Parents as Teachers: Embedding
Interventions: Learning
Through Relationships
Session 2
Objectives
• Participants will be able to identify
communication strategies that support
collaboration with parents
• Participants will be able to use the
Observation of Communication Strategies
Checklist to self assess their use of
communication strategies that build
collaboration with parents
How is today’s session structured?
1.
Review Communication Strategies that
Promote Collaboration by reviewing the
Project Connect Handout
2 . Review tapes of providers using the
Observation of Communication Strategies
Checklist
3.
Review procedures for the taping
assignment (Assignment number 2)
4.
Review the contents and procedure for
the online session
“Communication strategies that promote
collaboration ” Handout #1
• This set of handouts is from Project Connect and lays
out specific communication strategies that support
collaboration with parents and early care and
education providers
• The examples from Project Connect are for 3-5 year
olds, but also apply to families of infants and toddlers
• The strategies can also be used with early care and
education teachers working with young children with
disabilities
What is the structure of the handout?
• There are 3 sections. Each section addresses
a different category of communication skill
• The 3 Communication Skill categories include:
– Attending and Active Listening
– Seeking and Verifying
– Joining and Supporting
Communication Skill Category 1:
Attending and Active Listening
• Skill: Reflecting Feeling and Content
• Function: Using your own words to identify
the content and feelings in a message is one
way to let the parent know that you
understand
• Example:Now that we have had a chance to
talk, I understand that some of the new ideas
we are talking about are both stressful and
frustrating. (reflecting feelings)
Communication Skill Category 1:
Attending and Active Listening
Skill: Encouraging and Affirming
Function: Acknowledging the speaker through simple
verbalizations encourages the parent to continue;
Commenting about strengths and accomplishment shows
support
Examples: You all have done a great job of incorporating
tube feeding into meal time, making sure that Amand
feels part of the group.
• Yes. Uh-huh, Please go on.
Communication Skill Category 2:
Seeking and Verifying
• Skills in this category
– Questioning
– Silence
– Clarifying and Validating
– Summarizing
Communication Skill Category 2:
Seeking and Verifying
• Skill: Questioning
• Purpose: Use of different type of questions
gives you information to define preferences
and strengths as well as issues and concerns
from the other’s viewpoint.
Communication Skill Category 2
Seeking and Verifying
Example of questioning
• How are things going see we last talked (open
ended question)
• How long does meal time usually take?
(closed ended question)
• What is Orlando’s favorite activity
(closed ended question)
Communication Skill Category 2:
Seeking and Verifying
• Skill: Clarifying and Validating
• Function: Restating the main message and
asking if your understanding of what has been
said is correct can help avoid
misunderstanding.
• Example:So it sounds like you haven’t been
able to do the physical therapy exercises with
Anya because it is too time consuming, is that
right or is it something else?
Communication Skill Category 2:
Seeking and Verifying
• Skill: Summarizing:
• Function: Pulling together the main points of
the discussion into a brief statement is a
good way of obtaining closure
• Example:Okay, We have decided that Eva has
met the first two objectives, but that we will
continue working on encouraging her to play
with other children.
Communication Skill Category 3:
Joining and Supporting
• Skills Joining and Supporting
– Building
– Informing
– Seeking Consensus
Communication Category 3:
Joining and Supporting
• Skill Building:
• Function: Adding to the other person’s idea
lets the other person know you value their
input and have something to contribute
Examples of building
1. You mentioned that you have already tried to
address Jorge’s motor delays. I wonder if we
could think about incorporating those ideas
on the playground (use to support
embedding).
2. I am glad to hear you found a way to get
Elizabeth interested in books. Let’ try to get
her to point to pictures in response to your
questions. ( use to support skill development)
Communication Skills Category 3:
Joining and Supporting
• Skill: Informing
• Function: Sharing information and knowledge
enhances understanding and addresses needs
of others
Example of Informing
• It’s not unusual for children a this stage of
development to cry when they are separated
from their parent. (info on child development)
• It sounds like you would really like to talk
with parents in a similar situation. Here is
some information on a Parent Information
Center. (info on Parent to Parent Support)
Examples for Parents of Infants and Toddler
Communnication Category 1: Attending and Active
Listening
• Skill Reflecting Content and or feelings
• Parent: We are so discouraged that we are on a long
waiting list to see the developmental pediatrician to
rule out autism.
• Provider response: It must be very discouraging that
you have to wait so long to see the developmental
pediatrician since you are worried that Antonio may
have autism.
Communication Skill Category 2:
Seeking and Verifying
Questions
• How did the massage go this week? ( open
ended question)
• What kinds of things do you and your baby
enjoy together? (open ended question)
• Can he self-calm when fussy? (close ended
question)
• How does he self-calm when fussy? (open
ended question)
Communication Skill Category 2:
Joining and Supporting
Informing
• Example: Informing: Babies who are born
premature often have difficulty self-calming.
With some babies helping them to learn to
suck their thumb helps them to self calm so
they are able to engage in back and forth
exchanges when calm.
• Example Informing: We have a variety of
ways we can adapt toys so he can play with
this brother.
Communication Observation Strategies
Checklist
• We are now going to practice using the
Communication Strategies Observation
Checklist Handout #3
• The checklist contains the same items from
the Project Connect Handout and is part of
the Course Content Package
• The checklist asks you to check yes or no if
you saw a skill
• The checklist asks you to make notes on what
you saw
The Communication Strategies Observation
Checklist
• The checklist has the same communication
skills as the handout: Communication
Strategies to Build Collaboration that we just
went over
• We will use it to assess two providers use of
communication skills.
• You will use it to self-assess your use of
communication skills when you do your second
taping.
Observation of Videotapes
• The videotapes show two different providers
• Tape 1 illustrates the use of joining and
supporting
• Tape 2 illustrates seeking and verifying
• Both tapes illustrate attending and active
listening
• Both tapes demonstrate good use of
communication strategies
Tape 1
• We will watch the first tape which shows a provider
working on motor skills within the context of play
• Four sequences on the tape:
– Standing on the sofa
– Playing with the action toy
– Playing with the piano pop-up toy
– Playing with the ball in the tube
• Watch for Joining and Supporting Strategies page 3
of the Checklist
• Rewatch for Attending & Active Listening page 1 of
the checklist
Tape 2
• Provider is discussing behavior with the
parent
• Turn to page 2 of the checklist Seeking and
Verifying
• Observe for Seeking and Verifying strategies
• Rewatch and observe for Attending and
Active Listening
Getting ready for taping
(Assignment Number 2)
• Tape a teaching session 20 minutes
• Use the Intentional Strategies Checklist and
Communication Strategies Observation
Checklist to self assess your use of these
strategies
• See Handout Number 4 for the Directions
and Checklist on what to turn in for this
assignment
• Send in this checklist with your tape and all
your materials two weeks before Session 4
Where to send materials for Assignment 2
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Lisa Leifield
TLC CFSRP, TJU
Fifth floor Edison Building
130 South Ninth Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Send the Handout 4 checklist,the
Intentional Strategies Checklist, the
Observation of Checklist & everything else
listed on the Handout 4 Checklist
Session Three Online Course
• You will be able to view the course on the TLC
website
• The session will include examples of vignettes
that we will ask you to read and then identify
what type of strategy was used, i.e. trust
building practices, self-efficacy practices
communication practices, or feedback
practices
• Review two of the five websites and write a
brief paragraph on the site and how it
supports relationship based work with infant
toddlers and their families
Websites to review
• See Handout 5 to look at the websites to
review as part of the online assignment
• Use Handout 6 to write your comments
• Use a separate sheet to comment on each
website
• We will combine the information to make a
webliography of interesting websites
• Bring the website information to Class Four
• All assignments need to be completed for
course credit