Refliction

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Chapter 7

Designing Learning Environments for Young Children

with Special Needs

Introduction

Classroom ecology, which refers to the environmental modifications and arrangements of features of classroom environments that can have an impact on learning for young children with delays or disabilities.
Learning environment consists of its physical attributes (e.g., space, room ar- rangement, equipment), the human dimension (e.g., the atmosphere and interactions among individuals), and the curricular environment (e.g., content, routines, goals/outcomes).

Five Principles of Environmental Design

Be organized

Be capable of creating a caring community

Have clear goals that reflect particular instructional emphasis

Protect health and safety of children

Allow all students equal access to age appropriate materials

Organizing the Learning Environment

Key Dimensions
Available space and room arrangement,
Age of the children,
Population density,
Individual differences of the children,
Aesthetics and visual appeal,
Accessibility,
Safety and health,
Materials and equipment,
Organization/scheduling, budget, and
Child-adult ratios.

Organizing the Learning Environment

Suggestions for producing an aesthetically pleasing classroom
Choose soft, neutral colors
Display children’s artwork
Incorporate natural objects and materials
Pay attention to storage
Avoid clutter; rotate materials
Label shelves

Creating Activity Areas

Infants and Toddlers

Must be safe, secure, aesthetically pleasing, and stimulating

Must be designed to account for varying levels of stimulation and challenge

Remember sensorimotor stage of intellectual development

Predictable routines such as eating, sleeping, and toileting; need areas for changing, sleeping, and feeding

Creating Activity Areas

Preschoolers

Block area, gross motor center, literacy area, music area, and a quiet area

Must be organized to encourage meaningful participation of students who have wide range of abilities

Selection of materials should be age-appropriate and individual-appropriate

Must include individual or private areas to create sense of privacy and independence

Creating Activity Areas

Early Primary Grades

Arrange tables or flexible groupings of desks to enable children to work alone or in small groups

Provide a safe environment and age-appropriate supervision as children are gradually given more responsibility

Anticipate and prevent situations where children might be hurt, while supporting children’s risk-taking behavior within safe boundaries

Creating Activity Areas

Early Primary Grades, cont.

Foster a learning environment that encourages exploration, initiative, positive peer interaction, and cognitive growth

Various types of spaces are provided for silent or shared reading

Organize daily schedule to allow for alternating periods of physical activity and quiet time

Give advance notice of transitions

Plan curriculum to include various learning experiences

Outdoor Learning Environments

Recommendations for Designing Outdoor Space
A large, accessible, grassy area with interactive and exploratory equipment, plus traditional swings and slides
75 square feet per child
Areas under the play equipment should be lined with (12 inches) bark, pea gravel, sawdust, or sand to cushion any falls

Outdoor Learning Environments

Young Children with Special Needs

Outdoor environment should be modified to accommodate accessibility and safety

U.S. Access Board guidelines for playgrounds:

Ground-level playground equipment

Elevated structures

Dramatic play equipment

Play tables

Water play, sand boxes, and garden areas

Designing the Learning Environment

Environmental Arrangement

Stimulus-control

Attractive letters, bright colors, pastel colors

Provides cues about classroom routines and rules

Reinforcement and Responsivity

Can serve as reinforcer for children’s behavior

Can be designed to allow flexible sequencing of activities

Premacking

Responsivity: Provides learner with predictable and immediate outcomes

Designing the Learning Environment

Self-correcting materials

Working with disabilities: Any battery-operated toy

Augmentative or Alternative Communication devices (AAC)

An Accessible Environment

Accessibility of educational contexts

Changes in communication methods

Adaptations in physical environment to foster learning, social interactions, communication, and independence

Designing the Learning Environment (continued)

Examples:

Lowered desk tops and work tables of varying sizes and shapes

Adjustable shelves containing books, supplies, and learning materials

Adequate pathways and turn around space for students using walkers, wheelchairs, etc.

Altered restrooms

A Safe Environment

Physical environment

How do different children use their bodies or the space around them for learning?

Designing the Learning Environment

Visual environment

How can we enhance the visual environment for a child with low or no vision?

Auditory environment

How can we capitalize on the auditory environment for auditory learners?

Social environment

How can we adapt the social environment for children with impulsive behavior, attention deficits, or behavior problems?

Individual children

Make use of diverse strengths of the various people on the child’s team.

Respect each child’s strengths and needs.

Designing the Learning Environment

Classroom Safety Suggestions:

Check environment, both inside, and outside for any hazards

Practice emergency procedures on a regular basis.

Classroom must contain fire extinguisher and staff must know how to operate it

Teachers and staff to be trained in CPR and first aid

List of children’s names near exit routes

Designing the Learning Environment

Classroom Safety Suggestions, cont.

Keep cleaning agents out of reach of children

Maintain up-to-date list of emergency phone numbers for each child

Keep number for poison control handy

Post list of children’s allergies

Keep list of authorized adult for pick ups near door

Make all posed information readily available to substitute teachers

Designing the Learning Environment

A Healthy Environment

Cleanliness is the most important factor

Classrooms to be cleaned daily

Frequently used equipment to be sanitized frequently

Teach good hygiene habits to prevent spread of communicable diseases

Selecting Learning Materials

Think from child’s view point

Ensure durability

Considerations for purchasing materials

General

Safety, cost and durability, target population, skill level, aesthetically attractive, necessity of adult supervision, reflective of children's individual differences

Selecting Learning Materials

Instructional

Is the item developmentally appropriate?

Does the item allow for versatility and flexibility of usage?

Is corrective feedback provided?

Is the item aligned with specific learning goals/objectives?

Does the item allow for individual an/or group work?

Chapter Summary

The environment is critical to the learning of young children.

Teachers serve as environmental engineers as they designed both indoor and outdoor play areas for students to maximize their learning opportunities.

Chapter Summary

It is important that both the instructional materials and the environment support children with a variety of delays and disabilities.