Search Results for “help how do I” – Page 70

Lesson 6 Summary and Resources

Advance preparation and practice are the keys to successful communication during visits with healthcare professionals, hospitalizations, and even emergencies. Supported Decision-Making is an essential practice to improve health outcomes and communicate effectively with healthcare providers.

Resources

My Choice KY – provides free downloadable resources for making decisions in dental care https://www.mychoiceky.org/making-decisions-in-dental-care/

Beyond Words Social Stories – https://booksbeyondwords.co.uk/stories-for-health-social-care This website includes books about health procedures that might be helpful in preparation for medical procedures, hospitalizations and other related events. The website is in the United Kingdom.

Everyone Communicates is a website with information related to improving health care outcomes for persons who use AAC. Resources available http://everyonecommunicates.org/resources/safety.html

Strategies

At the Doctor

Regular visits to healthcare providers

Schedule regular visits to the doctor, dentist, and ophthalmologist. To prepare for those visits, there are several websites with easy-to-understand information about seeing the doctor. See examples on the websites below.

My Choice Kentucky
Toolkit on Dental Care

Books Beyond Words
Medical Procedures

Ensure that the device has vocabulary appropriate for discussions with providers.
Practice using partner-assisted scanning to increase efficiency. The toolkit from My Choice Kentucky is a good example.
Make sure that the AAC user has a competent communication partner who can assist with communication and attend appointments. Use partner-assisted scanning to make communication between the provider and the individual more efficient.

For Hospital Stays

Use a communication preferences card or pamphlet to inform staff providers about how the person communicates. Below is a person using a device to communicate.

A person is using an aac device with a doctor.

Request assistance from a speech-language pathologist who is knowledgeable about AAC during the hospital stay.

A bright red button with help written in bold white lettering

Teach the patient to use the call button or provide a wearable call button or lite tech AAC device for seeking attention.

For Medical Emergencies

Keep copies of essential medical information in the car glove box in case of an accident and in an accessible location in the home.
Practice responding to medical questions during non-emergency situations.
Practice using low-tech AAC designed for this purpose.

Lesson 3 Summary and Resources

This lesson is about Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC) and how it can improve independence and effectiveness of communication. The module also outlines funding sources for AAC devices, as well as the procedures involved in an AAC Evaluation.

Resources

This website provides information on funding for AAC devices http://aacfundinghelp.com/

Transition information for students using AAC

How to increase communication among Transition-age Youth and Adults

Identify reasons they may want to communicate

We all communicate to

express wants and needs or make choices,
ask for and share information, and
share friendship and love.

Make sure the individual has appropriate ways to gain communication partners’ attention.

Leo tells you, “it’s a skill to gain someone’s attention. Some of my students are still learning to respect others’ personal space. Sometimes they try to get your attention by coming too close or using other odd behaviors. My son, when he gets excited, liked to flap his arms, and he’s a tall guy.

How successful are their communication attempts?

Does it vary by

Person? They may have familiar or unfamiliar communication partners.
Location? Like communication at home, at work, or in the community.
Topic(s)? Like predictable to the setting or the communication partners.

Communication dictionary

Develop a “Communication Dictionary” of the person’s current communicative forms to share with support providers and team members. Video examples are particularly helpful. It is also beneficial to track the individual’s preferences.

Leo tells you, “I see high school as one of the hardest transitions, because students have so many more teachers. We created a video with our son, to share with his teachers. It gave reminders for him, and how the teachers could best support him in the classroom. That really helped us as our son moved out of high school and into a job. He was ready with a revised video for his team, explaining what he did well, and where he needed help. His manager joked with me that he wished he had that video for all employees!”

Acknowledge and respond to the communicator

For example

“Oh, I see you standing by the door, are you ready to go?” or

“Oh, you are telling me _____________________, is that right?”

Watch for a confirming or rejecting behavior – head shake or other body language.

Leo says, “Some students need a little more processing time after you ask a question. I like to count to 8 in my head before I ask again, or try to communicate my request in a different way. I see new staff who want to hurry students, because waiting is sometimes uncomfortable.”

Partner Assisted Scanning

Try Partner Assisted Scanning to provide options to the communicator.

The choices are A, B, or something else. It helps to have pictures or objects to show. Show all the options – this is A (insert the object’s name, action, concept here), this is B (insert the object’s name, action, concept here).
Then show A and say “Do you want A (insert the object’s name, action, concept here)?” and wait for a response. If no response,
Show B and say “Do you want B (insert the object’s name, action, concept here)?” and wait for a response. If no response, say

“Do you want something else?” Wait for a response.

Ask the communicator, “Can you show me….?” if it is something else.

See this video on Partner Assisted Scanning

Picture boards or folders

Try using picture boards or folders. The image on the right is a picture board for snacks. Other words/pictures to try are “Want,” “Not,” “Like,” and “More” as they represent frequently used words.

Create opportunities to communicate

Create opportunities to communicate – put a needed /preferred item out of reach or “forget” something needed for an activity.

Engage peers and family

Engage peers and close family members in identifying common communication behaviors, preferences, and communication opportunities.

Seek AAC evaluation

Seek augmentative alternative communication (AAC) evaluation to identify the best types of AAC for the individual.

Bibliography

Arter, J. &. (1991). Using Portfolios of Student Work in Instruction and Assessment. Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory.

Bates, C. S. (October/November 2019). Quick and Easy Notes: Practical Strategies for Busy Teachers. Teaching Young Children.

Carroll, E. T. (n.d.). Nemours Health & Prevention Services. Retrieved from The ABC’s of Charting Behavior: https://www.nemours.org/content/dam/nemours/wwwv2/filebox/service/health/parenting/tips/10behavchart.pdf

Colorado Department of Education. (n.d.). Retrieved from Results Matter: http://www.cde.state.co.us/resultsmatter/observation.htm

Derry G. Koralek, A. L. (2005). Caring for Infants & Toddlers. In A. L. Derry G. Koralek, Caring for Infants & Toddlers (p. 372). Washington, DC: Teaching Strategies.

Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center. (n.d.). Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center. Retrieved May 5, 2022, from Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center: https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/child-screening-assessment/child-observation-heart-individualizing-responsive-care-infants-toddlers/writing-objective-accurate-observation-notes

Griebling, S. (n.d.). Youtube. Retrieved from Running Record and Anecdotal Notes Part 2: https://youtu.be/95LrzbFJgPg

Kentucky Department of Education. (2010). Building a Strong Foundation for School Success: Kentucky’s Early Childhood Assessment Guide. Frankfort, KY.

Mace, R. (2005). What is Universal Design. Retrieved from https://universaldesign.org/definition

Milenova, M. (2022, 05 03). Fundamentals of Authentic Assessment. Retrieved from University of Minnesota Center for Early Education and Development: https://ceed.umn.edu/fundamentals-of-authentic-assessment/

NAEYC. (2009). Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children From Birth Through Age 8. Position statement. Retrieved from www.naeyc.org/files/ naeyc/file/positions/PSDAP

North Dakota Early Childhood Traininng Center. (1999). Those Challenging Children – Observation. North Dakota State University Extension.

Peterson, G. a. (2021, January 4). Social Science Libre Texts. Retrieved from https://socialsci.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Early_Childhood_Education/Book%3A_Observation_and_Assessment_in_Early_Childhood_Education_(Peterson_and_Elam)/03%3A_Using_Observation_Methods_Tools_and_Techniques_to_Gather_Evidence/3.04%3A_A_Closer_Look_at_Obs

Reynolds, R. (2020). Helping Children Learn Through Bias-Free Observation. Retrieved from continued.com: www.continued.com/early-childhood-education

Roller, S. C. (2019, July). Photographs and Learning Progressions: Supports for Intentional Assessment and Instruction in Mathematics. Retrieved from NAEYC: https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/jul2019/photographs-learning-progressions

Organizing Your Observations

Documenting observations is an important part of the assessment process. Not many people can remember all the little details about what each child did during each day. That is why we need to document observations in writing. Once you have the documentation, there are many ways to organize the observations so that you can go back and look at what you already have and the skills you need to look for.

Want some more ideas?

Watch

Organizing for Assessment in Early Care and Education

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Read

Quick and Easy Notes: Practical Strategies for Busy Teachers
Accreditation Standard 4: Assessment of Child Progress

Click Here

Remember, different methods work for different people. You may need to try out a few to see what works best for you and your team.

Practice

Take a moment to read each scenario below and decide what observation strategy you think would be best to use in the situation.

1. Your program is part of an early literacy initiative, and you are worried about Henry because he does not want to look at books during quiet time or sing songs during group time.

What observation strategy could you use?

Using anecdotal notes could help you observe Henry’s behavior during quiet times and group times, as well as how he engages with books and music during other parts of the day. It may also help you understand if there are certain books/songs of interest to him that you could build on.

If your anecdotal notes show that he is engaged with books and music at other times, then an Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence (ABC) chart could help you understand why he is not engaging with books and songs during the quiet and group times.

2. Maya is from a family that speaks Spanish at home. She has three older siblings who are in school and sometimes speaks English as well as Spanish. She has been in your program for a year and has recently been speaking more English, but only to teachers.

What observation strategy could you use?

Using anecdotal notes could help you understand how Maya speaks with the teachers in English, as well as how she communicates with her peers. This information could help you to identify strategies to support her in using both languages.

You could also use a type of running record called a language sample, where you jot down the words and phrases Maya uses and to whom she is speaking. If you learn she is comfortable using certain English words with teachers, you could provide scaffolding (additional support or modeling) to encourage her to use those same words with peers. Teachers can also model expanding on the English words she uses. For example, if Maya says “It’s cold”, the teacher could say “Yes, it is cold outside!”

Course Wrap Up

Woman wearing a green jacket with her arms up in the air and a smiling face. Confetti is falling from the top of the picture and the word "congratulations" is written across the top.

You have completed the content for Authentic Assessment for Early Childhood: An Introduction!!! A few final steps before you are able to access your certificate.

Next Up

This course is the first in a series of assessment courses designed to help early care and education professionals understand how to observe, what to do with that information, and how to implement observation data in daily classroom practices.

Click Here to Register

ECE 204: Authentic Assessment for Early Childhood: Planning Learning Experiences (2 hours)

COMING SOON! – Authentic Assessment for Early Childhood: Working with Families

ECE-TRIS

Do you need credit for this course on your ECE-TRIS record?

If so, mark yes and complete the Information Form.

While a certificate of completion is provided for this course, this is not official documentation for Kentucky Early Care and Education Professionals of clock hours required by the Division of Child Care (DCC), Division of Regulated Child Care (DRCC), or ALL STARS. Your ECE-TRIS records serves as the official record.

Your ECE-TRIS record will be updated within 10 calendar days of completing this course. You must click submit the ECE-TRIS information form to complete the course.

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Application Activity – Child Observation

An application activity is an opportunity to practice what has been learned during a training.

Instructions

In this application activity you will need to observe a child. You have 2 choices on how to complete this assignment:

You can use our video https://youtu.be/HG6wvPBW0D8
Choose a child in your program to observe. To do this, you must have the permission of the child’s parent/guardian to share the video, and you must be able to upload the video with your assignment.

After choosing an option you will document and write out 5 objective observations. Need some help with practicing documenting observation notes? Refer back to your observation practice.

Regardless of whether you use our video or yours, you must write out 5 objective observations to get credit for this assignment.

Once you’ve completed your observation notes and video (if required) you will upload the assignment to be reviewed.

In your handout you will also answer these three questions:

Why did you choose this child?
What are you hoping to learn?
What do you think you might see?

Grading

As a reminder, it can take up to 3 working days for an application activity to be reviewed. Once reviewed the course facilitator will provide you with feedback and information about your next steps.

The following rubric will be used for grading; a minimum score of 5 is required to progress.

Requirement	0 Points	1 Point	2 Points
Observations are objective	Observations are not objective	Observations are somewhat objective	Observations are objective.
There are five observations	There are three or fewer observations listed.	There are 4 observations.	There are 5 observations.
Observations provide enough detail to understand the child’s skills or behaviors.	No details are provided to understand the child’s skills or behaviors	There are some details provided to understand the child’s skills or behaviors.	Clear articulation of the details provided to understand the child’s skills and behaviors.

Questions

Reach out to the course facilitator if you have any questions about the assignment.

Analyze and Make Sense of the Information

View looking down over a table where 4 people are sitting looking at computers, tablets, and paperwork.

Early education professionals first gather information by observing and organizing their observations. They also look at standards like the Kentucky Early Childhood Standard to compare what they are learning about each child to standards of what would typically be expected from a child of a particular age. Our goal for this module is to give you introductory information so that you can look at your own observation process and see what works best for you and the families that you work with.

“Educators can be intentional about helping children to progress when they know where each child is with respect to learning goals. Educators embed assessment-related activities in the curriculum and in daily routines to facilitate authentic assessment and to make assessment an integral part of professional practice. They create and take advantage of unplanned opportunities to observe young children in play and in spontaneous conversations and interactions, in adult-structured assessment contexts as well as when children are participating in a group activity and doing an individual activity. Observations, documentations, and the results of other formal and informal assessments are used to inform the planning and implementing of daily curriculum and experiences, to communicate with the child’s family, and to evaluate and improve educators’ and the program’s effectiveness.

In summary, we also need to remember, that decisions that have a major impact on children, such as enrollment or placement, are made in consultation with families. Such decisions should be based on multiple sources of relevant information, including that obtained from observations of and interactions with children by educators, family members, and specialists as needed.”
From (NAEYC, 2009)

Guidelines for Accurate and Objective Recording of Observations

Before you can start to observe it is important to understand the terms objective and subjective and how they can impact the quality of the data of the observation.

Watch this short video for a brief introduction to subjective and objective. Video must be watched entirely to progress through the course. It is not necessary to watch any related videos that appear at the end.

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When conducting observations, you must remain objective. Record only the facts. Record only what you see and hear (objective), not what you think is happening (subjective).

Objective Observations Include:

Descriptions of actions
Descriptions of children’s vocalizations
Direct quotes of children’s language
Descriptions of facial expressions and gestures
Descriptions of creations (e.g., stacked blocks, scribble drawings, finger-painted pictures) (Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center, n.d.)

Subjective Observations Examples:

Intelligence: smart, slow
Feelings: angry, mad, sad, upset, happy
Intentions and preferences: wants, likes, loves, “because”.
Labels: bored, distracted, cooperative, aggressive, hyperactive, helpful, withdrawn, shy, outgoing, fussy, bad, good, silly, cute, beautiful
Evaluations: good job, bad job
Time and amounts: always, never, a lot, long time, short time(Derry G. Koralek, 2005)

Observations should be:

Specific – Instead of writing George jumped, adding how far or how high George jumped would help you see the progress George makes in the future.

Evidence-Based – Document only what you see and hear.

Short – Use short phrases rather than complete sentences. You can use a child’s initials instead of writing their name. Develop a system of abbreviations with the observers in your center or room such as QA for quiet area or DP for dramatic play

Include
- Depth – Is this a new skill for the child or is this a skill that the child has been practicing for a while?
- Frequency – How often do you see this skill or behavior? If you are observing a child that has tantrums, 1 a day before naptime is much different than 10 per day.
- Duration – How long does the behavior or skill last?

Examples of Objective and Subjective Observations

Subjective

Objective

Jen always hogs the computer.

Jen listens to a story on the computer for 20 minutes until asked to share with another student.

Pat does a good job of hanging up his coat.

Pat takes off his coat by himself and hangs it on the hook in his cubby.

Alice acts bored during storytime.

Alice sits on her square during storytime, whispering in Susan’s ear, turning her back to the book, and taking her shoes off and on.