Title: Case study of the identification, assessment and early intervention of executive function deficits

Author(s):  Lynn A. Ciccantelli and Shernavaz Vakil

Pages: 1-12

Abstract: Educators recognize the need to identify young children who may require intervention because the sooner intervention is initiated, the greater the possibility for remediating a problem.  It is imperative that teachers be provided with timely and sufficient information about their students in order to begin to help child become successful learners.  Executive functions play a fundamental role in a child’s cognitive and social-emotional/behavioral functioning; hence the importance of early detection and early intervention.  Through early screening, assessment and intervention, there is greater potential to enhance a child’s long-term achievement, functional independence, and social-emotional/behavior challenges.  This article focuses on the identification, assessment, and intervention of execution function deficits through a case study.

 Keywords: Early intervention, identification, assessment, young children, case study.

Title: Confidence and competence appraisals of early intervention and preschool special education practitioners

Author(s): Mary Beth Bruder, Carl J. Dunst and Cristina Mogro-Wilson

Pages: 13-37

Abstract: More than 1,800 early intervention practitioners serving birth to 3 year old children and preschool special education practitioners serving 3 to 5 year old children made self-judgments of their competence and confidence in using six different kinds of practices (family-centered practices, teaming and collaboration, assessment and evaluation, IFSPs and IEPs, instructional practices, and natural environments and inclusion). The participants include regular and special education teachers, speech, occupation and physical therapists, and psychologists and social workers. Results showed that in nearly all analyses, the practitioners judged themselves as more confident than competent in using the practices with children and families regardless of discipline. The findings taken together constitute the first set of data on the similarities and differences in practitioners’ appraisals of their early intervention and preschool special education capabilities. Implications for research and practice are described.

Keywords: Early childhood practitioners, self-efficacy beliefs, self-competence, self-confidence.

Title: Kaynaştırma uygulanan okulöncesi sınıflarında akran ilişkilerinin incelenmesi

         An investigation of peer interaction in the preschool inclusive classrooms        

Author(s): Hülya Çulhaoğlu-İmrak and Ayperi Sığırtmaç

Pages: 38-65

Özet: Kaynaştırma uygulanan sınıflarda akran ilişkilerinin incelenmesi amacıyla yapılan bu çalışmada; tam zamanlı kaynaştırmaya devam eden dört Down sendromlu çocuk ve sınıflarındaki akranları örnekleme alınmıştır. Yapılandırılmamış gözlemler çocukların öğretmen tarafından en az yönlendirildiği serbest zaman etkinlikleri esnasında yapılmıştır. Gözlemler her sınıfta beşer gün yaklaşık 40’ar dakika sürmüştür. Sonuç olarak; yetersizlik gösteren çocuk ile akranları arasında olumlu sosyal iletişim davranışları olumsuz sosyal iletişim davranışlarından daha fazla gözlenmiştir. Yetersizlik gösteren çocuklar oyuna alınmama, yetersiz görülme, eleştirilme ve materyali paylaşamama davranışlarının ardından sinirlenme, kızma davranışlarını sergilemişlerdir. Normal gelişim gösteren çocuklar ise yetersizlik gösteren çocuğun olumsuz davranışlarına çoğunlukla tepkisiz kalmışlardır. Normal gelişim gösteren çocukların, yetersizlik gösteren çocuğu yeterli buldukları her etkinliğe kabul ettikleri ve yardımlaştıkları fakat yapamayacağını düşündükleri etkinliklere katılmasını istemedikleri gözlenmiştir

Anahtar Sözcükler: Kaynaştırma, okulöncesi, akran ilişkileri,  Down sendromu,

Abstract: Four children with Down syndrome who were attending a full-time inclusive class and the other normally developing children in the same class were taken as the sample of this study which aims to investigate the peer interaction in the pre-school classrooms in which mainstreaming education is followed. Unstructured observations were done during the free time activities that the children are least guided by the teacher. Observations took 40 minutes for five days in each classroom. As a result, positive social communication behaviors were observed more than the negative ones between the children receiving mainstreaming education and the normally developing children. The children with special needs showed irritation and anger after getting excluded from the games, being seen inadequate, being criticized and not sharing the material. The normally developing children were usually unresponsive to the negative behaviors of the children with special needs. It was observed that the normally developing children helped and let the children with special needs join the game when they saw them adequate, however, they did not want to take them into activities at which they thought the children with special needs were inadequate.

Keywords: Inclusive education, early childhood education, peer interaction, Down syndrome.

Title: Okulöncesi Eğitimi Öğretmenlerinin Kaynaştırma Eğitimine İlişkin Görüşleri ve Önerileri

         Early Childhood Teachers’ Opinions about and Suggestions for Inclusion Programs

Author(s): Gönül Gök and Dilek Erbaş

Pages: 66-87

Özet: Bu araştırmanın amacı, kaynaştırma uygulaması yapılmakta olan beş okulöncesi eğitim kurumunda görev yapan ve sınıflarında kaynaştırma öğrencisi bulunan okulöncesi eğitimi öğretmenlerinin kaynaştırmaya ilişkin görüşlerini ve önerilerini belirlemektir. Araştırmada niteliksel araştırma yöntemi kullanılmış ve sınıfında kaynaştırma öğrencisi bulunan 10 öğretmenle yarı-yapılandırılmış görüşmeler yapılmıştır. Görüşmeler sonucunda elde edilen veriler, tümevarımsal veri analizi tekniği ile analiz edilmiştir. Tümevarımsal veri analizi sonucunda veriler temalar haline dönüştürülmüş ve araştırmanın bulgularına ulaşılmıştır. Bu araştırmanın bulgularına dayalı olarak, öğretmenlerin kaynaştırma eğitiminin gerekliliği hakkında olumlu görüşlere sahip oldukları ancak sınıflarındaki ve okullarındaki kaynaştırma uygulamalarında genel olarak sorunlar yaşadıkları söylenebilir. Öğretmenler kaynaştırma eğitimi ile ilgili çok az bilgi sahibi olduklarını, bu bilgilerin onlar için yetersiz olduğunu ve kaynaştırma eğitimi ile ilgili yeterli bilgi sahibi olmamalarının sınıflarındaki kaynaştırma uygulamasında yetersiz kalmalarına ve sorunlar yaşamalarına neden olduğunu belirtmişlerdir. Kaynaştırma uygulamasının özel gereksinimli öğrencilere pek çok yararı olduğunu belirten öğretmenlerin çoğunluğu, görme ve ileri derecede zihinsel yetersizliği olan öğrencilerin okulöncesi eğitim kurumlarında kaynaştırılmasının uygun olmadığını, diğer özel gereksinimli öğrencilerin öğrenebildiği sürece kaynaştırma eğitimine alınması gerektiğini dile getirmişlerdir. Ayrıca araştırma sonucunda öğretmenler ülkemizde kaynaştırma eğitiminin uygulanabilmesi için çeşitli önerilerde bulunmuşlardır.

 Anahtar Kelimeler: Kaynaştırma eğitimi, özel gereksinimli öğrenci, okulöncesi eğitim.

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to determine the opinions and suggestions of teachers about inclusion who works at five preschool education institutions and students with disabilities in their classes. Inductive research technique was used in this study and semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten teachers who had mainstreamed students in their classes. The data were analyzed with inductive analyze technique. As a result of the inductive analyze technique, the data were themed and the findings of the research were attained. Results showed that the teachers expressed positive opinions about the necessity of inclusion but they generally have problems about inclusion in their classes, schools and they are not satisfied with this implementation. Teachers expressed that they have very little knowledge about inclusion, this knowledge is inadequate for them and not having adequate knowledge caused them to be incapable about inclusion in their classes and face problems. The majority of the teachers who expressed that inclusion have lots of benefits for students with disabilities, also mentioned that it is not appropriate to include visually and severe mentally handicapped in the preschool education institutions, other students with disabilities should be accepted in inclusion as long as they can learn. Besides, as a result of the research it is revealed that the teachers emphasized that inclusion implemented in our country has lots of shortages and they have suggestions about inclusion with expectations from various foundations and individuals.

Title: Retrospective Evaluation of Mothers’ Opinions related to the Small Steps Early Intervention Program in Turkey

Author(s): Şerife Yücesoy Özkan and Bülbin Sucuoğlu

Pages: 88-110

Abstract: The purpose of this current study is to evaluate the Small Steps Early Intervention Program based on opinions of the mothers who participated in the program ten years ago. The participants of this study consisted of 10 mothers who had young children with disabilities participating early intervention program carried out in Turkey between 2000 and 2003. In this study, a descriptive research method was used in order to determine the mothers’ opinions regarding the Small Steps Early Intervention Program. The data was collected by using semi structured in-depth interviews. In an attempt to reach detailed findings, the data of the study were analyzed inductively. The present study provides an understanding of opinions related to the Small Steps Early Intervention Program of mothers who have children with disabilities and it gives important information on the effectiveness of the program having been implemented since 1996 in Turkey. More importantly, it gives insights regarding the changes and adaptations to be done for future implementation of the SSEIP which was the first structured early intervention program aimed to meet the needs of the young children with disabilities and their parents in our country.

 Keywords: early intervention, parent satisfaction, Small Steps Early Intervention Program

Title: An Activity Based Approach to Developing Young Children’s Social Emotional Competence
Author(s): Onur Özdemir

Pages: 111-116

Abstract: This book review article provides information on a book in the field of early intervention entitled “An Activity Based Approach to Developing Young Children’s Social Emotional Competence”, written by Jane Squires & Diane Bricker, published in 2007.