Building Blocks for Supporting Children in Inclusive Preschool Programs

Ilene Schwartz, Ph.D., BCBA-D

ilene@uw.edu

Five take home messages:

• Children with challenging behaviors are children first• Early intervention, including participation in inclusive

programming, can result in remarkable, lifelong developmental changes

• Support participation through environmental arrangement• Children with disabilities may need different levels of

support in different developmental domains and in different activities

• Improve outcomes through explicit instruction

Think, Pair, Share• What is your experience with inclusive

early childhood education?

• What is your experience working with children with disabilities?

• What do you want to get out of this session?

• Share with your neighbor

The Building Blocks model provides a set of educational practices

designed to help teachers do a more effective job of including and

teaching young children with disabilities and other special

needs in early childhood classrooms and settings.

Objectives

• To introduce the Building Block Framework

• To discuss strategies to implement intentional instruction in inclusive practices

• To introduce strategies to plan for inclusive instruction

• What does inclusion mean?

• What does it mean for a young child to be successful in an early childhood classroom?

• What does inclusion mean?– Individuals define

inclusion differently.– Inclusion is about

belonging and participating in a diverse society.

• What does it mean for a young child to be successful in an early childhood classroom?– Sense of belonging– Genuine child

learning– Opportunities to build

friendships

Inclusion is not a set of strategies or a placement issue. Inclusion is about belonging to a community – a group of friends, a school community,

or a neighborhood. (Allen & Schwartz, p.4)

“Inclusion is a right, not a privilege for a select few” (Oberti v. Board of Education in Clementon

School District, 1993).

Skills

Membership Relationships

Community of PracticeParticipation in valued routines, rituals and activities

Using the Building Blocks model can help all children

participate, learn, and thrive in their preschool classrooms.

The goal is to meet children where they are and help them make meaningful progress to

important outcomes.

Three important questions

•What are you going to teach?

•How are you going to teach those skills and behaviors?

•How will you know that your teaching has been effective?

Quality Early Childhood Program

Curriculum modifications & adaptations

Embedded Learning Opportunities

Child-focused Instructional Strategies

The foundation

Quality Early Childhood Program

• Safe• Engaging• Responsive• Culturally and

linguistically relevant

Quality Early Childhood Program

Curriculum Modifications & Adaptations

What is curriculum modification?

A change to the ongoing classroom activity or materials in order to facilitate or maximize a child’s participation in planned

activities, interactions, and routines.

— Sandall & Schwartz, 2008

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