draws pictures of
NASCAR race cars, a teacher could
start expanding the fixation by having
him draw an Indianapolis-type car or
draw sports cars that regular people
can buy at car dealerships. The next
step of expansion is to draw pictures of
places where race tracks are located”

15.
“I was appalled to
learn that some
schools are very
rigid about
forcing a child to
only study
materials that are
designed for
his/her grade
level. “
- Temple Grandin
http://www.takepart.com/art
icle/2012/08/15/temple-
grandin-reveals-advice-
educating-autistic-kids
Temple Grandin

16.
Chaytor is provided with ‘safe’ activities
that compliment his interests in light..

17.
Interest in Ceiling Fans
 How do we expand
on Chaytor’s
interest in ceiling
fans?
 How about bridging
that interest to
encourage social
skills and follow
through?

18.
Moving from the block area to
interacting with peers and a new
medium...

19.
Which led to work in the art area: The
beginning of symbolic
representation….and following two-step
directions.

20.
Which led to…
Making a fan for the doll house
The Definition of Engagement …

21.
Chaytor identifies the little boy in
the doll house as himself

22.
Chaytor
begins
playing in
the doll
house…1st
with teacher
scaffolding
and then
with peers.
And… practicing the function
of objects and positional
concepts , etc.

23.
Which led to…
 Increase in:
◦ Initiative
◦ Follow Through
◦ Engagement
◦ Interaction with
peers and
adults
◦ Using
language in a
functional
manner

24.
Year Two: Symbolic Thinking

25.
Chaytor begins to initiate the
representation of his interests
Chaytor’s new
interest in
‘Na-na’s
garden…namin
g his picture:
“Elephant Ears
& Caladium”

26.
•HOW MIGHT THIS
INTEREST LEAD TO A
PROJECT?
Pick an interest…

27.
What is a Child-Negotiated Project?
Children communicate
 An Interest
 An Intent for Following that Interest
Teachers:
 Gather Provocations and Embed
Learning Objectives
Teachers and Children Negotiate:
 Which, When, Where, and How the
Interests Will be Followed

28.
Why give the children a voice in
creating the learning process?
 Emotional investment in learning
 Engagement= Learning
 Communicators of their Ideas
 Creative Thinkers
 Planners
 Problem-solvers
 Hooked into Attending to and
Following Through with the Learning
Processes

29.
The desired results of inclusive experiences for
children with and without disabilities and their
families include
•a sense of belonging and membership,
• positive social relationships and friendships, and
• development and learning to reach their full
potential.
The defining features of inclusion that can be
used to identify high quality early childhood
programs and services are access,
participation, and supports.
Highlights from:
A Joint Position Statement on inclusion of the Division of Early
Childhood (DEC) and the National Association for the
Education of Young Children (NAEYC )

30.
Learning Projects:
Reaching Multiple Objectives at Multiple Levels
Deciding what might
be a whole-class
project?
 Observing Play
 Taking anecdotal
notes on children’s
conversations
 Noticing the level of
interest among the
children as a whole

31.
Systems for Supporting
Project Work
 Planned Observations
 Providing Provocations
 The Environment as the Third Teacher
 Staffing
 Planning for an Emerging Curriculum
 Embedding Learning
 Documentation as Observation-Data
Collection

32.
Observation Tools:
 Levels of Play
 Greenspan’s Levels of
Social/Emotional
 Multiple Intelligences
 A Time Sampling of
Areas of Interest
 Anecdotal Records

33.
Observations/Provocations Lead to Engaged
Learning for All
When deciding what
might be a project?
 Observe Play
 Take anecdotal
notes on children’s
conversations
 Notice the level of
interest among the
children as a whole

34.
Matrix for Observations
Child Strengths Intelligences Shared with:
Liz
Vocabulary, Stories, , Discussions Verbal- Linguistic Kristen & Hannah
Kristen Vocabulary, Stories, ,Discussions, Nature Verbal- Linguistic,
Natural
Liz & Hannah, Nyna,
Laura,
Hannah
Vocabulary, Stories, Discussions,
Drawings, Designs, Patterns, & Color,
Nature
Verbal- Linguistic/
Visual- Spatial
Kristen & Liz, Laura,
Nyna, Tess, & Charlie
Nyna Movement, painting, nature Kinesthetic,
Visual/Spatial, Natural
Hannah, Laura, Tess,
Kristen & Charlie
Laura
Drawings, Designs,
Patterns,& Color, Nature
Visual-Spatial, Natural Tess, Hannah, Kristen &
Charlie
Tess
Drawings, Designs,
Patterns,& Color
Visual-
Spatial
Laura, Hannah, Nyna &
Charlie
Charlie
Drawings, Designs,
Patterns,& Color
Visual-
Spatial
Tess, Hannah, Nyna &
Laura

35.
Provocations
& The
Environment

36.
Staffing Project
Work

37.
Tiered Learning:
Engaging All Learners

38.
Regulation
Sensory needs met
Communication needs met
Additional adult support
Pre-teaching of positional concepts
Peer Modeling
Child-directed representation according to
developmental levels
Provided children with concrete materials
Accessed children’s prior experiences
Followed children’s interest to promote
Participation and engagement
Purposeful enquiry and planning
Used children’s choices and interest to teach
the concept of Colors

39.
Project Planning: Being a Reflective Teacher
Lesson Plan Template with Objectives Date__________
Goals Addressed:
Date:
Notes Schedule Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
-Care of personal belongings: ES, DH
RG,NG
-Self-help skills, personal responsibility:
hanging up backpack and coat with
decreasing verbal/ visual prompts :JM,
BH,ES,DH, R,GE
-Greeting Peers: JM ,
Arrival 9:00-9:15 Arrival Arrival Arrival Arrival Arrival
- Play & conversational skills w peer ,take
turns in conversations, sharing items
AC/ES/ BH/JM
- Personal space, rights of others BH, ES,,
DH
-Personal info name/ age/gender
-Answer questions about self DH
-Imitate facial gestures JM, ES
- Follow 2 step direction: ES/BH/DH, RG,
NG
AM
Planning
Circle
9:15-9:30
Personal space/ rights of others, personal
info BM/ ES
Take turns, t /t in conversations
BH/ES/AC/JM
Ask for help when needed JM
-Use utensils NG/ES
-Drink from un-lidded cup NG
-Ask for food or drink w/ words /gestures:
JM, ES
Snack 9:30-
9:50
- Personal space/ rights of others, personal
info BM
-What to do in situations/ use of objects
BH/ES/JM
- Respond to one & one more JM
- Take turns, t /t in conversations /sharing
items BH/ES/AC/JM
- Initiate play, plan w peers/ imaginative
play BH/ES/AC/
-Taking turns games w/ peers JM,ES,BH,
Centers /
Movement and Music
activities, etc.
9:50-
10:50
Weekly
planning is
carried out
around
children’s
interests,
skill sets,
concept
developmen
t &
objectives

40.
Think about your play idea
project
 How could you embed learning into
that play?
 How would you plan to meet the
learning objectives during the play?
How many developmental domains
could be reached?
 How would you use the staff and the
environment to promote the learning?
 How might learning be tiered during
the play?

41.
Data Collection in an Activity-
Based Curriculum:
 Post-it Notes
 Staff Discussion
 Clipboards
 Checklists…
More?

42.
Using Portfolios
A record of the process of a
child's learning and
development:
What the child has learned
and how the child has gone
about learning
Work Samples, anecdotal
records, photographs,
videos, conversations of
children are just a sampling
of what goes into a portfolio.