Abstract
Issue 34:2 Measurement and Mismeasurement in Early Childhood Special Education
Assessment is broadly defined as a process of gathering information to make decisions. In early childhood intervention, teams engage in assessment for a variety of purposes. For example, teams may assess a young child to determine if further testing is needed or to provide evidence that a program is having desired effects. Over time, the number and types of purposes for which teams engage in assessment has increased, as have the stakes for which assessment decisions are made. This issue will address evidence of how current assessment policies and practices can contribute to effective educational planning, and how they may contribute to the mismeasurement of young children. We are seeking empirically-based articles and position or discussion essays regarding implications for practice and for possible policy revisions. Due Date: October 31, 2013
Issue 34:3 Early Literacy Development of Young Children With and At Risk for Disabilities
It is now generally recognized that literacy development is rooted in the formal and informal experiences afforded young children before they enter kindergarten or first grade. Both research and practice indicate that the foundations of conventional reading and writing include learning activities that provide infants, toddlers, and preschoolers experiences to develop print motivation, vocabulary skills, print awareness, narrative skills, letter knowledge, phonological awareness, and other emergent literacy skills. Despite the importance of these experiences, early and emergent literacy outcomes and goals are often not part of interventions for young children with disabilities. This issue will include papers that address a range of topics on the early literacy development of young children with disabilities, including interventions designed to promote early literacy skills. Preference will be given to empirical manuscripts that include demonstrations of a relationship between formal and informal intervention practices and one or more early literacy outcomes, although any research report related to the topic will be considered. We also welcome literature reviews and program descriptions related to early literacy. Due Date: January 31, 2014
Issue: 34:4 Research to Practice in Early Intervention (Open Topic)
This is an open, nontopical issue for manuscripts on any aspect of early intervention for infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their families. Authors are encouraged to submit reports of original research, literature reviews, conceptual statements, position papers, descriptions and evaluations of effective programs, and reactions to previous manuscripts published in TECSE. Articles may address topics that have been featured in previous issues of the journal or topics that have not been addressed. Acceptable manuscripts will be published on a space-available and first-come first-served basis; therefore, authors are encouraged to submit their work as early as possible. Due Date: April 30, 2014