Many early childhood educators encounter children who exhibit sexual behavior and are not sure how to respond. Although they have had training in childhood development, sexual development is rarely given the attention it deserves. At the same time, early childhood education personnel often get training in child abuse and in their responsibilities…

Due to the unique features of early childhood classrooms, teachers routinely modify the social and physical environment to support children with mild to moderate challenges. Yet despite their access to behavioral consultants, school-based prekindergarten programs are more likely to expel young children from their classroom settings compared with…

Teachers of young children can plan proactively so that they avoid some of the serious problem behaviors in the classroom. The strategies presented in this article are part of a problem solving approach to challenging behavior based on the principles of positive behavioral support. Although these methods presented here have research-based…

This article describes an authentic, social, inclusive writing activity for young children (preschool to second grade) with and without disabilities engaged in what the second and third authors called "Big Paper." In addition to detailing the activity, recommendations for maximizing the participation of all students and monitoring…

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has documented that 1 in every 88 children is identified with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD; CDC, 2012). Autism is now recognized in children at an earlier age because most researchers agree autism can be reliably identified by the time children reach 24 months (Cox et al., 1999; Stone et…

This article provides a compilation of 12 characteristics of resilient young children (Table 1) drawn from research, followed by nine global classroom intervention categories (Table 2) found to be effective in supporting students in developing resilience. In this article, the analysis of resilience research is presented to provide educators with…

With the increasing diversity in the United States, there has been a call for early intervention/early childhood special education (EI/ECSE) services to be responsive and sensitive to the diversity of children and families represented in communities. Culturally responsive practice is particularly important for EI/ECSE professionals because of the…

Play is a "critical" intervention goal for children with autism in inclusive settings because it sets the occasion for social interactions and communication with peers, caregivers, and teachers, and provides an authentic context for embedding instruction. Furthermore, several research studies have found "pretend" play to be a predictor of social…

Research has shown that strong school-home partnerships are critical to the success of intervention efforts aimed at improving the developmental functioning of young children (Dunst & Dempsey, 2007). Accordingly, family-professional partnering has been a recommended practice in effective intervention delivery for young children with special needs…

Social skill acquisition is an essential step in young children's development with lasting implications for the quality of social experiences throughout life. Difficulties with social skill acquisition may be related to delays in physical development, communication methods, and/or social awareness that limit one's ability to progress along a…

Community mapping is a promising practice that can assist early intervention/early childhood special education (EI/ECSE) professionals uncover the depth and diversity of community needs, resources, and learning opportunities, in the neighborhoods surrounding their schools. Community mapping is an inquiry-based method that situates learning in the…

It is always exciting when one sees a student begin to progress and learn new skills. However, it can be disconcerting when the family has a different experience. Likewise, a family may be having positive experiences at home, whereas the child is struggling with the new structure and routines that come with the classroom setting. To truly support…

"Emergent literacy" is defined as the developmental process beginning at birth in which children acquire the foundation for reading and writing, including language, listening comprehension, concepts of print, alphabetic knowledge, and phonological awareness. The environment within which emergent literacy skills develop is also an important…

This article discusses an approach to assessment and intervention of challenging behavior in early education settings that integrates a focus on instructional conditions and early academic skill development. The authors suggest this approach allows for a better understanding of the relationship between social behavior and child performance with…

There are many resources that describe high-quality inclusive practices in early education as well as the necessary competencies for early-childhood practitioners working in inclusive settings. Yet, despite important initiatives in the field, a discrepancy between research and practice remains. In an effort to narrow this research-to-practice gap…