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EDSP 741

I. Course Title: Teaching Internships in Early Childhood Special Education: School-Based Services

II. Course Number: EDSP 741

III. Credit Hours: 9 credits

IV. Prerequisites: Admission to the Teacher Education Program

V. Course Description: 

This course provides students with supervised experiences at the early childhood level with children with disabilities between the ages of 3 and 5 in a school-based setting. These are structured and supervised clinical field experiences.

Note(s): Field Experience grades are recorded as “Pass” or “Fail.”  A fee of $110 will be charged to students taking EDSP 741.

VI. Detailed Description of Content of the Course:

Students will be provided with supervised experiences at the early childhood level with children with disabilities between the ages of 3 and 5 in a school-based and/or community-based setting. 

Course content includes:

  • Evidence-based and recommended practices for young children that make adaptations to their unique developmental and learning needs, including those from diverse backgrounds 
  • Development and matching of learning experiences and strategies to characteristics of young children
  • Development, implementation, and evaluation of individualized plans, with family members and other professionals, as a member of a team 
  • Facilitation of child-initiated development and learning 
  • Implementation of developmentally and functionally appropriate activities, using a variety of formations, based on systematic instructions 
  • Integration of family systems theories and principles into professional practice 
  • Respect for family choices and goals 
  • Use of teacher-scaffolded and –initiated instruction to complement child-initiated learning 

VI. Detailed Description of Conduct of Course:

Students work closely with their cooperating teachers each week to gain experience and skills needed to be effective instructors of young children with disabilities and their families. Students are required to participate in the full range of duties of public school teachers in classrooms with 3 to 5 year olds with disabilities for the duration of the placement and are expected to demonstrate commitment to the professions’ code of ethical conduct.

VII. Goals and Objectives of the Course:

Goals, objectives, and assignments address the Virginia Department of Education regulations for preparing educators and the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Initial Preparation Standards and Specialty Set Knowledge and Skill Items. Specialty set included in this course cover competencies for Early Childhood Special Education.

In order to provide supervised experiences at the early childhood level with children with disabilities under the age of 5 in an early intervention, home-based, school-based, or community-based setting, this course will prepare each student to:

  1. Advocate on behalf of infants and young children and their families 
  2. Integrate goals from IEPs and IFSPs into daily learning activities and routines. 
  3. Link development, learning experiences, and instruction to promote educational transitions. 
  4. Implement developmentally and functionally appropriate activities that match learning experiences and strategies to characteristics of infants and young children.
  5. Implement processes and strategies that support transitions among settings for infants and young children.
  6. Use teacher-scaffolded and -initiated instruction to complement child-initiated learning 
  7. Create and maintain records and use informal and formal assessment to make decisions about infants and young children’s development and learning. 
  8. Participate as a team member to integrate assessment results in the development and implementation of individualized plans. 
  9. Work with paraeducators.
  10. Use technology and multimedia effectively to assist instruction.
  11. Reflect upon practices, articulating a philosophy and rationale for decisions, and continually engaging in self-assessment  and professional improvement and development
  12. Use verbal, nonverbal, and written language effectively. 
  13. Demonstrate ethical professional behaviors in interactions in class, with children and families, and professionals within the community and reflect upon their practices in improve instruction and professional growth. 

VIII. Assessment Measures:

Assessment measures may include, but are not limited to:

  • Feedback, observations, and evaluations from cooperating professionals and university supervisors
  • Student self-analysis
  • Attendance in placement and regularly scheduled seminar
  • Written assignments applying best practices to instruction with children and families
  • Key CAEP Performance Assessment: “Teaching Intern Evaluation
  • Key CAEP Performance Assessment: “Professional Characteristics and Dispositions
  • Key CAEP Performance Assessment: “Research-Based Intervention for a Child with Disabilities: Action Research Assignment

Review and Approval

Spring 2004

April 24, 2009

May 11, 2015

May 5, 2022

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