Adaptations are Key to Early Literacy Learning

Carol M. Trivette, Ph.D.

Orelena Hawks Puckett Institute

Asheville and Morganton, NC

Presentation made at the Ninth National Early Childhood Inclusion Institute Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute

Chapel Hill, NCJuly 15, 2009

Purpose of Presentation

To describe the :

• CELL content model

• Development of evidence-based practice guides

• Process and procedures for identifying evidence-based adaptations

• Development of practice guides with adaptations

The Center for Early Literacy Learning

• Orelena Hawks Puckett Institute Asheville & Morganton, NC

• American Institutes for Research Washington, DC

• PACER Center Bloomington, MN

• UCONN Center for Excellence in Disabilities Farmington, CT

(CELL) is a collaboration among the:

CELL website: www.earlyliteracylearning.org

• What you’ll find there:– CELLpapers provide background information about the

conceptual frameworks used to guide CELL activities and the results of evaluation and research studies conducted by CELL staff.

– CELLreviews are practice-based research syntheses of early communication, language, and literacy development.

– CELLnotes are one- to two-page summaries of the findings from practice-based research syntheses.

– CELLpractices include descriptions of the methods, steps, or procedures for promoting adoption and use of evidence-based literacy learning practices by practitioners, parents, and other caregivers.

Domains of Early Literacy Learning

• Speech Processing Skills Oral Language Listening Comprehension Phonological Awareness

• Print-Related Skills Print Awareness Written Language Alphabet Awareness Text Comprehension

Adapted from A. van Kleeck (1998). Pre-literacy domains and stages.

Journal of Children’s Communication Development, 20, 33-51.

a

a

Oral Language

Listening Comprehension

Phonological Awareness

Print Awareness

Written Language

Alphabet Awareness

Text Comprehension

Operationalization

• Conduct practice-based research syntheses of early literacy learning experiences and practices

• Develop evidence-based practice guides using findings from the research syntheses to inform the content of the practices

Everyday Literacy Activities

Responsive

TeachingEarly Literacy

Learning

Outcomes

Overview of CELL Early Literacy Learning Model

Literacy-Rich Environments

Child Interests

Interest-Based Mastery Cycle

Mastery

Interests

Engagement

Competence

LiteracyActivities

Evidence-Based Practice Guides

• What is the practice?

• What does the practice look like?

• How do you do the practice?

• How do you know the practice worked?

CELL practices (paper, DVDs, PPP, etc.) are prepared

in a manner that provides end-users (practitioners and

parents) information about four elements of a practice:

CELL Practice Guides

All CELL practice guides include the four “how to” elements and “real life” examples of the practices being implemented by practitioners or parents. At least one vignette includes descriptions of how the practice can be modified or adapted for a child with a disability.

Practice Guide Vignettes

• Two – three vignettes on the back of each practice guide

• Vignettes explicitly or implicitly build on the interest of the child

• Activities in the vignette are naturally occurring as part of everyday life

• Vignettes suggest how parents or practitioners interact in a responsive manner

Practice Guide Hierarchy

• Universal Practice Guides

• Practice Guides with Adaptations

• Specialized Practice Guides

Examples of Practice Guides by Early Literacy Domains

Linguistic Processing Skills

Oral Language–Babble On–Talk Is Fun

Listening Comprehension–Time to Rhyme– Hear This

Phonological Awareness –Fingerplays and Action Rhymes–Sound Advice

Print - Related Skills

Print Awareness–One for the Books–First ABC Books

Written Language–Scribble Scribble–Get Write on It!

Alphabet Awareness–Stamps of Approval–Exploring Magazines and Catalogs

Text Comprehension–Read It Again!–Tuning Into Tales

Practice Guide with Adaptations for Encouraging Child Participation

• Adaptations ensure that children with disabilities:– Can express their interests and have them interpreted

correctly– Can engage in early literacy learning activities – Can become skillful and competent in early literacy

activities and behaviors– Can master early literacy learning skills

• Adaptations offer just enough assistance so that children with disabilities can proceed through the same process of mastery as do children without disabilities.

Adaptation Continuum

• Adapt Environment

• Adapt Activity

• Adapt Materials

• Adapt Instruction

• Provide Assistance

Source: Cara’s Kit, Milbourne & Campbell, 2007

Adaptations

Adaptations include adjustments, changes, or modifications to the environment, activities, materials, or interactions that support or enhance children’s participation in everyday early literacy learning activities.

Environmental Adaptations

Changes or modifications to the physical environment or the addition of selected equipment.

Examples• Rearrange furniture for easy wheelchair access to the

book shelf• Make a quiet place to support a child who is trying to

focus on his/her favorite book• Provide a child a slant board when he/she is coloring

Adaptations to Activities

Changes or modifications to the learning activity to enhance the child’s participation.

Examples• Let the child use his finger to paint instead of using a

paint brush that is hard for him to hold• Let the child use finger puppets as part of telling a story• Tape paper to the table to provide more stability while

the child is coloring• Let a restless child pick a book she likes to read even if it

is in the middle of another story

Adaptations to Materials

Changes or modifications to the materials used in an activity to enhance children’s participation.

Examples• Use foam to thicken pencils to make them easier to hold• Provide visual cues on a recipe so the child can follow

the steps even if she cannot “read”• Provide a switch interface so the child can turn a tape

recorder on and off to listen to songs or stories• Place knobs on an alphabetical puzzle to help a child

place the pieces in or out

Instructional Adaptations

Changes or modifications to the instructions or requirements of the activity to support the child’s participation.

Examples• Shorten the length of time a child participates in drawing so

he doesn’t lose interest• Allow a child to stand instead of sit while listening to a story• Allow a child to use a picture board to answer questions

about the story• Provide extra time for a child with some mild fine motor

challenges to finish “writing” her name

Providing Assistance

Adult provides the child direct assistance to accomplish the activity.

Examples• Adult guides the child’s hand when drawing a picture• Adult takes the does the action for the child

Practice-Based Research Syntheses

A practice-based research synthesis attempts to identify, unpack, and disentangle those characteristics of environmental experiences (practices, interventions, treatments, etc.) that have development-enhancing features and elements.

Framework for Conducting a Practice-Based Research Synthesis

Practice

Characteristics

Practice

Consequences

Processes

Disentangling and Unpacking theCharacteristics that Matter Most

As many practice characteristics as possible of an intervention in a study are coded and analyzed, and the presence and absence of the characteristics are related to the study outcomes to identify those characteristics that “stand out” as most important.

Adaptation Synthesis

• Reviewed 19 articles that examined the effects of adaptations on child learning

• 104 participants ranging in age between 50 and 80 months with majority being 36 to 60 months of age

• 86% were boys

• Wide range of disabilities including autism, cerebral palsy, visual impairments, etc.

Number of Articles that Examined Adaptations

• 3 Studies Environmental Adaptations• 12 Studies Activity Adaptations• 3 Studies Material Adaptations

• 9 Studies in Classrooms• 5 Studies in homes• 2 Studies in Clinics• 1 Study on Playground

Mean Cohen’s d Effect Sizes and 90% Confidence Intervals (CI) for Type of Adaptation

Number

Variable ChildrenEffect Sizes Mean d 90% CI

Environment 6 10 2.27 .86 - 3.68

Activity 23 30 1.86 1.38 - 2.34

Material 6 8 1.39 .41 - 2.36

Mean Cohen’s d Effect Sizes and 90% Confidence Intervals (CI) for Outcome Variables

Number

Variable ChildrenEffect Sizes Mean d 90% CI

Cognitive 9 9 3.42 2.53 - 4.31

Communication 21 28 1.57 1.10 - 2.04

Gross Motor 2 2 3.52 -.28 - 7.31

Social 6 9 .88 -.29 - 2.04

Mean Cohen’s d Effect Sizes and 90% Confidence Intervals (CI) for Child Disabilities

Number

Variable ChildrenEffect Sizes Mean d 90% CI

Autism 17 21 2.36 1.69 – 3.02

Multiple Disabilities 8 10 2.10 1.07 – 3.12

Developmental Delay 5 6 1.42 .62 – 2.21

Cerebral Palsy 4 8 1.17 -.22 – 2.55

Behavioral Disorder 1 3 .46 -.21 – 1.14

Synthesis Summary

• All three adaptations were related to changes in child behavior

• Communication and cognitive outcome most effected by adaptations

• Adaptations most effective when used in 10 or more sessions

• Adaptations effective for children with autism, multiple disabilities, and developmental delays

Infant Practice Guides

• Show Me the Funny (Stories and Listening)• Picture This (Gestures and Signing)• Mark My Word (Scribbling and Drawing)• Let Me Show You What I Mean (Vocalizing and

Listening)• Turn Up the Sound (Rhymes and Sound

Awareness)

Toddler Practice Guides

• Speaking Without Words (Talking and Listening)• Book Reading made Fun for All (Storytelling and

Listening)• Look Who’s Talking (Rhymes and Sound

Awareness)• That Sign Means ‘Stop’ (Symbols and Letters)• All...Write (Scribbling and Drawing)

Preschool Practice Guides

• I See Signs (Symbols and Letters)• Write On (Drawing and Writing)• It’s Story Time (Book Reading and Storytelling)• Sounds Good to Me (Rhymes and Sound

Awareness)• Talk to Me (Talking and Listening)

Toddler Practice Guide

All…Write Vignette

Preschool Practice Guide

Reviewers Comments

• Particularly liked the vignettes – they would make families feel like these activities were very “doable”

• Suggestions concerning “How do you know the practice works” with children with specific disabilities

• Made recommendations about different types of adaptations – for example texture books

Next Steps

• Compile feedback from experts and make modifications to the Practice Guides with Adaptations

• Gather feedback from parents and practitioners on these modified Practice Guides with Adaptations

• Make final modifications to Practice Guides with Adaptations based on feedback from parents and practitioners

• Develop Specialized Practice Guides