Early Intervention Sample Schedule

Every child, needs a consistent daily structure that remains the same from day to day. This kind of predictability is imperative for growth in speech. A predictable structure enables predictable language that will serve as foundational pivot points to build language upon. So for example, if every night you say to the child, “You need to put your socks in your shoes.” This language will serve as pivotal language that you can help him build upon as you turn your directives into questions. So after a certain amount of time you will no longer say “You need to put your socks in your shoes” but you will ask “What do you need to do now?” If your schedule is consistent the child will know the answer to this question and to other similar questions. This method will enable increase use of speech by the purposeful connection to vocabulary and action. With the building of this vocabulary through repetition then questioning (What do you need to do next?) child will begin to internalize the structure and thus the ability to connect to daily activities, control himself and grow in his independence.
            Effective schedules not only help with language and internalization of structure/self control, as discussed above, but they also support cognitive growth skills. For example, a clear, consistent schedule will help increase attention span-a crucial element in cognitive development.
 
Time Increments/Order

You will notice the time increments I provide for each suggested activity. These times need to be incrementally increased as child exhibits success with the lesser amount.   In this way attention span and perseverance are directly addressed:
5-7 minutes should increase to 7-10 minutes
Then
7-10 minutes should increase to 10-15 minutes
 Lastly
10-15 minutes should increase to 15-20 minutes
Twenty minutes should be the longest time required for child to be involved in one focused task.   In fact, so as to keep him attending to the environment around him submersion into one task for a longer period of time would be counter-productive, at this point, to most children’s social and communicative progress.
            Finally, please note the types and positions of suggested activities. A more physical, exploratory task is followed by one that requires less physicality and manipulation. This type of rhythmic order will provide enough variation so that child will more easily attend and remain on task. Child will need some initial adult guidance and direction but as he becomes familiar with the schedule a timer can be set so that he will be able to self-monitor himself.  
Sample Schedule
Notes

• Times can be decreased or increased according to child’s beginning level.
• Child is required to finish the activity (with or without adult guidance/restraint) before going on to the next.
• Begin activity in the least restrictive atmosphere for child. If child needs help with focusing place on lap or in high chair or chair with strap.
• Child (with or without adult direction) needs to clean up before beginning next activity.
• Except during free play the only materials in view are those of the activity at hand.

7-10 minutes (depending on beginning level of child)
Music activity (physical) with songs that greet the day, i.e., Hello songs, good morning songs, days of the week song.
7-10 minutes
Puzzle activity (1-3 puzzles). Child is required to finish one puzzle (with or without adult guidance) and immediately proceed to the next. If child is distracted child needs to be held on lap or placed in chair with strap until puzzles are completed.
7-10 minutes
Literacy activity with 3-5 books. Allow child to freely explore books either sitting in chair, on floor or standing near small table. After child’s exploration wanes adult reads aloud to child for picture identification, imitation and vocabulary development.
7-10 minutes
Three different manipulative activities presented, separately- one at a time. Each has to be completed before introducing the next.

Here are some sample activities to choose from:

• Sorter (4 piece, 6 piece, 10 piece gradually increasing in difficulty)
• Peg games for counting, pattern making, color matching
• Sewing/lacing activities
• Hammering activity with wooden pegs/pieces
• Scissor cutting activity with paper/cardboard
• Playdough/ clay activity with cookie cutter pieces
• Legos or other building pieces that click together
• Matching color games, Bingo

10-15 minutes
Free play activity. The child can choose to engage in and explore any activity mentioned above for as long as desired. He still needs to clean up each activity before continuing on to the next.
7-10 minutes
Computer work that consists of literacy and Math activities (see www.starfall.com for literacy work; and www.learn4good.com for math work)
7-10 minutes
Pretend play activity with dolls, play food, plates, utensils, etc. Adult needs to be fully involved to model and encourage spontaneous verbalization, i.e., What’s the baby doing? Is the baby hungry? Do you want some___?
Other activities:
Paper/pencil/crayons/chalk for beginning literacy development
Water colors/finger painting for color identification, texture tolerance
Cooking-following directions, verbal opportunities
Magazine reading-cutting/pasting favorite pieces in blank book. Adult labels pictures with child.
Sequence cards for development of beginning/middle/ending
Card playing for beginning number sense (War; Go Fish)
Card playing for color and number matching (Uno)
Dominoes for beginning number sense and matching
Bubble blowing-for breathing/speech development
See websites such as www.acorneducational.co.uk
www.1888toys.com for view of sample materials and/or to order

Writing—dictating story to an adult as adult writes on computer and guides young author with the following questions:

• Where does you story take place?
• Who are the characters in your story?
• What’s the problem?
• What’s the solution (how does the problem get fixed)?

After dictated story is typed,( enlarged font is best for the youngest writers and readers) ask about the title of the story, create title page and print it out. Make a simple book with cardboard, etc. Abishek can illustrate (or cut pictures out of magazines to correspond to text) the story and the pages can be placed between two pieces of cardboard to make a book. Abishek can practice this book daily until he knows it and then move on to write another story.
This type of consistent writing activity enables complete literacy growth as it touches on all major areas including sequencing, sense of story, sight words, and phonics.
See sample story written by a 3 year old with adult guidance using above questions. Notice that text is separated into sections for easy book construction and easier reading/illustration.

The Boy and theDragon By Ahmed Saleh