presented in collaboration with

Developing Developing High-Quality, High-Quality, Functional Functional

IFSP IFSP Outcomes Outcomes

andand IEP Goals IEP Goals

2

With contributions from Naomi Younggren, Department of Defense/Army Early Intervention; Debbie Cate, ECTA Center; Megan Vinh, WRRC; Joicey Hurth, ECTA Center/NERRC; Christina Kasprzak, ECTA Center; and Grace Kelley, SERRC

Anne LucasECTA Center / WRRC

Kathi GillaspyECTA Center

Mary PetersECTA Center

DevelopersDevelopers

3

Understand how to:

• Gather information about the child’s functioning

• Differentiate conventional vs. functional assessment

• Partner with families

GoalGoal

• What is Functional Assessment?

• Why is Functional Assessment Foundational?

• Who does Functional Assessment?

• Where is Functional Assessment done?

• How is Functional Assessment done?

Adapted from: Younggren, N. (May, 2011). Quality Practices in Early Intervention and Preschool Programs – Authentic Assessment. Power Point presentation presented at the Pacific TA Meeting, Honolulu, HI.

SECTION SECTION 22______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Functional Functional AssessmentAssessment

Assessment of the young child’s skills in the real life contexts of family, culture and community rather than discrete isolated tasks irrelevant to daily life

5

“the science of the strange behavior of children, with strange adults, in strange settings for the briefest possible period of time.”

Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The Ecology of Human Development: Experiments by Nature and Design. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

What is Functional Assessment?What is Functional Assessment?

6

Bagnato, S.J., Neisworth, J.T., & Pretti-Frontczak, K. Linking Authentic Assessment and Early Childhood Intervention -Best

Measures for Best Practices, Second Edition. Brookes Publishing, Baltimore, MD. 2010.

• Contextually relevant information about the child’s strengths and needs

• Individually focused

• Culturally sensitive

Functional Assessment Functional Assessment isis notnot……

• Domain based and discipline specific

• Deficit driven

• Intimidating

Functional Assessment Functional Assessment isis……

7

Our Focus Shifts

From To

Knows how to make eye contact, smile, and give a hug

Initiates affection toward caregivers and respond to others’ affection

Knows how to imitate a gesture when prompted by others

Watches what a peer says or does and incorporate it into his/her own play

Uses finger in pointing motion

Points to indicate needs or wants

Shows a skill in a specific situation

Uses a skill in actions across settings and situations to accomplish something meaningful to the child

Functional AssessmentFunctional Assessment

8

Delaney, E. (1999). Curriculum and Intervention Strategies [Presentation]. Presented at SPED 508.

Retrieved from http://www.uic.edu/classes/sped/sped508/aug30.ppt

• The more realistic or natural the task, – the more motivated the child

– the more applicable it is to everyday events and situations

• Authentic tasks and circumstances reinforce – competency-based approach to the education of young children

– assessment of all disciplines across complex skills and processes

– generalization of learning across settings

• Authentic tasks require the assessor to make no

inferences about a child's capabilities, because the

behaviors sampled are directly observable

Functional Assessment is Functional Assessment is AuthenticAuthentic

9

“Everything that can be measured counts, but not everything that counts

can be measured.”

Usefulness of Conventional Assessment:

•To distinguish typical from atypical performance

•To provide one more source of information

Conventional AssessmentConventional Assessment

10

Group Reflectionon Functional Assessment

DevelopingDevelopingHigh-Quality,High-Quality,

Functional Functional IFSP IFSP

OutcomesOutcomesandand IEP Goals IEP Goals

11

• Yields a real picture of the child

• Guides identification of functional individualized outcomes and goals

WhyWhy is Functional is Functional FundamentalFundamental??

12

• Families and familiar, knowledgeable caregivers in the child’s life

• Providers

• Teachers

• Others, less familiar, can also contribute

WhoWho performs Functional performs Functional Assessment?Assessment?

13

Bagnato, S.J., Neisworth, J.T., & Pretti-Frontczak, K. Linking Authentic Assessment and Early Childhood Intervention -Best

Measures for Best Practices, Second Edition. Brookes Publishing, Baltimore, MD. 2010.

Over time:

“One-time observations even in the natural context, are insufficient and often misleading.”

WhenWhen is Functional Assessment is Functional Assessment performed?performed?

14

• Knowing the purpose for the assessment is important

• Observation is essential:

– Keep a focus on being objective vs. subjective

• Record keeping is key:

– Qualitative

– Quantitative

• Hearing from others who know the child is critical – involve families!

HowHow is Functional Assessment is Functional Assessment performed?performed?

15

• Listen to the family story

• Observe and ask about the child’s day-to-day routines and activities related to

- engagement

- independence

- social relationships

• Ask parents to show or describe

• Observe how the parent engages the child

• Observe the child in play scenarios

Involving FamiliesInvolving Families

16

• Can you tell me about your day?

• What happens most mornings? Afternoons? Nights? Weekends?

• Where do you and your child spend time?

• What activities do you and your child like to do together (e.g., hiking, going on picnics, playing games at home)?

• What do you and your child do on a regular basis (e.g., go to the store, give kids a bath, feed the horses, prepare meals, walk the dog)?

• What are your child’s interests?

• What does your child enjoy and what holds your child’s attention (e.g., people, places, things)?

Questions Related to Questions Related to Everyday Activities and RoutinesEveryday Activities and Routines

17

• What makes your child happy, laugh and/or smile?

• What routines and/or activities does your child not like? What makes it difficult and uncomfortable for your child? What does your child usually do during the routine/activity?

• Who are key family members, other caregivers, or important people who spend time with your child and where?

• What activities do you do or places do you visit less frequently (e.g., doctor’s appointments, visiting grandparents)?

• Are there activities that you used to do before your child was born that you would like to do again?

• Are there new activities that you and your child would like to try?

Questions Related to Questions Related to Everyday Activities and RoutinesEveryday Activities and Routines

18Campbell, P. [n.d.] Intervention Decision-Making Chart. Thomas Jefferson University. Retrieved September 2012 from http://jeffline.tju.edu/cfsrp/pdfs/Intervention%20Decision%20Making%20Chart.pdf.

• Improve RoutineImprove Routine• PromotePromote

• Social RelationsSocial Relations• EngagementEngagement• IndependenceIndependence

HinderingHinderingFactorsFactors

Helping Helping FactorsFactors

Employ Employ StrategiesStrategies

Routines/Activities Routines/Activities not going wellnot going well

• Improve Functional Improve Functional AbilitiesAbilities

• Social RelationsSocial Relations• EngagementEngagement• IndependenceIndependence

Enhance Enhance Learning Learning

OpportunitiesOpportunities

Employ Employ StrategiesStrategies

Identify Identify Learning Learning

OpportunitiesOpportunities

Routines/Activities Routines/Activities going wellgoing well

HowHow: Gathering Relevant : Gathering Relevant Information…Information…

19

Only in the children’s natural everyday settings, activities, and routines

WhereWhere is Functional Assessment is Functional Assessment performed?performed?

20

Table Talk ActivityAuthentic Assessment

DevelopingDevelopingHigh-Quality,High-Quality,

Functional Functional IFSP IFSP

OutcomesOutcomesandand IEP Goals IEP Goals

Questions?Questions?

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This product was developed collaboratively with staff from ECTA Center and WRRC in response to the need expressed from state and local providers to have specific information and resources about developing IFSP outcomes and IEP goals. The full training package, including a full reference list, is freely available online:http://www.ectacenter.org/knowledgepath/ifspoutcomes-iepgoals/ifspoutcomes-iepgoals.asp

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