Child Learning and Development
Studies and Initiatives
Contextually Mediated Practices Project
The goal of the Contextually Mediated Practices Project is to develop, implement,
and evaluate a promotional approach to early childhood therapy and intervention that
uses everyday family and community activities as the contexts for child-initiated and
child-directed learning opportunities. Promoting parents' abilities to increase
children's interest-based participation in everyday activities in ways having
development enhancing qualities and consequences is the primary focus of this
demonstration project. The project is funded, in part, by the U.S. Department
of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, Research-to-Practice Division.
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Practitioner Adherence to Contextually Mediated Practices
The major purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which the methods
and strategies used by practitioners for promoting child learning and development
are consistent with a contextually mediated approach to early childhood therapy and
intervention. The extent to which children's interests are used as the basis of
learning opportunities, learning opportunities occur as part of everyday activities,
and practitioners' strengthen parents' capacity to engage their children in interest-based everyday learning
opportunities, constitutes the focus of study. The study is being implemented with
practitioners who have received training in contextually mediated intervention practices.
The study is funded, in part, by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special
Education Programs, Research-to-Practice Division.
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Characteristics and Consequences of Young Children's Everyday Learning Opportunities
The purpose of this line of research is to investigate the characteristics and
consequences of interest-based engagement in everyday learning opportunities and
the development-enhancing influences of the experiences on supporting and strengthening
child learning and development. This initiative includes both primary data collection
and analysis, and extant database analyses, focusing on isolation of the environmental
factors associated with optimal child benefits.
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Language Learning in Children Exhibiting Characteristics of Apraxia Using Contextually Mediated Practices
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of contextually
mediated practices (CMP) for promoting the language acquisition of children with
characteristics of developmental apraxia of speech. Children's language learning
was facilitated in the context of interest-based participation in everyday family
activity settings. Results showed that the children's use of one and two-word
utterances increased from the baseline to the intervention phase of the study
for each participant. Findings from the study are reported in our CASEinPoint (Volume 1, Number 3) publications.
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Contextually Varied Language Learning in a Child with a Repaired Cleft Palate
The purpose of this study is to map variations in language learning and
use in everyday family activity settings. The study participants are a 28
month-old-child with a repaired cleft palate and both her mother and father.
Language production was monitored for 50 days over a 2-month period of time
in five different activity settings. Patterns of similarities and differences
are being analyzed to determine which activity settings provide the context
for different types of language learning and production (CASEinPoint, Volume 2, Number 1).
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Asset-Based Context (ABC) Matrix Development Project
The goal of this project was to develop, implement, and evaluate an
asset-based assessment tool for developing and implementing natural
learning environment interventions for children birth through eight
years old. This tool can be used by practitioners and parents to gather
functional and meaningful information for developing contextually-based
outcomes and implementing interventions and activities in natural learning
environments. The ABC Matrix focuses on three types of learning contexts
(family activity settings, community activity settings, & early childhood
activities) and five characteristics of child learning (interests, assets,
functionality, opportunity, & participation). Assessment information is
gathered through conversations with parents and other primary care
providers, as well as through interactions with and observations of the
child in natural environments. The description and development of the
Asset-Based Context Matrix can be found in CASEtools (Volume 2, Number 4).
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Validity of the Asset-Based Context Matrix
The purpose of this pilot study was to obtain preliminary information
about the validity of the ABC Matrix. Practitioners who learned to use
the ABC Matrix were asked to make judgments about two dimensions of
practices (parent participation in the assessment process and intervention)
hypothesized to be related to the use of the ABC Matrix and one dimension
of practice expected to be unrelated to use of the assessment tool
(child diagnosis). Results indicated that practitioners rated the ABC
Matrix practices more useful for natural learning environments assessment
and intervention practices compared to a focus on identification of child
deficits and deficiencies typically the focus of more traditional
assessment practices. Findings from several validity studies are reported in our CASEinPoint (Volume 1, Number 4) and CASEinPoint (Volume 2, Number 4) publications.
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Family Asset-Based (FAB) Portfolio Development Project
The goal of this project is to develop, implement, and evaluate an asset-based portfolio process for gathering and documenting information about the everyday activities and experiences of young children and their families. The tool was developed to facilitate parents' and practitioners' identification of functional asset-based information useful for promoting children's participation in natural learning environments. The FAB Portfolio includes information about
family memories, child and family interests, child strengths, child learning opportunities, and child participation in learning activities.
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Practice-Based Research Syntheses of Contextually Mediated Practices
The major goal of this initiative is to prepare practice-based research syntheses of studies
investigating the characteristics and consequences of effective early childhood intervention practices.
The syntheses involve systematic analysis of studies investigating the characteristics of everyday learning
associated with child participation and competence. Syntheses preparation is guided by a framework that focuses
on examining how variations in the characteristics of a practice are related to variations in their outcomes.
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Practice Guides (Tool Kits) of Children's Everyday Learning Opportunities
The major goal of this initiative is to develop user-friendly practice guides for promoting the
adoption and use of evidence-based natural learning environment practices promoting child learning
and development. The foci of the practice guides are the characteristics of everyday activity settings
used as sources of learning opportunities strengthening child learning and development. Practice guides
include methods and strategies that describe how everyday activity settings can be used as sources of
interest-based child learning opportunities that promote child participation and competence in the
contexts of everyday learning opportunities.
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