Curriculum Development
Curriculum
1. Refers to programmatic goals or targets for instruction.
2. Is “what to teach” (Bagnato & Neisworth, 1981)
3. Planned arrangement of learning experiences designed to elicit changes in children’s behaviors.
4. Is series of planned, systematic learning experiences organized around a particular rationale or philosophy of education that includes goals & objectives, particular content areas (e.g., cognitive, language, perceptual, etc.).
5. There appears to be agreement that educational intervention with children must be guided by a clear, systematic plan or blueprint.
Theoretical Bases for Curricula
1. EC curricula tended to adopt rationales for their curricula based on clearly identifiable theoretical or philosophical bases. Frequently, theoretical & philosophical bases used interchangeably.
Curriculum Content
1. Identifying targets of intervention for ea child with a disability is ongoing process. One needs to identify skills most important for individual child. Identification of targets is accomplished by examining characteristics of child, demands of environment, & necessary skills to be successful.
2. Content for young children with disabilities usually includes broad range of skills that are appropriate for most children who do not have disabilities (Wolery & Sainato, 1996)
3. Team members work together to adapt curriculum as needed to address children’s goals or outcomes stated on IFSPs & IEPs.
4. Objectives represent learning expectations & are based on child strengths, needs, & family’s preferences. Objectives differ from goals or outcomes in that they separate goal into smaller components.
4 organizational sources for EC curricula:
1. Permissive enrichment programs- This approach focuses on whole-child development through natural process of individual inquiry.
Seedfeldt (1976) used term naturalistic theory to describe theoretical base of this approach. This loosely structured, child-centered model depends on notion that self-initiated exploratory interactions will result in learning.
2. Structured environment programs (e.g., High Scope)- Often employing Montessori method as well. The curricula attempt to emphasize intellectual development by allowing child-initiated interactions with carefully selected materials within teacher-structured environment.
3. Structured cognitive programs – Organized into series of systematic goals within sequential stages. This approach is usually called Piagetian or cognitive developmental theory. The teacher supports or orchestrates development by promoting active learning (direct experience with objects & events). The goals are to produce near normal functioning in delayed preschoolers, & to enhance functioning in all areas to greatest extent.
4. Structured information program – Known as behavior theory. Such curricula are highly structured, with goals tightly organized into specific, task analyzed, sequential steps. Such curricular emphasize direct instruction, positive responding by all children, & reinforcement for improvement. Often this approach is remedial in nature, suggesting that child’s basic deficits are content for & targets of curriculum.
5. The other approaches to EC curricula: developmental tasks, educational content areas, & psychological constructs.
6. Developmental task approach – essentially replicates normal sequence of development usually based on normative info about way children develop. The content is usually organized into developmental domains including gross motor, fine motor, language, social, & self-help. Developmental milestones in these areas then organized into sequenced objectives to be taught to child. Developmental landmarks become instructional objectives. Usually emphases are speech & language, cognitive skills, compliance training, reduction of negative behavior, & parent training.
7. Educational content area approach – uses rationale that certain pre-academic & academic content essential to success in school. Such preschool curricula tend to be downward extensions of regular public school programs using traditional educational approach. This approach is not a DAP.
8. Curricula with psychological construct approach organized into content areas representing complex facet of personality development or psychological processes. Such curricula may be derived from Gestalt, psychoanalytic, or cognitive-developmental theory. Topics such as motivation, self-concept, identity, & sexuality may be included.
In addition to particular theoretical model, factors to consider prior to using a curriculum or curricular approach are:
1. Curriculum designed to accomplish stated purposes/goals.
EX: what terminal behaviors
Goals stated explicitly
Goals rep reasonable expectations or outcomes
2. Curriculum includes methods or tools for assessing learner’s starting position relative to each major goal. With child’s position on goals identified, it is implied that a sequence of related behaviors is defined.
Learner assessment tools supplied with curriculum can be evaluated to determine how effectively & thoroughly they address child’s position on each goal.
3. Children’s respective positions on ea goal strand suggest that they are predisposed or ready to learn whatever comes next. What a child is learning usually depends on his position on several goal strands considered together. Overall pattern of child’s current behavior determines what is right for child.
The child’s current behavioral repertoire of child determines what child will most readily learn. Some curricula proceed as if each goal strand operates in isolation to determine what is learnable. Ideally, the curriculum should allow one to establish a deliberate match between a small number of more global learner characteristics, e.g., cognitive level, interest, level of social involvement, etc. There should be a match between the number of learner activities that are to impact on particular goal strands, so match between child characteristics & activities.
4. Behavior change or development comes about through experience. One can arrange group of learning activities to impact on more than one goal strand.
5. Learning activities will take place under particular environmental condition. Curricular development should aspire to cause environmental conditions, e.g., media, materials, etc.
6. A curriculum consists of some intentional mixes of experiences that suited to overall developmental levels of learners who will participate. Even though terminal goals may all be considered equally important, not all given equal emphasis at all times across years of EC.
7. Those who work with young children with disabilities need to know what effects particular disabilities may have on match of curriculum to learner. Other than adjustments for general developmental delay, additional specific curricular adaptations for specific disabilities are needed by children with particular impairments.
1. Developmental Balance & Expansion - Are deliberate pacing & selection of curricular objectives that programmatically sample all major areas of development. Parallel progress across developmental domains is sought rather than a strong tilt toward any 1 developmental area. Developmental balance fostered by a curriculum that provides array of objectives within all major areas of development. A rich array of sequenced objectives expedites central mission of early instruction.
Both vertical & horizontal expansion can be accomplished with the correct curricula. Vertical expansion refers to installation of new skills, proficiencies, that were previously unavailable in repertoire of child. Vertical growth, or building up of skills in major developmental areas, is first goal of early education program, especially for children whose profiles show many valleys. Horizontal expansion pertains to development of behavioral variability across materials, settings, & response modes (e.g., verbal, nonverbal) after skill is established. This term refers to generalization for transfer of basic skills to circumstances beyond those of training situation.
It is usually important to affect response variability so not precisely same behavior is used across all settings (Stokes & Baer, 1977). This requires programming for skill fluency & flexibility. In other words, one should “train loosely” using different materials, phrases, etc., throughout training. . Same (invariance of) training circumstances may produce learning that is situation specific behavior.
2. Normalization - Curricula should include range of objectives that successively approximate normal functioning for age (Wolfensberger, 1972). Children with delays can be entered into curriculum at appropriate level commensurate with their developmental age in given area of development. Thus, a 4-year old might require instruction at 2-year old level in cognitive & language areas, at 3-year old level in socio-emotional functioning, & 4-year old level in motoric area. The job of educator is one of providing developmental facilitation in ea area (developmental balance principle) at least up to chronological age expectancy (normalization).
When normalization is taken seriously, it becomes crucial to use curricula that offers paths, or sequences of objectives, leading to typical skills, even if these skills are develop beyond usual chronological age.
3. Developmental Integration - For each education, one speaks of developmental integration to refer to grouping together of children with & without disabilities. Students can be integrated on both social & instructional bases, e.g., play together on same playground, eat lunch together. Often, it is possible to have children with & without disabilities working on same activity together at diff levels. It is helpful to have curriculum that offers several developmental levels or versions of task or that provides task analysis (TA) for given activity. These provisions of TA & different levels make it possible for children to work at same activity but at different levels of sophistication.
4. Spiral Organization - Spiral refers to organization that deliberately repeats objectives from one year to next but in increasing complex versions. A good spiral curriculum includes repetition of objectives with progression elaboration. These features assist in maintenance & generalization of skills. Relearning or practice of skill can promote retention, an important consideration since many skills not automatically retained after intervention.
5. Central Mission - Is repertoire or developmental expansion of programs for children with disabilities or at-risk for developmental delays so that delayed or distorted development can be normalized.
1. Curriculum-Based Assessment- contains assessment scale & accompanying curriculum guide.
Hawaii Early Learning Profile Inside Help (Parks, 1992)
Help for Special Preschoolers (Santa Cruz County Office of Education, 1987)
Carolina Curriculum for Preschoolers with Special Needs (Johnson-Martin, Attermeier, & Hacker, 1990)
The Carolina Curriculum for Infants and Toddlers with Special Needs (Johnson-Martin, Attermeier, & Hacker, 1991)
The Assessment, Evaluation, and Programming Systems (AEPS) for Infants and Children (Bricker, 1993)
1. Curriculum planning in early childhood education is integrated thematic units. Thematic units usually planned around topical areas of interest to young children (e.g., animals, holidays, special events)
2. Characteristics of Integrated Curriculum include experiences to develop attitudes, skills, & knowledge & make connections across curriculum. Activities provide for range of abilities. Activities are both teacher-initiated & directed, & child-initiated & directed. Whole class, small group, & individual experiences present (flexible grouping). Opportunities for critical & creative thinking are included. Teacher, peer, & self-assessment are available. Opportunities to make connections & experience learning as meaningful whole is integrated into the curriculum. Development of attitudes, skills, & knowledge of fine arts (music, visual art, drama, & dance), humanities (language arts, responsible living, social studies), practical arts (PE, career ed) , & science (math & science) are included.
3. When integrated thematic units are selected for classrooms in which children with disabilities are served, theme of topics should be: broad enough to address wide range of abilities of children; one in which children’s IEP or IFSP objectives can be addressed; generated based on interests & experiences of children; selected based on availability of resources & materials necessary; and designed based on interests of teacher & other team members.
4. In implementing curriculum, multiple child-directed, play-based activities, such as center activities are used.
5. 1 curricular approach, activity-based intervention, (Bricker & Cripe, 1992) is child-directed, transactional approach; embeds training on child’s individual IFSP or IEP goals & objectives into routine or planned activities and uses logically occurring antecedents & consequences to develop functional & generalizable skills (i.e., generalized to other settings).
1. Recommended Practices in General Early Childhood Education (ECE)
1. Developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) (Bredekamp, 1987, Bredekamp & Copple, 1997) is a set of guidelines established by NAEYC to articulate appropriate practices for ECE of young children.
2. Embedded in concept of DAP is idea of age appropriate, individually appropriate, culturally appropriate activities & roles fulfilled by child & teacher in learning environment.
3. Age appropriateness is based on knowledge of typical development of children & plan appropriate experiences.
4. Individual appropriateness- Children have individual patterns & timing of growth as well as individual personalities, strengths, interests, backgrounds, and experiences.
5. Cultural appropriateness- understand each child’s social & cultural contexts. Curriculum is flexible, allowing for content that meets wide range of abilities, interests, & backgrounds of children.
6. It is widely accepted in general ECE that developmentally appropriate curriculum is based on:
a. Process of learning is just as important, if not more important, as end product. Children’s active engagement within their environment with peers, materials, & adults is valuable & necessary in order to be active participants in learning process.
7. Children learn through play & through concrete “hands-on” activities that are relevant to their lives.
8. Heterogeneous grouping is embraced with belief that appropriate educational experiences meet needs of young children with wide range of abilities. Educational experiences should be flexible as children allows to work on different levels and at their own pace. Curriculum should not only celebrate diversity, but should challenge predjudice, sterotyping, & bias (related to gender, ability, race).
Recommended Practices in ECSE
(DEC Task Force on Recommended Practices, 1993)
1. Educational experiences should be family centered.
They should be responsive to families’ goals & priorities for their
children. The vision which families have for their children should provide foundation for program planning.
2. Educational experiences should be research-based or value-based.
a. Empirical support for strategies used.
3. Educational experiences should be consistent with multicultural perspective.
a. Acknowledge individuality of children & families.
4. Educational experiences should provide for multidisciplinary input.
a. Practices reflect team approach where all share info, & expertise, communicate frequently, & participate in joint decision-making.
5. Educational experiences should be developmentally appropriate & chronologically appropriate.
a. Match between unique, individual needs of child & curriculum.
b. Look at physical & social environment, adapting or using specialized equipment, &/or utilizing specialized instructional strategies & techniques
6. Educational experiences should be normalized.
1. Families are supported in achieving their goals.
a. Professionals interact with families & learn about priorities that
parents have for their children.
2. Child engagement, independence, & mastery are supported.
a. Children master demands of home, school, etc. The focus is on what is expected within each setting.
3. Development is promoted in all areas.
4. Development of social competence is supported. Social competence of young children with disabilities facilitated with children without disabilities.
5. Generalized use of skills is emphasized.
6. Children are provided with, & prepared for, “normalized” life experiences, are educated in the least restrictive environment (LRE) e.g., play group in neighborhood, child care program, babysitter’s house.
7. Emergence of future problems or disabilities is prevented.
1. Program based on DAP guidelines alone is not sufficient for many children with special needs.
2. DAP is opponent of unwarranted acceleration of academic progress in children without disabilities. ECSE, on other hand, driven by environmental, rather than constructivist position, which attempts to accelerate developmental progress & acquisition of skills that would not typically occur without benefit of direct intervention or instruction.
3. The differences between ECE & ECSE are merely reflections of different developmental pathways, not expression of deep philosophical differences.
4. Both ECE & ECSE can exist in same setting. Reconciled by using DAP guideline as foundation & ECSE practices as material to complete structure.
5. ECE & ECSE must have clearly understanding of what constitutes DAP in their respective fields to have DAP be a foundation.
6. ECSE programs, however, that are exclusively constructed around DAP guidelines, are likely to be insufficient for meeting needs of many young children with disabilities.
1. Developed in North Carolina & is product of Chapel Hill Training Outreach Project.
2. Funding was provided by Office of Child Development & Bureau of Ed for the Handicapped.
3. Designed to be used with individual or groups of children & is suitable for both typically & atypically developing children.
4. Major developmental domains designated in curriculum are: FM, GM. Social skills, self-help, cognitive, & language skills.
5. Core of LAP curricular package is Learning Accomplishment Profile & manual for use of Profile. Profile contains listing of hierarchy of developmental behaviors from birth through 5 years for each of major domains addressed in curriculum.
6. Profile provides suggestions for skill sequence development & a means for recording child’s behaviors on specific task. Also, contains plans for 44 wks of curricular units.
7. Strengths:
a. Popular curriculum
b. has theoretical base with field testing
c. provisions for assessment & record keeping
8. Weaknesses:
a. Suggestions for accommodating various disabilities not available in core curriculum, & behaviorally defined strategies for teaching objectives are not stressed.
1. HICOMP is acronym for higher competencies in communication, own care, motor, & problem solving.
2. Was part of First Chance projects funded by Bureau of Ed for Handicapped.
3. Served as model outreach program for 3 years under directorship of John Neisworth & Carol Cartwright at PA State University.
4. HICOMP is suitable for to be used with children with typical, delayed development or with multiple disabilities.
5. Was designed to be used with groups of children or individuals.
6. There are 2 core products:
a. COMP Curriculum &
b. Comp Curriculum Guide
c. 4 major developmental areas: communication, own care, motor, & problem solving within hierarchy of 800 developmental objective for children form birth through 5 years.
7. Lesson plans accompany these objectives. Curricular guide gives behavioral strategies for implementing developmental objectives & evaluation techniques to measure child progress.
8. Supplemental HICOMP products include:
a. COMP - Identification Find/Screen Planning Package- designed for planning & conducting child find/screening efforts in rural areas.
b. Perceptions of Developmental Skills Profile- used by parents, teachers, or paraprofessionals to assess child’s skills in 4 developmental domains.
c. Home Visitor’s Guide and Family Needs Assessment- developed to promote close ties bet family & agency serving child.
d. COMP Parent Manual- designed for parent training.
9. Strengths:
a. specific behavioral objectives
b. specific techniques for teaching each objective
c. strategy to accommodate a child with 1 or more disabilities
d. efficiently designed record keeping
e. strategies to teach affective skills.
10. Weaknesses
a. Consultant would be needed for certain disabilities (e.g., deafness or visual impairment)
b. No provisions given for generalized learned skills in different settings.
1. There’s probably no one early intervention curricula that will be equally effective with all children.
2. Strengths & weaknesses of several programs should be compared prior to selecting 1 curriculum.
3. Need to balance needs of target pop, teaching styles of personnel, & philosophy of administration & parents.
Curricula
HICOMP
HELP
Carolina
EMI Infant Learning Packets
AEPS