EARLY CHILDHOOD ADDED AUTHORIZATION

Candidates study and discuss the historical and cultural traditions of cultural and ethnic groups in California Society. Candidates examine effective ways to include cultural traditions and community values and resources in the instructional program of a classroom and school environment. Candidates explore how to eliminate bias in order to create an equitable classroom community that contributes to the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual safety of all students.

*May earn equivalency for course from preliminary credential

This course is designed to prepare candidates to understand the legal and ethical responsibilities for serving students with disabilities required by federal and California state mandates. Candidates will develop an understanding of the history and function of special education law. Landmark case laws and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) will be analyzed and studied. Candidates will understand the legal components of the Individual Education Programs (IEP) and Individualized Family Service Programs (IFSP) to effectively create and design individualized programs for their students. Further analysis of case law, federal and state mandates, and local policies will aid in the development of Individualized Transition Plans (ITP), Behavior Intervention Plans (BIP) and individualized measurable, observable, goals and objectives. Candidates will know how and when to access site-based and community-based resources and agencies to support and participate in the IEP/IFSP process as needed. Candidates will understand and identify roles and responsibilities of IEP/IFSP team members (students, families, special and general educators, related service providers, community agencies, etc.).

The purpose of this course is to provide basic communication skills for developing and maintaining interpersonal relationships that serve as a basis for effective collaboration and teaming, particularly in a special education setting. Candidates understand that collaboration helps educators develop interventions for complex student needs with the expertise of all necessary individuals and information required to develop the individualized program for each unique learner. Candidates describe the need for collaboration, define, characterize, and create a framework for successful collaboration. Candidates also explore common barriers to successful collaboration and describe the components of successful collaboration including role clarity, interdependence, vision-driven solutions, and a focus on child and families as full partners in systems of care. The practical application of these skills in the candidate’s classroom is supported and evaluated with the Practicum.

*May earn equivalency for course from preliminary credential

This course provides candidates with the knowledge of basic principles, processes, procedures, and instruments that lead to appropriate interventions and well-developed Individual Family Service Plans (IFSPs), Individual Education Plans (IEPs), and reflect an understanding of the range of appropriate assessment and evaluation approaches available for children from birth through five years of age, including English Language Learners. A variety of non-biased standardized techniques, instruments, and processes will be examined, including the Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP). Developmental assessments that include motor, cognitive, language and speech, social/ emotional, and self-help skills will be administered in the child’s native language. Each candidate will demonstrate an understanding of the IFSP/IEP process and the ability to participate with the family and other members of the team in the development and implementation of an IFSP/IEP and the coordination of services including families with English as a second language. Practicum supervisors observe course content in practice to ensure that a fluid connection exists between coursework and practice.

This course is designed for candidates to apply early childhood developmentally appropriate research and strategies to design and implement curriculum and learning environments that address each child’s specific, disability-based learning need. The course includes curriculum and environments that focus on cognitive skills; language and literacy; motor skills; social/emotional growth; and, communication skills. Candidates will work to increase their ability to create learning environments in a wide range of settings such as homes, child care and development settings, and other community environments. Each candidate will apply a broad repertoire of validated intervention strategies, adaptations, and assistive technologies that minimize the effects of the child’s disability and maximize the child’s learning potential. Particular attention will be paid to small class settings and meeting the diverse needs of children and families culturally, as well as, linguistically. A variety of strategies, instructional approaches, and assessment procedures will be emphasized in order to ensure the candidate’s ability to develop, deliver, integrate, and regularly assess the child’s progress.

Candidates focus on identifying and treating communication and language disorders in young children up to five years. Foundations for communication learning skills, receptive language skills, pragmatic and expressive language skills, and speech skills in the young are addressed. Presented are specific hierarchies of development, language strategies/techniques, and examples. Candidates learn typical language development, as well as strategies to facilitate functional communication and provide meaningful language lessons to students with special needs. Candidates learn how to meet the communication and language needs of English language learners and students with disabilities.

Candidates work 1:1 with a Support Supervisor and learn how to meld course content into their teaching practice. Candidates’ growth and progress is measured in meeting the California Teacher Performance Expectations (TPEs). Candidates receive formative and summative feedback, which guides a reflective learning process. Support Supervisors facilitate this course based on each candidate’s developmental level and needs.