## Introducing the Reimagined AEPS®-3 Curriculum

Presented by  
Jennifer Grisham, Ed.D.,  
and  
Christy Kaylor, M.S.

## Objectives

• Provide **an overview** of the reimagined AEPS-3 Curriculum  
including **its foundation** and **connection to the AEPS-3 Test.**

• Describe how the AEPS-3 Curriculum **helps implement a  
multi-tiered system of support.**

• Highlight the process for using the AEPS-3 Curriculum to  
**support implementation of recommended early childhood  
practices** for children with and without disabilities.

---

## AEPS-3 Curriculum

• Guided by multi-tiered systems of  
support, blended practices, and  
activity-based intervention  
frameworks

• 3 levels

▪ **_Beginning_**—infant and very early skills  
(birth to 18 months developmentally)

▪ **_Growing_**—toddler and early skills  
(18 months to 3 years developmentally)

▪ **_Ready_**—preschool and school preparation  
skills (3 to 6 years developmentally)

## AEPS-3 Curriculum

• Reflects current **best practices**  
used by early childhood  
programs

• Organized by **routines and  
activities,** which fits well with  
the structure of classrooms and  
homes

• Helps **determine what  
outcomes to teach** *all, some,*  
and *individual* children

• Supports development of  
**progress monitoring system** to  
inform data driven decision  
making

## Multi-tiered Systems of Support

Includes universal,  
focused, and  
specialized strategies  
for each  
routine/activity

More frequent data collection

### TIER 3  
SPECIALIZED SUPPORT  
For few children who need individual help  
Evidence-based strategies for individualized goals/outcomes

### TIER 2  
FOCUSED SUPPORT  
For some children who need extra help  
Adaptations and modifications to daily routines, activities, and environments to meet targeted outcomes at home and in classrooms

### TIER 1  
UNIVERSAL SUPPORT  
For all young children in high-quality early childhood learning environments  
Attention to learning outcomes within daily routines and activities of family life and classrooms, including positive caregiver-child relationships and peer interactions

## Routines and Activities

**Includes  
content  
for**     
**18 routines  
& activities**

▪ Active & Outdoor  
Play

▪ Arrival & Departure

▪ Art

▪ Bath Time

▪ Block Play

▪ Circle Time

▪ Diapering, Toileting,  
& Handwashing

▪ Dramatic Play

▪ Dressing

▪ Field Trips

▪ Math

▪ Meals & Snacks

▪ Music & Movement

▪ Nap & Sleep

▪ Science

▪ Sensory

▪ Technology

▪ Writing

## Content for Routine/Activity

• Each routine/activity includes

• Introduction
• Skills by area that are appropriate at this level for this activity
• Embedded learning opportunities

### FINE MOTOR Growing Skills

B 2 Rotates wrist to manipulate object  
B 3 Manipulates object with two hands, each performing different actions  
C 1.1 Writes or draws using mixed strokes  
C 1.2 Writes or draws using curved lines  
C 1.3 Writes or draws using straight lines  
C 1.4 Scribbles

**Embedded Learning Opportunities**
- Rotates wrist to twist caps on and off of art materials (dot markers)
- Holds glue stick while pulling off lid
- Grasps art utensils to write or draw on paper

# Content for Routine/Activity

Children at this stage of development need guidance and interactions from adults in order to continue to increase skill levels about numbers and activities.

### I LITERACY Growing Skills

A1.1 Recognize own first name in print  
A2.2 Respond common signs and logos  
D1.3 Matches pictures to actual objects, people  
D2.2 Radio simple story  
D2.3 Tell story associated with series of pictures  
D3.2 Understand an abstract story  
E1.1 Dibble description of drawing  
E1.2 Write elaborate descriptions of drawings  
E1.3 Vettify label nonrepresentational drawings  
E2.1 Make representational drawings

### MATH Growing Skills

A1. Count out 3 items  
A1.1 Count 3 items to determine "How many?"  
A2. Use quantity comparison words

## II UNIVERSAL STRATEGIES

These are best practice for ALL young children, with attention to meeting learning outcomes for positive adult-child relationships and provide more opportunity for families and preschoolers to experience different types of activity.

Provide sustainable materials for children to use.
Offer repeated presentations and product opportunities that are easier to hold.
Use tools and long features to adapt additional art supplies as children can build them in their families.

APPS 3 Curriculum-Growing

Encourage and promote creativity by providing children to produce a specific outcome, such as making a picture with a bird toy.
Educate children in the need of children are interested for safety research and available (for easy way) teaching.
Check all ingredients in an essential before using them, especially if children have allergies or sensitivities.

## FOCUSED STRATEGIES

These strategies are for teaching SOME children who are struggling with a component of a skill or when development is delayed and who need help to catch up or keep.

Use materials that are designed for children who have disabilities or developmental delays to teach children how to work with others.
Use songs to help children stay engaged in a goal-setting activity with enthusiasts.
Plan an activity consistently into daily routines and activities at home, school, or in community centers.

## STRATEGIES FOR EACH TIER PROVIDED

• Universal support
• Focused support
• Specialized support

---

## Examples of Universal Teaching Strategies

• Hands-on materials
• Activities that are based on child interest
• High quality learning environment
• Support for promoting social interactions between children
• Nurturing relationships between adults and children
• Instructional support practices, including language modeling, open-ended questions, repetition and extension, self- and parallel talk, and introducing new vocabulary.

## Examples of Focused Teaching Strategies

• Additional opportunities for children to practice skills
• Adaptations and modifications (e.g., increase time, shortening activities, visual schedules, special equipment)
• Formation of intentional small groups
• Peer modeling
• Scaffolding (e.g., hinting, explaining)

## Examples of Specialized Teaching Strategies

• Use of clear instructional opportunities  
• Naturalistic language interventions
• Prompts to support child’s learning

## Skills Matrix

### Gross Motor (continued)

### AEPS-3 Test Item

#### 3. Walks avoiding people, furniture, or objects

##### 3.1 Walks without support  
FB 3.1a Child walks unsupported for short distance and changes direction without falling.  
FB 3.1b Child walks unsupported for short distance without falling.

##### 3.2 Walks with one-hand support

##### 3.3 Walks with two-hand support

#### 4. Alternates feet going up and down stairs
FB 4a Child walks up and down stairs without support. Child does not alternate feet.

#### 4.1 Walks up and down stairs using support
FB 4.1a Child walks up stairs holding rail or wall with one hand.  
FB 4.1b Child walks up stairs using two-hand support.

#### 4.2 Moves up and down stairs
FB 4.2a Child moves up stairs.  
FB 4.2b Child climbs onto adult-size furniture (e.g., chair, couch, bed) or low play structure.

#### 4.3 Gets up and down from low structure
FB 4.3a Child moves over obstacles.  
FB 4.3b Child climbs onto low, stable structure (e.g., chair, couch, bed) or low play structure.

#### 5. Runs while avoiding people, furniture, or other objects
FS 5a Child turns corner running.  
FS 5b Child stops and starts again while running.

### Intervention Plan

| Date(s) completed: ________ Person completing form: ________ |  
| Program: ________ |  
| Child's name: ________ |  
| Skill: ________ |  
|  
| Before (A = Antecedent) | Possible Behavior Responses (B = Behavior) | After (C = Consequence) |  
| 1. When: ________ | Correct response (+) |  
| 2. Where: ________ |  |  
| 3. With what: ________ |  |  
| 4. How: ________ |  |  
| • Establish joint attention: ________ |  |  
| • Establish a topic: ________ |  |  
| • Make a request in a format the child can understand: ________ | Incorrect responses (-) |

## Example – Focused Instruction

## Creating an Embedding Schedule

| Outcomes | Initiates and completes independent activities | Uses conversational rules when communicating with others |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Daily Schedule | - Correspondence training - have materials ready, ask how he will participate in activity before class when he falls through | - Converse w/ him while engaging in art activity, encourage conversations with peers |
| art | - peer modeling - when peer participating at writing Center encourage, him to draw with friend | - engage in peer and adult conversation while using writing center |
| writing | - correspondence training - What are you going to do in dramatic play? What will you need? | - ask open-ended questions about his play, offer adult input to keep conversation going |
| dramatic play | - scaffolding - think the cars need a garage | - encourage conversation with peer about block locations |
| blocks | - time delay - provide one to class to clear-up for circle. Wait to see if he starts to penetrate up his activity. If necessary, to prompt them specifically to clean up | - model turn-taking and responding to others (peers and adults) |
| circle time | - peer modeling - how friends are playing - soccer. What could you do? | - model responding to requests and comments (chase us! Look at) that airplane, etc. |
| outside (active, outdoor) play |  |

## Progress Monitoring – Focused Instruction

| Date/Data | | | | | | | | | | |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |