From the University of Minnesota's globally-recognized Center for Early Education and Development (CEED), this module-based certificate program focuses on early intervention for children with special needs in inclusive education settings. For over thirty years, through research, training and outreach, the faculty at the Center for Early Childhood Education have been dedicated to improving the development of children with special needs around the world, including ASEAN Region.

The content of the certificate modules will provide educators with a foundation to lead and manage high quality early childhood programs. Research-based international best practices will be integrated in each module. Adult learning philosophies and strategies will be integrated throughout each instructional module and will provide opportunities for applied practice and feedback. The content of each module will be adapted to the Singapore educational context. Instruction will be provided by recognized experts in the field of early childhood education.
Presenters include Dr Carol Leitschuh, Dr Christopher L. Watson, Dr Shelley Neilsen Gatti, Dr Theresa L. Estrem and Dr Lillian K. Duran.

Who should sign up:

• Directors of early childhood programs
• New & experienced early childhood teachers
• Special needs officers working in early childhood programs
• Pastoral care/community agency personnel working with young families with special needs

Program Structure:

• Program starts August 2008

• Total 5 modules - 12 hours for each module with lectures on:

    - Tuesday, Thursday  (6.30pm - 9.30pm)
    - Saturday (10.00am - 5.00pm)

• Module 1: Typical and Atypical Motor Development

• Module 2: Introduction to Education for Young Children with Special Needs

• Module 3: Infant & Early Childhood Social Emotional Development and Challenging Behavior

• Module 4: Autism in Early Childhood

• Module 5: Early Childhood Assessment/Linking Assessment to Instruction

Course Schedule, Descriptions & Instructors

Module 1: Typical and Atypical Motor Development(12 hours)

Dates: 2008 August 12, 14 & 16

Instructor: Carol Leitschuh, Ph.D.

Course Description

This course will present motor development for those with atypical motor development through an understanding of typical motor development. Emphasis is placed on the functional application of this knowledge for children in the home, day care and community life.

Learner Outcomes

Students will develop knowledge of:

- the major theoretical perspectives on motor development

- the factors affecting development and movement performance

- the intertwined nature of the domains of development

- the fine motor skills of infancy, toddlerhood and preschool ages

- the gross motor skills of locomotion and object control in early childhood

- assessment of motor skills

- intervention when delay is apparent

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Module 2: Introduction to Education of Young Children with Special Needs (12 hours)

Dates: 2008 September 16, 18 & 20

Instructors: Dr Mary Ann Marchel, Ph.D.

Dr. Mary Ann Marchel is an associate professor at the University of Minnesota Duluth. She received her Ph. D. in 1996 from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Prior to her doctoral work, Dr. Marchel taught for 10 years in rural and urban settings with children ages birth to eight years with disabilities. Her research interests include the encouragement of inclusion for young children with disabilities through the use of assistive technology, reflective practices for early childhood professionals, and fostering children’s mental health in child care settings. Dr. Marchel recently obtained certification in the Newborn Brazelton Observation System (NBOS) and the Nursing Child Assessment Satellite Training (NCAST). In addition, Dr. Marchel is a certified Infant Massage Instructor. She is passionate about global service learning and currently facilitates university student experiences in settings for young children with disabilities in Puerta Vallarta, Mexico.

Course Description

Inclusive education for young children with disabilities is achieved by supporting the learning of children with disabilities who are included in programs with typically developing children.This course begins with an introduction to instruction for children with disabilities, followed by an exploration of program models and methods, including language development and early literacy.

Learner Outcomes

Participants will be able to:

- describe the basic elements of research that supports the inclusion of children with disabilities with typically developing peers

- explain characteristics of various models of inclusion for young children with disabilities

- implement inclusive teaching methods, including strategies to promote language development and early literacy

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Module 3: Infant & Early Childhood Social Emotional Development and Challenging Behavior (12 hours)

Dates: 2008 October 14, 16 & 18

Instructors: Shelley Neilsen-Gatti, Ph.D. and Christopher Watson, Ph.D.

Course Description

This course explores how to support the social and emotional development of young children, specifically focusing on children with and without disabilities who engage in challenging behaviors and children who have experienced trauma, abuse or neglect. Course components include: developing positive relationships with children and families; environments and experiences; identifying the cause of a child’s behavior; intervention planning; and monitoring the plan.

Learner Outcomes

Participants will:

- learn strategies for developing positive relationships with children and families (including those from different cultures) as the cornerstone of good practice

- explore procedures for designing environments and experiences that enhance children's development and positive interactions

- be introduced to processes for determining why children engage in challenging behavior and generating intervention strategies

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Module 4: Autism in Early Childhood (12 hours)

Dates: 2009 January 6, 8. 10

Instructor: Theresa Estrem, Ph.D.

Course Description

This module will provide an understanding of autism with particular attention to early identification and interventions for use in the home, day care or community life of the child.

Learner Outcomes

Students will develop knowledge of:

-the diagnosis of autism

-understanding autism in the infancy, toddlerhood, and preschool ages

-social and emotional skills of young children with autism

-play activity of young children with autism within a family context

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Module 5: Early Childhood Assessment/Linking Assessment to Instruction (12 hours)

Dates: 2009 February 24, 26 & 28

Instructor: Lillian Duran, Ph.D.

Course Description

This course begins with an overview of assessment, followed by learning how to link assessment to instructional practices. Participants will learn about assessment tools most commonly used in early childhood.

Learner Outcomes

Participants will:

- understand how assessment is used in early childhood

- learn how assessment can be used for determining if instruction is helping a child develop new skills

- be able to develop an instructional plan that utilizes ongoing assessment to track intervention success

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Please contact Kristy at (65) 6223 4566 or postgrad@cae.edu.sg for details and registration.

Application form is available HERE.

	Center for American Education (CAE)
	12 Prince Edward Road, Bestway Building, Podium A #01-03, Singapore 079212
	Tel: (65) 6223 4566 Fax: (65) 6223 4533 Website: www.cae.edu.sg
	A member of the ISS Education Group (incorporated since 1981) with subsidiaries in Singapore and Beijing.