Methods and Practice for Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers

Catalog description

This course teaches methods and techniques for working with typically and atypically developing infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Developmentally appropriate methods and materials for teaching young children ages birth - 5 are presented along with interventions and adaptive technology available for children with disabilities, children from diverse cultures, and second language learners. Essential topics in the course include: family involvement, home settings, natural environments, health, safety, medical issues, transitions, as well as fostering age-appropriate motor, language/communication, social/emotional, self-help, and cognitive skills in early childhood learning domains. Teacher candidates will learn and plan instructional strategies for implementing learning activities embedded in the child's daily routine. Teacher candidates will learn strategies for integrating children with exceptional needs within various settings and for using varying levels of complexity to engage all children. Teacher candidates will develop skills of appropriate adult/child interaction and instruction with young children while developing professionalism and competence as future teachers. This course includes a clinical/lab experience designed to provide candidates with an understanding of the development of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers through observations, planning and providing individual or small-group instruction.