Offerings

• Five 30-minute webinars to be viewed asynchronously prior to PLC sessions
• Five 1-hour PLC reflective sessions (virtual or in-person)

Option 2:

• Five 90-minute Professional Development sessions (virtual or in-person) including webinar content and PLC reflective discussion

Option 3:

• One 5-hour OR two 2.5-hour Professional Development Sessions (virtual or in-person) including webinar content and breakout activities

Preschool Inclusion 101

Audience: General and Special Educators, Child Study Team (CST) Members, Administrators, Related Service Providers, Preschool Instructional Coaches (PIC), Preschool Intervention and Referral Specialists (PIRS), Community and Parent Involvement Specialists (CPIS)

General Description: This package is intended as an introductory series, designed to help staff in preschool programs expand their knowledge about the fundamentals of inclusive education and how they can be implemented in the classroom setting. Training will touch on the why, when, where, and how of inclusive education for all preschool programs including those who receive state funding and those who do not.

Outcomes: At the completion of this Technical Assistance package, participants will gain knowledge and understanding in:

1. Common vocabulary for educational professionals to utilize when discussing inclusive education
2. Research, laws, and policy statements that support the inclusion of preschool students with disabilities in general education
3. Guidelines for including preschool students with disabilities in New Jersey general education classrooms.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

Audience: Pre-K General and Special Educators, CST, Related Service Providers, Administrators, Preschool Instructional Coaches (PIC), Preschool Intervention and Referral Specialists (PIRS), Community and Parent Involvement Specialists (CPIS)

General Description: The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework guides educators to design curriculum, instruction, and assessment in flexible ways that account for learner variability so that students can receive, engage with, and demonstrate knowledge of content in multiple ways according to their unique strengths. This technical assistance package will introduce attendees to the three principles of UDL and provide them with tools to incorporate these principles into their lesson planning.

Outcomes: As a result of participation in this technical assistance package, participants will receive knowledge and guidance in:

1. Defining the principles of UDL
2. Designing goals, assessments, methods and materials with flexibility and learner variability in mind
3. Applying UDL principles to lesson planning and classroom instruction.

Facilitating Play at All Developmental Levels

Audience: Pre-K General and Special Educators, CST, Related Service Providers, Administrators, Preschool Instructional Coaches (PIC), Preschool Intervention and Referral Specialists (PIRS), Community and Parent Involvement Specialists (CPIS)

General Description: Young children learn through play and all high-quality preschool classrooms include time, space, and materials that encourage child-directed play facilitated by adults. This technical assistance package reviews the cognitive and social developmental levels of play and explores how adults in the classroom can support learning and peer interactions for all preschool children.

Outcomes: As a result of participation in this technical assistance package, participants will receive knowledge and guidance in:

1. The developmental sequence of learning and interaction through play
2. How to follow a child’s lead and expand their play
3. Strategies to make necessary adaptations to ensure that all children can access and participate in play.

Stress and Young Children

Audience: Pre-K General and Special Educators, CST, Related Service Providers, Administrators, Preschool Instructional Coaches (PIC), Preschool Intervention and Referral Specialists (PIRS), Community and Parent Involvement Specialists (CPIS)

General Description: This technical assistance package uses the science of human development to explore the sources of stress and how stress contributes to flight or fight behaviors. We discuss the role adults can play to help all children feel calm, alert and available to learn.

Outcomes: As a result of participation in this technical assistance package, participants will receive knowledge and guidance in:

1. The neurobiology of stress and the link to human behaviors
2. A framework to recognize sources of stress for both adults and young children
3. Strategies to reduce stress for young children with a focus on the role of the adult in co-regulating a child.

Integrating Related Service into the Classrooms

Audience: Pre-K General and Special Educators, CST, Related Service Providers, Administrators, Preschool Instructional Coaches (PIC), Preschool Intervention and Referral Specialists (PIRS)

General Description: Related services such as speech & language, occupational and physical therapy best support preschoolers’ access to the curriculum and engagement with peers when they are provided during typical routines of the school day. This technical assistance package provides strategies for planning and delivering related services during ongoing activities within general education early childhood classrooms.

Outcomes: As a result of participation in this technical assistance package, participants will receive knowledge and guidance in:

1. Collaborating with other school-based professionals to plan for the delivery of integrated related services
2. Prioritizing skills for student participation in natural environments with peers
3. Reviewing the daily schedule and embedding learning opportunities in everyday routines and activities
4. Adapting the classroom environment and modifying the curriculum to support all children.

Reframing Autism

Audience: Pre-K General and Special Educators, CST, Related Service Providers, Administrators, Preschool Instructional Coaches (PIC), Preschool Intervention and Referral Specialists (PIRS), Community and Parent Involvement Specialists (CPIS)

General Description: This technical assistance package supports school-based professionals in gaining a deeper understanding of students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and how they can support their full-participation in general education classrooms.  We address the neurobiological foundations of autism that contribute to each student’s individual sensory, communication, motor, cognitive and social/emotional profile.

Outcomes: As a result of participation in this technical assistance package, participants will receive knowledge and guidance in:

1. The heterogeneity of individuals with a diagnosis of ASD and the need for individualized interventions
2. The nature of sensory processing and self-regulation in children diagnosed with ASD and strategies to help children to be calm and available for engaging and learning
3. The application of evidence-based practice to support the inclusion of students with the diagnosis of ASD in developmentally appropriate general education classrooms.

Applications for Technical Assistance are due May 10, 2024

Technical Assistance Application