Supporting High Quality Inclusion: The Project Approach

Sallee Beneke & Michaelene M. Ostrosky October 12, 2021

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The Project Approach for All Learners: A Hands-On Guide for Inclusive Early Childhood Classrooms

The go-to guide for implementing the Project Approach, a child-centered approach to reach and teach all learners in your early childhood classroom—regardless of background or ability.

bpub.fyi/Project-Approach

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Topics for Today

• Identify Phases and Key Features
• Project versus Theme
• Project Approach & Diverse Learners
• Review Resources

What We Know: Inclusion

• Research shows that inclusion benefits all children
• We need curriculum approaches that support all learners in inclusive classrooms
• Practitioners do not feel well prepared and want PD
• Supports for fidelity of implementation are needed

What is a Project?

An in-depth investigation of a topic worth learning more about, usually undertaken by a group of children within a class.

What Is the Project Approach?

• An approach to teaching
• Facilitates in-depth study of high interest topics – Children investigate firsthand – Children are researchers and collect data
• Capitalizes on children’s natural curiosity

What is the Goal of Project Work?

The goal of a project is to learn more about a topic rather than to find answers to questions posed by a teacher.

Knowledge Versus Understanding

• Children who learn facts in isolation may: – Memorize and soon forget – Lack interest in further learning – Not connect facts with prior learning

Project Work & Understanding

• Children who do project work are more likely to: – Understand how things work – Understand the implications of new information – Make connections with prior learning – Want to learn more – Know some strategies for learning more information – Know some strategies for analyzing new information

Phase 1

Children’s Work

• Select a topic to investigate (with teacher).
• Discuss what they know about the topic.
• Represent what they already know.
• Dictate questions they want to answer.
• Predict answers they might find.

Phase 2: Investigation is Underway

• Preparing for field work
• Field work
• Research
• Guest Experts
• Representing what has been learned

Phase 3: Children’s Work

• Comparing what they knew with what they now know.
• Deciding how to share what they learned.
• Helping teachers create displays and constructions to share findings.
• Inviting guests to a presentation about their project.

Knowledge

• Strengthens children’s interest in learning
• Children learn how their world works
• Children develop confidence in their own ability to figure things out

Skills

• Many opportunities for children to apply skills
• Opportunities to use strengths to benefit the group

Dispositions

• Children learn to work collaboratively with peers
• Children develop confidence in their abilities
• Strengthens disposition to persist
• Strengthens intellectual dispositions

Feelings

• Project work allows children to use their strengths
• There is something for everyone to do in project work
• Children feel pride in their accomplishments
• Children feel a sense of belonging

What might be the potential impact of the Project Approach on a teacher’s ability to teach children with disabilities?

Fidelity of Implementation

• Fidelity of implementation is defined as “the implementation of a practice or program as intended by the researchers or developers” (The IRIS Center, 2014, p. 1).

How Can I Learn the Project Approach?

Use the Checklist for Your Own Professional Development

• Source of ideas for implementation
• Basis for discussion with colleagues
• Basis for discussion with a mentor or coach

Topics: Thematic vs. Project

Identifying a Good Topic

How Do I Pull a Topic From a Theme?

• Look for aspects that can be: – Touched – Counted – Measured – Discussed – Researched – Represented in a variety of ways (e.g., dramatic play, drawing, and/or construction)

Consider Children’s Interests

• Children are motivated to learn about interesting topics
• Consider topics of casual teacher/child conversation
• Actively observe, listen to, and reflect on child/child conversation
• Talk with or survey family members

Twelve Criteria for Topic Selection

• Directly Observable
• Within Most Students’ Experience
• Field Site & Experts are Available
• First-hand Investigation is Feasible
• Good Potential for Representation
• Parents Can Become Involved
• Sensitive to Culture
• Potentially Interesting to Many Children
• Related to Curriculum Goals & Standards
• Provides Opportunities to Apply Basic Skills
• Not Too Narrow, Not Too Broad
• It is Interesting to the Teacher

The Younger the Child…

• Select topic close to child’s immediate environment
• Topic that child can observe again and again
• Consider topics in classroom, on school grounds, within short walking distance

Topic Selection for Children with Limited Language Abilities

• Observe play behaviors
• Families of DLLs can help identify topics related to home culture
• Families can program topic-related vocabulary into Augmentative and Alternative Communication devices so child can participate in discussion
• Scaffold discussion

THE PROJECT APPROACH FOR ALL LEARNERS

A Hands-On Guide

Implement project-based learning in inclusive early classrooms

Sallee J. Beneke Michaelene M. Ostrosky Lilian G. Katz Foreword by Susan A. Fowler

Includes a complete package of training and implementation materials!

• Project Approach Implementation Checklist
• 38 video clips
• 22 PowerPoint presentations
• 6 sets of training materials

Learn more and order: http://bit.ly/Project-Approach

Questions and Comments

Thanks for Joining Us!

Dr. Sallee Beneke BenekeSalleeJ@sau.edu

Dr. Michaelene Ostrosky ostrosky@illinois.edu

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