ECSE 206 - Assessment and Professional Planning and Collaboration for Early Childhood Special Education Studies with Field Experience

3 Credit(s)

This course is designed to provide content and practice in assessment and strategies for teaching young children with diverse learning needs in all curricular areas. Topics will also include knowledge about ethical and early professional standards, engagement in continuous collaborative learning to inform practice, reflective and critical perspectives on early childhood education, and informed advocacy for young children and the profession. A review of approaches to assessment that includes dynamic, performance and curriculum-based assessments using a problem-solving method is included, as well as the use of technology for support of student learning and assessment. The Iowa Common Core Learning Standards are used throughout the course to guide lesson planning and unity development. This course includes a minimum 20 hour field experience in an early childhood special education classroom.

Grading Method: Student option.

Learning Outcomes:

Understand learner characteristics and developmental milestones in order to make appropriate assessment and program recommendations.
Articulate the role of assessments in diagnosis, eligibility, progress monitoring, and program design.
Employ a variety of assessment models based on students needs and presentation.
Follow special education procedures to develop a compliant and high quality IEP for a child ages 3-5 and justify decisions made within the IEP.
Understand and employ a variety of collaborative models to meet student and family needs while respecting cultural factors and social contexts.
Articulate the roles, responsibilities, and needs of an effective paraprofessional/teacher team.