An Inclusive Early Childhood
Development Program
Teaching Tips
There are no magic formulas for effectively developing literacy and teaching arts concepts to children of all abilities. Nor is there a single strategy that works for all children, including children with disabilities. Instead, good practice sets forth principles that are understood by all educators and incorporated into their learning environments.
- Each child is an individual with unique strengths, abilities, and needs.
- Each child deserves respect, acceptance, and encouragement.
- Each child needs to be challenged and supported in a learning environment with activities that are developmentally appropriate.
Educators understand these principles, and they also typically appreciate strategies to add to this foundation. Start with the Arts™ recognizes that some educators may be inexperienced with presenting arts lessons, or would like to know more about inclusion, working with children of all abilities, or involving families in children’s learning experiences. Some educators may simply like to know the strategies that have proven to work well for other educators.
This section is a compilation of teaching tips. It provides overall guidelines for effectively including all children in the arts experience, strategies for developing an inclusive environment, ideas for involving families, and practical strategies for infusing literacy, general arts activities, visual arts, drama, dance and movement, and music into the curriculum. More specific tips are located in individual lessons.
Teaching Tips for Including All Children
Use “people-first” language when speaking about people with disabilities. This means that when it is relevant to refer to a person’s disability status, speak of the person first and then the disability. For example, “a child with Down syndrome” is preferable to “a Down syndrome child.” Refer to people with disabilities as you would anyone else.
Obtain a copy of The Joy of Signing by Lottie L. Riekehof in order to be able to teach all children simple signs throughout the lessons. Teach children to sign simple songs.
Encourage a cooperative rather than a competitive atmosphere. In most situations, “buddy systems” work well, in which children are paired based on specific needs or interests.
Refrain from comparisons of one child’s work, skills, or abilities with those of another. Describe each child’s work enthusiastically.
Make eye contact when speaking. Get on the child’s level, squatting if necessary. Call each child by name frequently.
Refrain from labeling children with disabilities inadvertently as “different” by having separate handouts and supplies. Instead, make the adaptive materials available to all children.
Find a way to praise and extend each child’s efforts. Verbal and nonverbal praise encourage continued interest and motivation. Inviting others to notice a child’s effort builds the child’s confidence and sense of belonging.
Tips for Developing an Inclusive Environment
Arranging the Physical Environment
Ensure that all areas are accessible. Areas may need more space to accommodate a child using a wheelchair.
Place toys and materials on low open shelves that can be reached easily by all children, including children in wheelchairs or adapted chairs, or children positioned on the floor.
Construct simple dolls with physical representations of disabilities (hearing aids, crutches, thick glasses, etc.) to help young children relate to these special “friends.”
Observe children regularly to see if additional changes in the physical environment are needed to help them become more independent.
Place direct lighting over work areas and locate the art center near bright indirect light.
Incorporate adapted equipment into learning centers. For example, include an adapted chair at the art center so the child with physical disabilities will feel comfortable and welcomed. A physical therapist or the child’s parent can advise.
Arrange the environment to reduce distractions by separating the noisy, active areas from the quiet areas. Use shelves and other furnishings to define areas.
Arrange the environment in ways that encourage children’s interaction with each other and with objects:
- Place chairs in a way that allows children to face each other.
- Have materials accessible and organized by type.
- Create spaces for small groups of two and three children to work together.
Provide time for children with visual disabilities, children with cognitive disabilities, and children with behavioral disabilities to explore the room with just you alone whenever changes are made. Keep furniture rearrangements to a minimum.
Selecting and Adapting Materials
Provide large magnifiers in the art center.
Supply house-painting brushes, foam wedges, roll-on applicators, and squeeze bottles that can make painting easier for children with motor and coordination disabilities.
Modify paintbrushes, markers, crayons or pencils by wrapping clay, foam, or cloth around them to make them thicker. (Foam hair curlers work well!)
Adapt classroom materials for easier handling by adding wooden knobs to the lids of containers, adding foam pieces to the corners of book pages and attaching Velcro fasteners to dress-up clothing and costumes.
Cut some paintbrush handles down and use electrical tape to secure a short dowel across the end in a “T” shape. Some children may find full-hand grasping easier for painting.
Consider the following suggestions to promote independence:
- Stabilize materials by attaching magnetic strips to them so they can be positioned on a cookie sheet.
- Secure materials, such as paint jars and small storage containers, to surfaces using suction cups, c-clamps, non-skid matting, Velcro®, or sandbags.
- Use stiff lacing instead of shoestrings for stringing beads.
- Provide a work surface with raised edges to prevent materials from falling on the floor. Secure trays to tables.
- Use lazy susans so that reaching objects is easier for children with physical disabilities.
Consider adding extra sensory input for children with disabilities who have difficulty processing information with one or more of their senses. For example:
- Mix mild cologne or other scents with paint.
- Add unusual textures to familiar materials, such as Velcro® dots to blocks and sand to fingerpaint.
- Provide variations of temperatures, like a change in the temperature of the water on the water table.
Use instructional strategies that encourage discussion and increase awareness about disabilities. Make conversations about disabilities a natural part of the learning experience. Consider:
- Displaying pictures and posters featuring people with a range of abilities.
- Reading books that include disability topics and/or characters with disabilities.
- Introducing celebrities with disabilities.
- Including disabilities in discussions about historical figures.
- Including dolls with disabilities in the classroom.
- Inviting people with disabilities to share their expertise on given topics.
Ask any guests who have disabilities, in advance, the topics they would like to address. Find out if any modifications or arrangements need to be made to ensure their comfort during the visit.
Relax about disabilities and learn to be comfortable asking questions! Remember, however, to get to know a person with disabilities before asking personal questions. Be sure to ask if there are specific questions that the person would rather not answer.
Many of the ideas for developing an inclusive environment came from QuickNotes: Inclusion Resources for Early Childhood Professionals (Lewisville, NC: Kaplan, 1998) by P.W. Wesley, B. C. Dennis, and S. T. Tyndall.
Create partnerships with families by sharing program goals and getting family members’ input. Invite families to an orientation session, and have them experience a lesson, or portions of several lessons, firsthand.
Develop a series, such as “Pizza and the Arts,” in which families enjoy supper and one of the arts activities along with their children.
Introduce families to the Art, Drama, Dance and Movement, and Music Boxes by showing them sample boxes during classroom visits. Send home letters encouraging families and children to put together their own boxes at home. Refer to the introduction for lists of items for each box.
Create a lending library of arts books and books about arts activities. Involve families in setting up the system. Together, generate ideas for family reading and continuing the learning at home.
Set up a Children’s Gallery and a Children’s Theater to show off work in all the arts. Invite families to performances and to view the gallery display during intermission.
Take Start with the Arts ™ to the community. Showcase portions of the arts lessons to families at the public library, community arts shows, and other special events.
Teaching Tips for Developing Literacy
Select a variety of books. Most of the children’s book selections listed can be found in school and public libraries, in bookstores and on the Internet.
Incorporate reading throughout each lesson. Reading could take place at any time—before, during or after the lesson, or before and after the lesson.
Within the same lesson, read the selection more than once, each time with a different emphasis. The first reading may focus on the storyline; the second reading may focus on the illustrations and how they were created.
Read favorite selections several times. Weeks after the lesson is complete, reading the selection again will bring back good memories.
Vary the way books are "read" and "listened to." Some books may be sung, or told in a whisper. Children may want to dance the story as it is read, or act out the different parts. Some books may be "read" by a puppet, or in a variety of different voices. Use American Sign Language to tell the story as it is read aloud.
Create and read Class Books. These books will have a special meaning to children, as they are the authors and the illustrators! Read them to the class regularly. Notice how often children select them during library or free time. Refer to the Extending the Experience activities in the individual lessons for ideas about making Class Books.
For children who have substantial visual disabilities, have some books on tape for listening at a listening station. Children without visual disabilities will also enjoy listening to the words while they look at the book.
Use the Learning Log to help children reflect upon their experiences. Encourage children to write in the Learning Log at their ability level. Some children will be writing in pictures, some scribbling, some writing mock letters, and some may be able to write their names or parts of sentences. Invite children to read to you what they wrote.
Encourage family members—parents, guardians, older siblings, grandparents, babysitters, and friends—to read aloud with children. Families may want to write and illustrate their own stories. They can use a notebook or scrapbook, staple pages together, and/or use computer software for writing and making their own books.
Set up a library and quiet reading corner with a variety of children’s books, handmade books, Class Books, and reference books related to the arts and other classroom experiences.
General Teaching Tips for Arts Activities
Remember that for young children, the learning process is more important than the finished product. Refrain from being prescriptive about what the final product, dramatization, dance, or musical piece should be like.
Encourage creative thinking and risk taking. Much learning takes place when children know that it is okay to experiment and do things differently.
Leave room for children to be surprised by their own insights. Effective learning in the arts is highly dependent on children’s discovery rather than on teacher explanations.
Be consistent with your instructions, routines and expectations. Simple procedures, once learned, help children to work independently.
Offer opportunities for children to make choices in the arts materials they use and in the ways they express themselves. Children develop confidence as they deal with the results of their decisions.
Plan many arts activities for the outdoors, on playgrounds, in yards, or under shelters.
Plan for learning centers in the arts. Refer to ideas throughout the individual lessons. Assemble Arts Boxes. Refer to the introduction for suggestions.
Build in time for children to explore the centers outside of the planned lessons. "Sneak previews" can be especially helpful for children with behavioral disabilities.
Minimize the time that children are idle and waiting. Prepare materials in advance and plan alternative activities for subgroups. While some children are washing hands, those waiting may be singing a song.
Plan for transitions. Announce, in advance, time for cleanup or changes in activities to give children a chance to adjust.
Use signals to gain attention, such as a secret code word, a song, a clapping pattern, bells, musical selections, blinking lights, or an American Sign Language sign. The key to success is being consistent with the signal and its meaning.
Use music and sound in creative ways to gain attention. Consider using a small chime or a hand drum with a nice tone.
Demonstrate enthusiasm. Your demonstrated enthusiasm can mean the difference between success and failure. If you are enjoying yourself, your attitude will be contagious!
Be prepared. Try out unfamiliar activities on your own before presenting them to the class. Thoroughly understand the sequence of tasks and materials needed.
Help children manage tools and materials. Don't overwhelm them with too many materials or frustrate them with materials that are beyond their developmental abilities.
Help children manage cleanup. Build very specific routines into activities to avoid serious spills or chaos. Remember that spills will happen. Encourage independence by teaching children to handle them in an easy and straightforward manner, using cleanup tools and materials that are accessible to all.
Label shelves and storage containers for art supplies with words and pictures. This will help children clean up independently.
Refrain from using adult examples or models of the art project for children to imitate. Children may view them as the "right way" and try to copy them instead of developing their own means of expression.
Understand children’s developmental stages. Realize that for some children artwork that appears to be scribbling to an adult is appropriate for them. Be clear that you value all efforts equally.
Use open-ended questions to talk with children about their artwork. Rather than asking children what they are making or saying, "What is this?" ask them to tell you about their work.
Plan storage space for projects that take more than one session or require time to dry. Providing a space where children’s creations can be kept safe and undamaged tells children that their work is valued.
Display children’s artwork that is representative of all their efforts, not just their "best" work. Occasionally, display works in progress to reinforce that learning is an ongoing process. Include a simple written explanation of the activity for viewers.
Consider children's ranges of abilities and disabilities when stocking the art area. Include appropriately modified tools and equipment.
Refer to the Including All Children sections within each lesson and to the compiled list of adaptations located in Appendix A.
Supply the art center with a variety of age-appropriate drawing materials, including pencils, crayons, colored pencils, markers, and chalk in thick and thin sizes. Modify drawing utensils as needed to make the handles easier to hold. Refer to the Tips for Developing an Inclusive Environment earlier in this section.
Keep crayons in containers, rather than in crayon boxes, so children can select colors more easily. Encourage children to take the paper off crayons so they can be used on the sides, and remember that broken crayons are okay.
Keep markers in containers also, rather than in their boxes. Emphasize the care of markers and what happens if the tops are left off. Consider placing an illustration of a child placing the top back on the marker on the outside of the storage bin as a visual reminder.
Stock the art center with a variety of light and dark contrasting paper, shiny and sparkling paper, and scented markers that children with visual disabilities may enjoy.
Maintain scrap boxes in either cardboard or plastic bins. Have separate boxes for paper scraps, magazine pages and/or scraps, cloth scraps, yarn, ribbon, buttons, pipe cleaners for collages, sculptures, and mixed media projects.
Use clear plastic storage bins for supplies, if possible. Children will be able to see the contents. The brightly colored plastic boxes that baby-wipes come in are also effective for storage because they stack. Label the boxes with words and pictures.
Provide a variety of drawing papers. Consider different sizes, colors, shapes, textures, and weights. This will contribute to the broad array of possibilities for children’s expressions.
Refer to individual visual arts lessons for more ideas and tips for setting up activities and assembling and adapting materials.
Allow enough time. Most drama activities require children to make decisions about characters, the sequence of events and the actions performed. Allow enough time for children to do this in a planned and thoughtful manner.
Participate. Children’s experiences will be enhanced and valued by your active involvement and enthusiasm.
Manage children’s behavior. Do not allow them to mimic or make fun of other children. If children are getting overly stimulated during an activity, move on to a calmer one.
Set up a costume corner. Include typical dress-up clothes, scarves, hats, accessories, seasonal items like mittens, and pieces of cloth for children to create their own impromptu costumes. A shelf with labeled boxes helps to keep the drama center organized when it is time to clean up. Adapt the costumes as needed to facilitate independent use by children with motor disabilities.
Organize story boxes for children’s independent dramatic activities. Each labeled box contains a copy of the story, plus masks and props to help children get started. One box might contain the story Goldilocks and the Three Bears along with bear noses or masks, a wig, three bowls, three spoons, and reading cards labeled: "too hot," "too cold," "too hard," "too soft," and "just right."
Help children construct and decorate cardboard scenery from large pieces of foam core, cardboard, and/or cardboard boxes. Create trees, bushes, buildings, and vehicles. Use textured paint to add tactile dimension for children with visual disabilities.
Refer to the Including All Children sections of individual drama lessons for more ideas and tips about including children with a wide range of abilities. A list of tips is included in Appendix A.
Teaching Tips for Dance and Movement
Value dance and movement as a learning experience. Schedule dance and movement activities on a consistent basis. Understand thoroughly the goals and objectives of each lesson, and use teaching strategies that will help children accomplish them.
Create a space for movement. Arrange a dance space that is large, clean and clear of furniture and other obstacles.
Be consistent with the structure of the lessons. Start each activity with a warm-up. Communicate ground rules and expectations. Build the sequence of movements from simple to complex. Wrap up each lesson with a culminating activity or learning summary. End with a "cool-down" of gradually slowing movement.
Praise enthusiastic participants to encourage more reluctant or shy children to get involved. Often children are more apt to imitate behavior and learn from their peers than from adults.
Use the following techniques to manage children’s exuberance
- Ask questions. Thought-provoking questions will engage children’s thinking about what they are doing.
- Change dynamics. If the movement has been vigorous, change it to slow movements.
- Change formations. If the class has been moving in unison, change it to partners or individual movement.
- Use a signal. Use an instrument or other cue to alert children that it is time to stop and wait for the next direction.
Consider a "buddy system" for children with physical disabilities. Make sure that the child with a disability gives permission for the classmate without a disability to assist.
Refer to the Including All Children sections of individual dance and movement lessons for more ideas and tips about including children with a wide range of abilities. A list of tips is included in Appendix A.
Become comfortable with singing aloud. If you feel limited as a singer (though most people are not!) or need a boost of confidence, find a selection of children’s tapes and sing along with them regularly—in the shower, around the house, or while driving.
Incorporate singing throughout the school day’s activities. You will be expanding children’s learning experiences as singing and speaking use two different parts of the brain.
Teach new songs one verse at a time. Wait until children have mastered one verse before moving on to another.
Seek songs to teach that are simple and straightforward. Save complex recordings for listening and for singing along to the choruses.
Let children know that songs are alive! There is no "right way" or "right words" for any song. Encourage children to make up their own verses to familiar songs.
Use rhythm to help focus children’s attention. A clapping session, for instance, in which children echo the educator’s claps, may help to calm the entire class, even the most active children.
Create rhythms using all parts of the body, such as hand clapping, knee patting, shoulder tapping, and finger snapping.
Consider the music specialist as a valuable resource. Ask for guidance, assistance and recommendations about effective activities, recordings and music teaching tips.
Create your own musical instruments. Consider wooden objects, shakers from containers filled with objects, bells, "wangadoodles" (protective plastic tubing from fluorescent light bulbs, cut at different lengths for different tones—these can be banged on anything to make a sound), wind instruments, old kitchen utensils, pieces of pipe, drum substitutes, drumstick substitutes, cymbals, and a variety of instruments made from found objects. Refer to the Arts Boxes for materials, as well as to the individual lessons for more information on including all children.
Establish the value and importance of class instruments. Encourage children to treat all instruments, including homemade instruments and found objects, as real instruments by creating rituals for their use. Refer to the individual music lessons for more information about introducing and using instruments.
Use music to set the mood for classroom activities. Select appropriate pieces to start, end, and/or add to lessons.
Build a recording collection of a broad range of music. Start with a few tried and true, best-loved artists. Include music from a variety of cultures and from different countries. Include different styles and genres. Consider several different versions of the same tune.
Teach all children to use American Sign Language to sign simple songs.
Display the words to familiar songs on easel pad charts. This provides effective reading material for emergent readers.
Provide picture cards with simple illustrations that represent favorite songs so that children with cognitive disabilities or speech delays can communicate their selections by pointing.
Refer to the Including All Children sections of individual music lessons for more ideas and tips about including children with a wide range of abilities. A list of tips is included in Appendix A.
