Carlena Lowell 1

Competency #6 Reflection
The sixth competency, Developmentally Appropriate Practices and Programs, is an area
in which I can never learn enough. Before beginning this program I understood, and followed
through with, many developmentally appropriate practices (DAP). Throughout this program, I
have concluded I will forever strive to learn about the most current DAP and programs. DAP
should be a driving force for anyone in the early intervention field; therefore, it was intertwined
in many of the courses I took and assignments I completed, and was something I constantly
considered both as a student and as a professional. The products selected to show my knowledge
and skills in this competency area are: 1.) an individual instruction plan and progress monitoring
project, 2.) the administration of the Early Literacy and Language Classroom Observation
(ELLCO), 3.) the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale, Revised (ECERS-R) report, and
4.) a YouTube video on Enjoying and Sharing Books and Stories: Reading Aloud to Young
Children.
The challenging behavior focused on in the individual instruction plan and progress
monitoring project was eloping from the classroom, which presented a safety concern. The
progress documented for this assignment did not show a significant decrease in the eloping
behavior. However, I provided the Specially Designed Instruction to the child as identified on
his Individualized Education Plan, and continued with the plan outlined in this assignment.
Within one more month, the eloping was completely eliminated. This assignment allowed me to
carefully consider and carve out a developmentally appropriate plan for this child that eventually
eliminated the undesired behavior. This product is most representative of sub-competency 6.3
Knowledge of a continuum of child guidance techniques to prevent or reduce occurrence of
challenging behaviors and promote cooperative behavior and positive engagement with peers,
activities, and materials.
Carlena Lowell 2
Competency #6 Reflection
The second product, administration of the ELLCO, closely relates to sub-competency 6.4
Ability to plan, implement and evaluate curriculum activities and experiences that are responsive
to childrens interests, natural curiosity, preferences, individual abilities, age levels, and
linguistic and cultural variables. With permission from the instructor, I completed the ELLCO
in my own classroom as I wanted to learn how to improve the language and literacy
environment. This experience allowed me to see positive ways I encouraged this particular area
of development in the children, as well as consider areas in need of improvement, many of which
I did after the administration of the tool.
Another product selected for this competency area was the administration of the ECERS-
R. Similar to the ELLCO, I completed this in my own classroom. I was able to give
recommendations as I would with any classroom after completing this tool, and then follow
through with implementing them as it was my own classroom; thereby making my classroom
more developmentally appropriate. The ECERS-R report demonstrates my skills and knowledge
in this area, particularly sub-competency 6.6 Ability to design and evaluate healthy and safe
learning environments that optimally support childrens play and learning and address their
interests, natural curiosity, preferences, individual abilities, age levels, and linguistic and
cultural variables.
The final product of this area recognizes sub-competency area 6.13 Ability to plan and
implement learning experiences and activities that promote the development of language and
literacy. This product is a YouTube video discussing the topic of reading aloud to young
children. In it I describe developmentally appropriate ways to read to young children to
encourage their growth in language and literacy.