TM
TM
Department of Special Education
And Communication Disorders
Description of Field Experiences in
Early Childhood Special Education (ECSPE)
Within the ECSPE Program, field experiences are sequential in difficulty progressing from observations in a variety of classrooms, to conducting short activities within classrooms, then experiencing direct teaching experience for short periods of time. Field experience culminates with the capstone student teaching experience where the student gradually assumes full time teaching responsibility in the classroom.
In junior level courses students are provided with observations and short term activities conducted in a variety of classrooms. These experiences are designed to introduce the preservice teacher to the profession as well as allow the special education major to select a specialty (mild disabilities or severe disabilities) area at the end of the junior year. Experiences in the ECSPE graduate program are designed to give the preservice teacher sequential and varied experiences with young children and their families. Upon completion of this program students are recommended for endorsement in preschool special education.
PSYC 3110 Educational Psychology
Students are required to complete 20 hours of field work in the public school system. The field experience setting is a public school classroom that reflects the diversity of the student population in the South Georgia region. The assignment has two functions. The most important function is to allow the student to demonstrate "higher-level" understanding of course material through journal entries about the experience. The secondary purpose is to allow the student to demonstrate proficiency with a word-processing program (use of technology). The content of the entries should describe observed classroom interactions (student/teacher; student/student, etc.) and the student must then relate the interactions to the appropriate concepts and principles discussed in class.
SPEC 3010 Serving Students with Diverse Needs
Students are required to complete at least 20 clock hours of observation and participation in a special education setting or with children or adults with diverse needs. Each student must maintain a time sheet and a log of the experience. Within the log, students are to incorporate the appropriate course objectives and relate those to the observed activity.
SPEC 3020 Applied Behavior Analysis for Teachers
Students are required to assess the learning environment of a classroom using a variety of tools such as portfolio assessments, functional assessments, and future-based assessments in order to make recommendations for modifying the environment to prevent/manage challenging behaviors. Students must also complete analyses of a variety of behaviors using multiple direct observational strategies.
COMD 3070 Normal Language Acquisition
Students are required to observe children from the ages of 1-5 and write observations about the child's language, as well as other developmental information.
SPEC 5150 Introduction to Early Intervention
Students are required to observe and interact with a child receiving Part B services for a minimum of 12 hours and for a minimum of 3 hours with the child's family. Some interactions must occur in the child's home or another natural setting. A family member and other service provider must be interviewed. A descriptive paper is required.
COMD 5010 Language Disorders of School Age Children
Students are required to complete a transdisciplinary assessment on one child, and complete an assessment report which includes appropriate recommendations for intervention and implementation planning.
SPEC 5160 Serving Young Children with Low Incidence Disabilities
Students are required to observe a child with a low incidence disability within the natural environment and engage in dialogues with family and careproviders regarding priorities and concerns.
SPEC 5170 Linking Assessment to Service Delivery
Students are required to complete two hours of laboratory activities each week including observations of young children with disabilities and journal reflections of the observations. A variety of activities including assessments, planning instruction, collaboration, and progress monitoring must be completed.
SPEC 5010 Student Teaching
Students are required to complete a minimum of twenty (20) contact hours per week in a school for an entire semester. Ten (10) of these contact hours must be with preschool aged children. SPEC 5010 must be taken twice in order to obtain the required ten (10) credit hours for certification/licensure/endorsement recommendation.
See Form P for Early Childhood Special Education
| Submitted by: | Chief Compiler: | Date: |
| Valdosta State University 1500 N. Patterson St. Valdosta, GA 31698-0102 |
Susan R. Worth sworth@valdosta.edu Phone: 912-333-5932 Fax: 912-333-7167 |
February 1, 1999 |
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