Developmental Delay (ages 6-8)

https://www.naset.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Forms_Checklist_Etc/Ident_High_Risk/Developmental_Delay_Chklst.pdf

• Cognitive Development

  • the ability to acquire information

  • problem solving

  • reasoning skills

  • the ability to generalize information

  • rate of learning

  • processing difficulties

  • memory delays

  • attention skills

  • organization skills

• Language and Communication

  • receptive language

  • expressive language

  • articulation/phonology

  • Pragmatics

  • fluency

  • oral-motor skills

  • voice (such as sound quality, breath support)

• Motor Development

  • maintaining or controlling posture

  • functional mobility (for example, walking or running)

  • sensory awareness of the body or movement

  • sensory-integration

  • reach and/or grasp of objects

  • tool use

  • perceptual motor abilities (for example, eye-hand coordination for tracing)

  • sequencing motor components to achieve a functional goal.

• Global delay

  • Cognitive development and adaptive behaviors are delayed 1.5 standard deviations (SD) below the mean when compared with the standard score expected for chronological age (CA) (e.g., 22 points below the mean of 100).

• Delay compared to a standard score in three or more areas

  • Delays of 1.5 SD below a standard score (e.g., 22 points below the mean of 100) in three or more of the following areas:

  • Motor development - must include all: Fine, gross, sensory, and perceptual motor skills.

  • Communication – must include both: Speech and language.

  • Academic development.

  • Adaptive behavior.

• Deviation from age expectations across settings, but data is inconclusive

  • Describe the pattern(s) of learning that is significantly different from peers or age expectations.

  • *See “When formal measures using norm-referenced tests are not appropriate.

• Observation of student which is focused on area of concern in educational environment

• Medical and developmental history. Parent interview.

• Teacher reports/ review of student work. Rating scales.

• Checklists.

• Multiple assessment approaches: Standardized testing.

• Language sample.

• Performance assessment. Dynamic assessment/trial teaching. Adaptive behavior skills.

https://www.interventioncentral.org/behavioral-interventions/special-needs/teaching-children-developmental-disabilities-classroom-ideas

https://classful.com/developmental-disability-in-the-classroom/

• Multi-modal cues:

  • Visual, verbal and tactile cues help students orient themselves in the classroom, such as identifying boundaries, instructions, or specific-use areas. Students with disabilities may need different types of cues because they’ll miss others. Presenting important information in multiple formats will help make the classroom accessible to students with all abilities.

• Clear and predictable schedule:

  • Typical and atypical students alike thrive in structured and predictable environments. Children with specific needs may react more strongly than typical children when the schedule isn’t clear and expected. Like with cues, it’s best to present a schedule in multiple formats, from a posted written schedule, pictures, to objects that can be felt.

• Build motivation:

  • The desire to learn when it presents challenges can be difficult to maintain for disabled children. Alternating preferred and less-preferred activities and assignments can help students maintain the momentum to get through a challenging task, as they know something more fun will come next. Providing meaningful choices in the classroom can also help students stay motivated, giving them a sense of autonomy and control. An example of this would be assigning two tasks and allowing the student to choose the order in which they do them.

• Make expectations clear:

  • Children with developmental disabilities may find it difficult to infer expectations based on past experiences. For this reason, consistent feedback and instruction (even if repetitive) can reduce stress in the classroom. Each task should include the following essential information: how much work is to be done, how the task should be executed, when the work should be done, and what the payoff is for finishing the task.

• Provide structured participation:

  • Students with disabilities are often excluded from social interactions with their peers due to their limitations. Providing structured activities that allow disabled students to interact with their peers will help foster better relationships between students, both inside and out of the classroom. These situations may look like giving a child a helping role, such as distributing materials or tools with specific instructions (coach the student to ask, “what color would you like?”). It’s also helpful to give atypical children simple strategies for interaction (this is sometimes called ‘scripting’). An example would be coaching a child to ask, “what is that?” when they see a peer with something they’re unfamiliar with.

• Assistive technology:

  • There are assistive devices for a large range of limitations, from mobility aids to communication devices (Alternative and Augmented Communication AAC). It may take some research to find a device or tool for each child but there are many solutions (both high and low tech).

• Accommodating unique learners in the classroom not only helps them access the same information and opportunities as their typical peers, but it will also teach them that their limitations are worth accepting and supporting in all environments.

• Use jargon free language. Documentation must be from a variety of sources Identify the sources of information and explain evidence.

• Clearly state how ALL data leads to the conclusion of significant global delays in all areas of development.

  • Provide relevant historical evidence of global delays.

• Clearly state how ALL data leads to the conclusion that the three or more areas identified are significantly delayed when compared to average developmental expectations.

  • Provide relevant historical evidence of delays.

• Document the manner in which the student’s learning patterns are affecting the student’s performance across various environments.

• What are the unique difficulties or challenges the student is experiencing because of the developmental delay?

• Is motor development affected?

• Is communication affected?

• Is academic development affected?

• Is adaptive behavior affected?

• In what ways are the defined areas affected? (Must be unique to the student.)

• Does the student need interventions that significantly differ in intensity & duration from what can be provided solely through general education resources and services currently in place?

• Is the need for specially designed instruction connected to the category for which the student was found eligible?

• What specially designed instruction does the student need?