Starting With Their Strengths:
Using Children's Interests to Promote
Concept & Skill Development : Using
the Project Approach in Inclusive
Classrooms
Deborah C. Lickey M.Ed. and Denise J. Powers M.Ed.
What Today Will Hold…
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Why Give the Children a Voice in Creating
Projects?
Best Practices Validate the Project Approach
in Early Childhood
Tiered Approach to learning: Using Universal
Design
Embedding Concept and Skill Development as
well as Individual Objectives
 Break Out GroupsA Sample Project Allowing Opportunities to Go
through the Project Approach Process
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The Process of Becoming…
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The Reggio Experience
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Asking ourselves: How does that translate
to working with children w/ disabilities?
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Translating that Experience to Working in
an Inclusive Environment in the Public
School
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We consider children’s ‘Strengths’ to be
a combination of multiple factors which
make each child unique :
Children’s Temperaments
Children’s Learning Styles
Children’s Skill Sets
*Children’s Unique
Interests
Meet ’Chaytor’
Chaytor started with year with
an assessment that indicated:
Social Emotional
Development delays:
 Interacting with adults
or peers appropriately
 Showing in interest in
peers
 Initiating preferred
activities
 Following through on
activities
Cognitive Development
delays
 Carrying out simple
directions
 Problem solving
 Using imaginary objects
in play
 Categorizing items
 Understanding function
of objects etc. etc.
And Multiple Communication
Delays such as:
Communicate his needs to others
 Establish and maintain eye contact
 Answer yes/no questions
 Use multiple word sentences

However…where he was starting…
Not making eye contact
 Screaming rather than attempting to make
needs or wants known
 Becoming very agitated at changes in
routine and transition times
 Running from one area to another
 Becoming somewhat aggressive with the
other children
 “Perseverating “with lights and ceiling fans
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Using Observation tools as the next step of Data
Collection: Areas of Interest, Levels of play, etc.
Appendix D
Time Sampling: Areas of Interest
Observation of area played in at ____ minute intervals
Centers or Areas:
Date______
B= Block Area
D= Dramatic Play
A= Art Area
P= Puzzles
M= Manipulatives
L= Literacy (letters, books, stories, etc.)
(List area of interest and a short explanation of child’s activity)
Child’s Name
1st Interval
2nd Interval
3rd Interval
4th Interval
After Purposeful Observation of
Chaytor we came to realize:
Sensory issues were present that needed
to be addressed
 Chaytor needed a lot of visual support
and a very specific schedule of the day
 Chaytor wanted to interact with peers
but did not know how
 Chaytor’s screaming increased in
proportion to the attention was brought
to that behavior

So…he was provided with those supports
while continuing to observe him for his
interests and strengths

Visual strategies
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Social supports
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Sensory supports
And we soon found…
Chaytor was very drawn to and good at
numbers
 Chaytor had great rote memory skills
 Chaytor wanted to interact with others
but did not know how
 Chaytor had a great sense of humor that
was often surprising
 Chaytor tended to ‘perseverate’ on ceiling
fans and lights

Reframing the idea of perseverating
on ceiling fans to:
An intense interest in ceiling fans and lights
“Kids with autism often get fixated on one
thing, and it is important to expand their
fixations. If the child loves race cars, then
race cars can be used as subject matter for
reading and math. If the child only draws
pictures of NASCAR race cars, a teacher
could start expanding the fixation by having
him draw an Indianapolis-type car or draw
sports cars that regular people can buy at
car dealerships. The next step of expansion
is to draw pictures of places where race
tracks are located”
Temple Grandin
“I was appalled to
learn that some
schools are very
rigid about forcing
a child to only
study materials
that are designed
for his/her grade
level. “
- Temple Grandin
http://www.takepart.com/arti
cle/2012/08/15/templegrandin-reveals-adviceeducating-autistic-kids
Chaytor is provided with ‘safe’ activities that
compliment his interests in light..
Interest in Ceiling Fans
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How do we expand
on Chaytor’s interest
in ceiling fans?
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How about bridging
that interest to
encourage social
skills and follow
through?
Moving from the block area to interacting
with peers and a new medium...
Which led to work in the art area: The
beginning of symbolic representation….and
following two-step directions.
Which led to…
Making a fan for the doll house
The Definition of Engagement …
Chaytor identifies the little boy in
the doll house as himself
And… practicing the function of
objects and positional concepts ,
etc.
Chaytor
begins
playing in the
doll
house…1st
with teacher
scaffolding
and then
with peers.
Which led to…
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Increase in:
◦ Initiative
◦ Follow Through
◦ Engagement
◦ Interaction with
peers and adults
◦ Using language
in a functional
manner
Year Two: Symbolic Thinking
Chaytor begins to initiate the
representation of his interests
Chaytor’s new
interest in
‘Na-na’s
garden…naming
his picture:
“Elephant Ears
& Caladium”
Pick an interest…
•HOW MIGHT THIS
INTEREST LEAD TO A
PROJECT?
What is a Child-Negotiated Project?
Children communicate
 An Interest
 An Intent for Following that Interest
Teachers:
 Gather Provocations and Embed Learning
Objectives
Teachers and Children Negotiate:
 Which, When, Where, and How the
Interests Will be Followed
Why give the children a voice in
creating the learning process?
Emotional investment in learning
 Engagement= Learning
 Communicators of their Ideas
 Creative Thinkers
 Planners
 Problem-solvers
 Hooked into Attending to and Following
Through with the Learning Processes
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Highlights from:
A Joint Position Statement on inclusion of the Division of Early
Childhood (DEC) and the National Association for the
Education of Young Children (NAEYC )
The desired results of inclusive experiences for children
with and without disabilities and their families include
•a sense of belonging and membership,
• positive social relationships and friendships, and
• development and learning to reach their full potential.
The defining features of inclusion that can be used to
identify high quality early childhood programs and services
are access, participation, and supports.
Learning Projects:
Reaching Multiple Objectives at Multiple Levels
Deciding what might be
a whole-class project?
 Observing Play
 Taking anecdotal
notes on children’s
conversations
 Noticing the level of
interest among the
children as a whole
Systems for Supporting
Project Work
Planned Observations
 Providing Provocations
 The Environment as the Third Teacher
 Staffing
 Planning for an Emerging Curriculum
 Embedding Learning
 Documentation as Observation-Data
Collection
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Observation Tools:
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Levels of Play
Greenspan’s Levels of
Social/Emotional
Multiple Intelligences
A Time Sampling of Areas
of Interest
Anecdotal Records
Observations/Provocations Lead to Engaged
Learning for All
When deciding what
might be a project?
 Observe Play
 Take anecdotal notes
on children’s
conversations
 Notice the level of
interest among the
children as a whole
Matrix for Observations
Strengths
Intelligences
Shared with:
Vocabulary, Stories, , Discussions
Verbal- Linguistic
Kristen & Hannah
Kristen
Vocabulary, Stories, ,Discussions, Nature
Verbal- Linguistic,
Natural
Liz & Hannah, Nyna,
Laura,
Hannah
Vocabulary, Stories, Discussions,
Drawings, Designs, Patterns, & Color,
Nature
Verbal- Linguistic/
Visual- Spatial
Kristen & Liz, Laura,
Nyna, Tess, & Charlie
Nyna
Movement, painting, nature
Kinesthetic,
Hannah, Laura, Tess,
Visual/Spatial, Natural
Kristen & Charlie
Child
Liz
Drawings, Designs,
Patterns,& Color, Nature
Visual-Spatial, Natural
Laura
Tess, Hannah, Kristen &
Charlie
Drawings, Designs,
Patterns,& Color
Visual-
Tess
Laura, Hannah, Nyna &
Charlie
Drawings, Designs,
Patterns,& Color
Visual-
Charlie
Spatial
Spatial
Tess, Hannah, Nyna &
Laura
Provocations
& The
Environment
Staffing Project
Work
Tiered Learning:
Engaging All Learners
Regulation
Sensory needs met
Communication needs met
Additional adult support
Pre-teaching of positional concepts
Peer Modeling
Child-directed representation according to
developmental levels
Provided children with concrete materials
Accessed children’s prior experiences
Followed children’s interest to promote
Participation and engagement
Purposeful enquiry and planning
Used children’s choices and interest to teach the
concept of Colors
Project Planning: Being a Reflective Teacher
Lesson Plan Template with Objectives
Goals Addressed:
Date:
-Care of personal belongings: ES, DH
RG,NG
-Self-help skills, personal responsibility:
hanging up backpack and coat with
decreasing verbal/ visual prompts :JM,
BH,ES,DH, R,GE
-Greeting Peers: JM ,
- Play & conversational skills w peer ,take
turns in conversations, sharing items
AC/ES/ BH/JM
- Personal space, rights of others BH, ES,,
DH
-Personal info name/ age/gender
-Answer questions about self DH
-Imitate facial gestures JM, ES
- Follow 2 step direction: ES/BH/DH, RG,
NG
Personal space/ rights of others, personal
info BM/ ES
Take turns, t /t in conversations
BH/ES/AC/JM
Ask for help when needed JM
-Use utensils NG/ES
-Drink from un-lidded cup NG
-Ask for food or drink w/ words /gestures:
JM, ES
- Personal space/ rights of others, personal
info BM
-What to do in situations/ use of objects
BH/ES/JM
- Respond to one & one more JM
- Take turns, t /t in conversations /sharing
items BH/ES/AC/JM
- Initiate play, plan w peers/ imaginative
play BH/ES/AC/
-Taking turns games w/ peers JM,ES,BH,
Notes
Date__________
Schedule
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Arrival
9:00-9:15
Arrival
Arrival
Arrival
Arrival
Arrival
AM
Planning
Circle
9:15-9:30
Snack
9:309:50
Centers /
Movement and Music
activities, etc.
9:5010:50
Weekly
planning is
carried out
around
children’s
interests, skill
sets, concept
development
& objectives
Think about your play idea project
How could you embed learning into that
play?
 How would you plan to meet the
learning objectives during the play? How
many developmental domains could be
reached?
 How would you use the staff and the
environment to promote the learning?
 How might learning be tiered during the
play?
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Data Collection in an Activity-Based
Curriculum:
Post-it Notes
 Staff Discussion
 Clipboards
 Checklists…
More?
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Using Portfolios
A record of the process of a
child's learning and
development:
What the child has learned and
how the child has gone about
learning
Work Samples, anecdotal
records, photographs, videos,
conversations of children are
just a sampling of what goes
into a portfolio.