Early Childhood Training Curriculum: Essentials for Teaching Young Children with ASD and Related Disabilities
The START Early Childhood training follows a curriculum developed by START based on recommendations from the National Research Council report (2001), the National Professional Developmental Center on ASD (2009), and the research literature on ASD as well as direct experience.
The training emphasizes effective practices for teaching and supporting young children in a classroom environment. "Increasing learning opportunities in early childhood classrooms" serves as the foundation for the training and includes: behavior support systems, classroom structure and activities, and effective instructional delivery. Basic training in applied behavior analysis (ABA) will be provided including: key components of ABA, instructional presentation, skills assessment, choosing instructional targets and data collection.
2021-2022 Early Childhood Modules
Training Day 1
Participants will be oriented to the training series, which emphasizes the use of evidence-based strategies for increasing learning opportunities and engagement for young children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and related disabilities in early childhood settings. In this presentation, participants will learn to work as a team to develop clear expectations for students across activities and pattern positive behaviors to promote independence. Strategies will be presented to structure the environment for learning success including setting up activities with multiple learning goals and differentiating teaching to meet student learning needs.
Training Day 2
This presentation will focus on increasing learning opportunities and active engagement during classroom activities. Participants will learn about instructional delivery and active student responding during circle time, including promoting student communication. The second part of this presentation will emphasize learning opportunities to promote play skills. A variety of strategies will be presented including scripted play, video modeling, imitative play, and peer training. Participants will learn to assess engagement across activities.
Training Day 3
This presentation will provide classroom behavior support strategies to prevent, teach, reinforce, and respond to behaviors. A tool will be introduced for decision-making to match behavior support needs with a comprehensive intervention plan for the classroom and individual students. Participants will be introduced to core skills for teaching that will increase learner success in the classroom. The training series will finish with a review of concepts learned and the development of a plan to expand the implementation of strategies.
Early Childhood Videos
Early Childhood Independence Example: Putting on Shoes
Early Childhood Independence Example: Transitions from Preferred to Non-Preferred
Pairing and Instructional Control Part 1