Abstract
As described in the 2014 DEC Recommended Practices, sensitive and responsive interactional practices are foundational for promoting learning for all children. For children who have or are at risk for developmental delays or disabilities, “they represent a critical set of strategies for fostering social-emotional competence, communication, cognitive development, problem-solving, autonomy, and persistence.” Here are some resources for promoting recommended interactional practices.
Interaction Practice Guides for Practitioners
Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (2015)
Recommended practices for interaction are presented in each guide with a description, examples of ways to include the practice into everyday classroom activities, a brief vignette, a depiction to identify if it’s working, a video of the practice, and additional online resources. Seven practice guides are currently available online and via mobile devices, ranging from early social communication and peer interactions to shared book reading; others will be added soon.
Interaction Checklists
Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (2015)
Practitioners and families can evaluate their use of interactional practices through four checklists that support incorporating interactional practices. These checklists are available to download for practitioners and families to identify the practices effectively used when engaging a child in activities and teaching targeted behaviors.
The Adult–Child Interaction Checklist includes the kinds of adult (parent or practitioner) behavior that can be used to engage a child in adult–child interactive episodes to promote and support child competence.
http://ectacenter.org/~pdfs/decrp/INT-1_Adult-Child_Interaction.pdf
The Child Social-Communication Interaction Checklist includes the kinds of adult (parent or practitioner) behavior that can be used to encourage and promote nonverbal or verbal child communication behavior.
The Child Social-Emotional Competence Checklist includes the kinds of adult (parent or practitioner) behavior that can be used to encourage, support, and promote child social-emotional competence. The checklist includes a number of practices that can be used to both engage a child in social play and to be responsive to a child’s social-emotional behavior and responses.
The Child–Child Interaction Checklist includes the kinds of adult (parent or practitioner) behavior that can be used to encourage and support peer interactions to promote positive interactions and play.
Instruction Practice Guides for Families
Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (2015)
These family guides can be useful in supporting family members to recognize and incorporate recommended interactional practices in daily routines and interactions. A practice is presented in each guide with a description, examples of ways to include the practice into everyday activities and routines, a brief vignette, a depiction to identify if it’s working, a video of the practice, and additional online resources. Seven family practice guides are currently available online and via mobile devices (e.g., social games, following your child’s lead, embedded instruction, and learning comes naturally). More will be added soon.
In the Next Issue
Resources for Supporting DEC Recommended Practices for Teaming and Collaboration