PIWI Philosophy
Developed by Tweety Yates at the University
of Illinois
PIWI = Parents
Interacting with Infants
Competence
Confidence
Mutual Enjoyment
Competence
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Children have opportunities to
demonstrate competence and to
expand on it while exploring the
environment, interacting with others,
and meeting IFSP goals.
Parents demonstrate their skills as a
parent and expand on them while
observing their child’s competence.
Confidence

Both parent and child should have
confidence in themselves and their
abilities; they should have many
opportunities to become aware of their
abilities and feel good about what
they’re doing.
Mutual Enjoyment

Parent and child
should feel secure
and enjoy being
together in the
setting. Parents
should gain ideas of
how to transport
these enjoyable
activities to home
and the community.
Individualizing

Individual goals identified by parents
and embedded within the environment
and interactions…includes IFSP goals.
Facilitator Team

2 or more facilitators, often from
different disciplines, who interact with
one another as they plan, execute and
debrief a play group.
Triadic Relationship

3 people
interacting in a way
to enhance the
learning,
competence,
confidence and
mutual enjoyment
of the interaction.
Dyadic Relationship

2 people interacting
– this should be the
parent and child in
the play group, not
the facilitator and
the child.
Developmental Topic

Every play group is organized around
a developmental topic selected to
highlight the children’s developmental
competencies and interests and move
towards meeting the child/parent
goals on the IFSP.
Why is Interaction
Important?
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What is the child learning from this
interaction?
What is the adult learning from this
interaction?
What are the dyad partners learning
about each other from this interaction?
What is being learned?
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Feelings about self
Expectations for others
Expectations for self
Motivation to learn and explore
All aspects of development
are affected:
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Emotional
Social
Cognitive
Communicative
Motor
The emotional
experience of self as
COMPETENT AND
LOVED underlies all.
Disabilities or a developmental
delay can result in these interactive
blocks:
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Ability to self-regulate
Responsiveness
Initiation of interaction
Predictability
Exploratory and developmental
competence
Why emphasize parentchild interaction in EI?
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Critical for healthy relationships
Certain characteristics of interaction appear to
support better developmental outcomes
Interpersonal interaction is a spontaneous, natural
process that results from natural tendencies of both
partners
Some individual differences in child (disability) or in
parent (stress) may present unique challenges to
the interactive partner
Successful parent-child interaction promotes child
development, mutual pleasure, and a sense of
competence in both partners
DYADIC
CHARACTERISTICS/
STRATEGIES:
WHAT THE ADULT CAN DO
Set the stage for
interaction

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Position self and child so that mutual
gaze and joint action are possible
Provide objects and events appropriate
to the child’s development and
understanding
Physically support the child if needed
to obtain freedom to interact with
others and with objects
Maintain child’s interest
and attention:
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Establish yourself as an interesting partner
Maintain a warm, encouraging manner
Provide clear emotional cues
Use novelty and exaggeration to capture interest
Be sensitive and responsive to the child’s emotional
expression
Regulate the pace of the interaction in response to
the child’s mood and emotional cues
Recruit the child’s attention when unengaged or
unfocused
Introduce new focus or activity when needed
Establish reciprocal roles
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Respond to child’s initiations
Establish predictable, reciprocal
interaction routines
Provide time for the child to take a
turn
Let the child know that a response is
expected…then wait
Imitate…then wait (imitation game)
Match and Follow
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Observe, interpret, and join the child’s
focus of attention and interests
Maintain the topic of child’s initiations
Comment on the child’s activities and
interests
Support developmentally
more challenging
participation
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Elaborate on the child’s communicative
attempts
Add new actions and elements to
established interaction routines
Balance support (suggestion,
demonstration) with
expectations/opportunities for independence
Pose “dilemmas” for the child to solve
Goals of a Dyadic
Interaction
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Provide pleasure through interaction for
both partners
Promote self-efficacy and self-esteem in
both partners
Provide experiences that promote optimal
development and learning in the child
Affirm and strengthen the parent-child
relationship
Kids on the Move Classes
PIWI- Expanding (older)
 PIWI- Let’s Play (younger)
 Structured
 Feeding
 Motor
 Behavior
 Articulation
--These are all PIWI classes, some are just
specialized PIWI classes.
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Natural Environment
“Natural Environments” means
settings that are natural or
normal for the child’s age
peers who have no disabilities.
When to Refer a Child to Classes
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After several months of visiting a
child/family
When services can’t be met in the child’s
natural environment
Several months of not making
developmental progress
Justification Statement
Justification statement is only needed for services which
are provided to the CHILD and which are not provided in
the natural environment
No Justification statement is needed for services to
PARENTS
Reasonable justification statement:
 Links to concerns
 Links to outcomes
 The service can actually address the reason stated in the
justification
The IFSP must include “a justification of the extent, if
any, to which the services will not be provided in a
natural environment”. A justification statement may be
reflective of the family’s concerns and priorities, or a
determination that the natural environment are not
conducive to achievement of the child and family
outcomes.
Examples of Justification
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Katie is an only child and has few children her
age in her neighborhood. Class provides an
opportunity for her to socialize and receive peer
modeling.
Brian is one of triplets and parents are
struggling to find time in the day to give him
one-on-one time. Class provides a structured
time each week to spend time with Brian.
Kim is not making developmental progress
after 6 months of services in the home. Class
will provide a more structured learning
environment to address goals.
How PIWI is applied at
KOTM
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Most classes run for 1 ½ hours;
typically from 9:30-11:00 or 11:301:00 Tues –Friday one time a week for
each individual class.
Structured classes run 2 times a week
for each individual class
PIWI Schedule (sample)
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Free time (9:30-10:00)
Motor room (10:00-10:20)
Snack time (10:20-10:35)
Books
(10:35-10:40)
Music Time (10:40-11:00)
Structured PIWI Schedule
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Motor room (11:30-12:00)
Transition Activity (12:00-12:05)
Learning Box (12:05-12:25)
Snack
(12:30-12:45)
Structured/Social Activity (12:4512:55)
Music (12:55-1:00)
Music and Book Activities
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Integrate social, cognitive,
communicative, and physical
development
Self-confidence/mastery of routine and
repetition
Interactions with People
Joy!!
Free Play
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Promote social interactions between
the children and other adults through
play
Follow the child’s lead in play
Model and expand communication in a
conversational, fun way
Build play and fine motor skills
Motor Activity
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Promote social awareness of body and
space
Strengthening muscles
Improving balance and coordination
Using communication and social skills
Encourages social interaction, turn
taking
Snack Time
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Promote self-feeding, fine motor
skills—We LOVE messes!!!
Promote self-help skills, i.e. washing
hands, clean-up
Promote social skills
Promote communication by
requesting, pointing, naming,
commenting, choosing
Sibling Care
Offered by the EEC
 For children 2mo. Through the first
day of 1st grade (6 yrs)
 Three Rooms:
1. 2 month-1 year olds (Jane)
2. 1-2 year olds (Ruth/Lacy)
3. 3 year olds and over (LaRayne/Lia)
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Sibling Care
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Limited space available due to licensing
teacher to child ratio requirements
1:4 Ratio in baby class (4 slots for sibs)
1:6 Ratio in Toddler class (5 slots for sibs)
1:17 Ratio in Over 3 class (10 slots for sibs)
Each child needs a child registration filled
out plus a copy of their immunizations
Sib Care Sign Ups
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LaRayne adds sibs to the list & all sib sign
ups must go through her for day classes.
Evening childcare sign up is with KOTM
receptionist
Sib List available to view on the network:
(Ei-ecc/playgroups/asibcarelist/currentsibcarelist)
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Some kids are put on “overbooked” and
some on the “waiting list”
LaRayne moves kids up as appropriate