Division for Early Childhood 2024 Conference: Full Schedule

arrow_back View All Dates

9:00am CDT

Intersecting Trauma with Behavior Based Practices: Ethical Considerations

Friday September 20, 2024 9:00am - 10:00am CDT

Multiple models exist to support children’s social emotional development. This has led to confusion in how to support all students. This presentation will review research and provide a way to review current practices and integrate a trauma framework or perspective as a universal practice to support the social emotional development of all children.

Speakers

Jennifer Buchter

professor, Eatern Illinois University

Conrad Oh-Young

Assistant Professor, California State University, Dominguez Hills

Cori More

Friday September 20, 2024 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Starboard/Port - Riverside Bldg

Practice

Age 0-5
Audience 1 Families
Audience 2 Practitioners
Content Level Intermediate

9:00am CDT

Moving Beyond Play: Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions

Friday September 20, 2024 9:00am - 10:00am CDT

GrandSalon 22 - 1st fl

Parent-mediated Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions for children with ASD often focus on play activities. By coaching families to use these evidence-based strategies during typical family routines, parents can extend intervention throughout their day and teach their children to use social communication skills during routines where those skills are needed.

Speakers

Rebekah Norris

Speech-Language Pathologist, Family, Infant & Preschool Program (FIPP)

Friday September 20, 2024 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
GrandSalon 22 - 1st fl

Professional Development

Age 0-5
Audience 1 Families
Audience 2 Practitioners
Content Level Intermediate

10:15am CDT

Exploring the Power of Video During Early Intervention Service Delivery

Friday September 20, 2024 10:15am - 11:15am CDT

Marlboro B - 2nd fl

Explore the power of video! Early Intervention professionals and caregivers can harness the power of video to capacity-building outcomes associated with caregiver coaching. Learn how caregiver coaching using parent-child video can help caregivers understand how their responsiveness impacts their child’s participation and build supportive environments.

Speakers

April Robinson

Kristi Byers

Nurse Consultant/ Infant Toddler Family Specialist, Family, Infant and Preschool Program (FIPP)

Power of Video References DEC 2024 pdf

Power of Video Handout pdf

Friday September 20, 2024 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
Marlboro B - 2nd fl

By Practitioners for Practitioners

Age 0-5
Audience 1 Families
Audience 2 Practitioners
Content Level Introductory

10:15am CDT

Honoring Intersectional Identities of Families

Friday September 20, 2024 10:15am - 11:15am CDT

GrandSalon 6 - 1st fl

How do we honor the intersectional identities of families? Utilizing the family system’s theory, we hear from a parent of color, who has children with disabilities, her experiences holding multiple identities and how she navigates the education system. We will engage in reflection and discussion on ways to strengthen collaboration and deepen our understanding of families.

Speakers

Karina Du

Doctoral Student, San Francisco State University & UC Berkeley

Krystal Anderson

Danielle Grayson

Friday September 20, 2024 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
GrandSalon 6 - 1st fl

Family

Age 0-5
Audience 1 Families
Audience 2 Practitioners
Content Level Intermediate

10:15am CDT

Family Centered Intervention: Greece - The Theotokos Foundation Pilot

Friday September 20, 2024 10:15am - 11:15am CDT

GrandSalon 15 - 1st fl

The Theotokos Foundation participated as a pilot site for the ECI Project Greece organized by the Greek Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. The aim was to improve the availability of quality ECI services in Greece, through the development of contemporary, evidence-based Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) models and systems in Greece.

Speakers

Ioanna Karavaggeli

Speech and Language Therapist, Theotokos Foundation

Ioanna Karavangeli is a highly experienced speech and language therapist with a robust educational and professional background. She completed her undergraduate studies in 2001 at the Department of Philosophy, Pedagogy, and Psychology at the Kapodistrian University of Athens. Following... Read More →

Mirella Giannakopoulou

Head of Early Intervention and Pre-Vocational Training Departments, Theotokos Foundation

Friday September 20, 2024 10:15am - 11:15am CDT
GrandSalon 15 - 1st fl

International

Age 0-5
Audience 1 Families
Audience 2 Practitioners
Content Level Intermediate

12:00pm CDT

Building Blocks of Communication (WE-BBC) - Singapore

Friday September 20, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CDT

Burgundy - 1st fl

WE-BBC was developed to support parents of children with developmental needs. Parents are coached over six sessions on specific interaction strategies to support their child’s social communication development. The parents who participated in WE-BBC have reported improvements in their child’s social communication outcomes.

Speakers

Shaun Ng

Senior Research Assistant, Thye Hua Kwan Moral Charities

Multi-disciplinary research experience across industries from social service to healthcare, with diverse and adaptable capabilities in psychology and business development. Passionate about youth development and aspire towards working with like-minded individuals to promote positive... Read More →

Nurul Ain Bte Mohd Komari

Senior Speech Therapist, Head of Programs Development (Early Intervention), THK Early Intervention Centres (Singapore)

Nurul, a speech therapist by training, currently serves as the Head of Program Development in an early intervention service within a social service agency. Passionate about family-centered practices, she is committed to developing solutions that create a meaningful and lasting impact... Read More →

DEC 2024 Building Blocks of Communication Singapore pdf

Friday September 20, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CDT
Burgundy - 1st fl

Family

Age 3-5
Audience 1 Families
Audience 2 Practitioners
Content Level Introductory

12:00pm CDT

Parental Empowerment: The Role of Interagency Coordinating Councils (ICC)

Friday September 20, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CDT

GrandSalon 9 - 1st fl

Have you heard of your state or local early intervention coordinating council (ICC)? Despite the ICC's important role and required parental involvement, many parents and practitioners have never heard of the ICC. This interactive session invites parents, practitioners, and administrators to learn about and actively discuss ICC issues, including equity and diversity.

Speakers

Hollie Hix-Small

Associate Professor, Portland State University

Dr. Hollie Hix-Small is an associate professor in the College of Education at Portland State University where she directs the Early Childhood Intervention Program. Prior to joining PSU she led Open Society Foundation's early childhood intervention work in Central and Eastern Europe... Read More →

Denise Tafen

Friday September 20, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CDT
GrandSalon 9 - 1st fl

Family

Age 0-5
Audience 1 Families
Audience 2 Practitioners
Content Level Introductory

12:00pm CDT

Retrospective: Mothers of Children with ESN Reflect on Inclusive EI/ECSE

Friday September 20, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CDT

GrandSalon 7 - 1st fl

This session provides an insightful perspective on the importance of inclusive early intervention/early childhood special education services (EI/ECSE) for children with extensive support needs (ESN), focusing on the retrospectives shared by two teacher educator mothers. Their experiences provide valuable insights into the impact of EI/ECSE supports on fostering inclusion.

Speakers

Carrie Wysocki

Assistant Professor, University of Findlay

Dr. Carrie Wysocki began her education at Ohio State where she earned her Bachelors and Masters in Education. She taught both elementary and middle school, and after several years she left teaching to work as an Instructor for Ohio State Newark in the Education Department. She... Read More →

Kimberly Christensen

Teaching Professor, Bowling Green State University

Friday September 20, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CDT
GrandSalon 7 - 1st fl

Family

Age 3-5
Audience 1 Families
Audience 2 Practitioners
Content Level Intermediate

12:00pm CDT

Addressing School Readiness in Early Intervention: Family and Practitioner

Friday September 20, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CDT

GrandSalon 24 - 1st fl

This session examines the school readiness perspectives of EI practitioners and families of children with disabilities receiving early intervention services. Through surveys and interviews following online PD, and family focus groups examining family practices around pre-academic activities, perceptions of school readiness resulted in need for strong family collaboration.

Speakers

James Young

Project Administrator, Johns Hopkins University

Cecilia Leger

Program Manager, Early Intervention Projects, Johns Hopkins University Center for Technology in Education

Koryne Nnoli

Assistant Professor, Morgan State University

Lisa Shanty

Salenah Cartier

Beth Boyle

Faculty, Johns Hopkins University

Rachel Hur

Friday September 20, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CDT
GrandSalon 24 - 1st fl

Practice

Age 0-5
Audience 1 Families
Audience 2 Practitioners
Content Level Intermediate

12:00pm CDT

Partnering with Newcomer Families, Community Navigators, and Schools

Friday September 20, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CDT

GrandSalon 16 - 1st fl

Educators frequently struggle to build collaborative relationships with newcomer families. The Leading in Newcomer Communities and Schools program was designed to address this need through a ten-session, virtually delivered CoP conducted with community leaders. Resources, lessons learned, and recommendations from the project’s implementation will be shared.

Speakers

Rashida Banerjee

Professor, University of Denver

Gloria Miller

Grace ILORI

Doctoral Student, University of Denver

Grace C. Ilori, Ph.D. is a doctoral student in the Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Denver. Before arriving in the US, she received her B.Ed, M.Ed, and Ph.D. from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and worked as a special education teacher for three years. She is a... Read More →

Savannah Hobbs

Friday September 20, 2024 12:00pm - 1:00pm CDT
GrandSalon 16 - 1st fl

Professional Development

Age 5-8
Audience 1 Families
Audience 2 Administrators
Content Level Intermediate

1:15pm CDT

Nielsen’s Active Learning Approach Promotes Engagement for Complex Learners

Friday September 20, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CDT

GrandSalon 4 - 1st fl

Children learn best by doing. For children with significant support needs, active participation in learning activities can be challenging. Lilli Nielsen's Active Learning approach includes careful assessment, planning, and selection of learning environments and materials; by using these strategies, practitioners are able to promote exploration, engagement, and learning.

Speakers

Carol Stein

Coordinator, Georgia Sensory Assistance Project ~ UGA

Danna Conn

Project Coordinator, TN DeafBlind Project/VUMC

Adrian Primm

Friday September 20, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CDT
GrandSalon 4 - 1st fl

By Practitioners for Practitioners

Age 0-5
Audience 1 Families
Audience 2 Practitioners
Content Level Intermediate

1:15pm CDT

Applying Evidence-Based Practices for Young Children with ADHD

Friday September 20, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CDT

Cambridge - 2nd fl

Evidence-based practices are essential to improve the qualify of life for families of young children with Attention Deficit and Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). In this session, we will share a systematic review of meta-analysis research and experience in applying these practices in supporting young children with ADHD.

Speakers

songtian zeng

associate professor, University of Massachusetts Boston

Michael Kim

Muqing Zhang

Fang Xu

Assistant Professor, Heritage Unversity

Xiaotong Liu

Friday September 20, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CDT
Cambridge - 2nd fl

Family

Age 5-8
Audience 1 Families
Audience 2 Practitioners
Content Level Intermediate

1:15pm CDT

Building Racial Equity in Policy and Practice Through Family Leadership

Friday September 20, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CDT

GrandSalon 6 - 1st fl

Racially diverse families who share their lived experience by engaging in policy formation, peer support, and professional development provide invaluable contributions while building their own leadership skills. This session will showcase family leadership from multiple states, strategies to recruit and retain diverse participants, and prospective long term equity impact.

Speakers

Mary Mikus

Mary Mikus has spent close to thirty years as a technical assistance provider and family advocate for young children receiving Early Intervention services and their families. Recently retired as an Education Consultant for Early Intervention Technical Assistance (EITA), Pennsylvania... Read More →

Sarah Holland

Director, Parent to Parent of PA

Vanessa Allen

Family Engagement Coordinator, Department of Children, Youth, and Families

Marisol Rose

State Parent Consultant, Early Steps, CMS, FDOH

I am the State Parent Consultant for Florida’s early intervention program, Early Steps, under the Division of Children’s Medical Services within the Florida Department of Health. I have served in this capacity since April 2021. Prior to my role at the state level, I spent 6 years... Read More →

Will Moncrease, Jr.

Partnership & Collaboration Manager, DCYF/ESIT

Misti Pollaro

Parent Training Coordinator, Family Network on Disabilties

About MeMisti Pollaro is a dedicated professional with over 14 years of experience at Family Network on Disabilities, where she has held various roles, from volunteer to IParent Training Coordinator. With more than 30 years of lived experience raising three neurodivergent sons and... Read More →

E Renae` Antalan

Community Collaboration Coordinator & Kinship GrandParent-Caregiver, Department of Children, Youth and Family Services (DCYF)

Good Sipping the Sweet Tea September, Everyone :-)!I hope you and yours are doing well. I come to you from the Squaxin Island and Nisqually Tribal lands of Washington State. I am a grandParent, with a capital 'P' for having raised my two special needs grandchildren for the last 9.5... Read More →

earlyint fam res update nov2023 v01 1 pdf

Division for Early Childhood Racial Equity Point of View pdf

Fact Sheet Advancing Racial Equity in Early Intervention and Preschool Special Education ECTA pdf

DEC One Page Handout FDOH Early Steps appv 9.2024 pdf

Friday September 20, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CDT
GrandSalon 6 - 1st fl

Family

Age 0-5
Audience 1 Families
Audience 2 Administrators
Content Level Intermediate

1:15pm CDT

Male Caregivers and Breaking Gender Norms

Friday September 20, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CDT

GrandSalon 13 - 1st fl

The power of male caregivers in early intervention cannot be overstated. This session engages the continuum of male caregivers to find their voice and define their own role that contributes to their child’s development and family success. Presenters will explore the opportunities to advance the equity and inclusion of male caregivers in a culturally responsive way.

Speakers

James Young

Project Administrator, Johns Hopkins University

Beth Boyle

Faculty, Johns Hopkins University

Friday September 20, 2024 1:15pm - 2:15pm CDT
GrandSalon 13 - 1st fl

Professional Development

Age 0-5
Audience 1 Families
Audience 2 Practitioners
Content Level Introductory