School of Education at Johns Hopkins University - Graduate Education Programs:


Early Intervention/Preschool Special Education Specialist

Adviser: Linda Tsantis (Columbia), 410-516-9760

This 15-credit certificate program is designed for individuals who wish to acquire knowledge and skills associated with high-quality early intervention and preschool special education for young children with disabilities from birth to 5 years of age. Those who have previously earned teacher certification in generic special education at the elementary/middle (grades one through eight) or secondary/adult (grade six through age 21) may meet requirements for certification at the infant/primary level (birth through grade three). Some applicants may need to complete a sequence of prerequisite or provisional acceptance courses to be fully admitted to this certificate program.

Upon completion of the graduate certificate program, participants will:

  • Be highly knowledgeable and skillful in planning, implementing, and monitoring early intervention/ preschool special education services for young children with disabilities and their families.
  • Contribute to meeting the statewide need for teachers of young children with disabilities and be knowledgeable advocates for young children with disabilities.
  • Contribute to local and statewide reform and leadership of programs for young children with disabilities.

Faculty advisers collaborate with applicants to develop an individualized program of studies that includes, at a minimum, all courses in the proposed curriculum. For additional information, contact adviser Linda Tsantis at 410-516-9760.

Students must earn a grade of B or better in each required internship. If a student earns a grade below B in an internship, the student must repeat the internship and earn a grade of B or A. Students may not register for any other course during the repeated internship.

Required courses include:

 

  • 872.501 Foundations of Learning and Literacy: Screening, Evaluation, and Assessment of Young Children with Disabilities: B-4 yrs.

    The first few years of life establish initial patterns of learning, literacy, and behavior, and set the pace for subsequent development. Students review instruments and procedures for screening, evaluating, and assessing the status of a young child's cognitive development, physical development (including vision and hearing), communication development, social or emotional development, and adaptive development. Included in this process is an examination of pre-literacy levels. In this course, there is emphasis on translation of evaluation and assessment information into meaningful outcomes for young children with disabilities and their families. (3 credits)

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  • 872.502 Foundations of Learning and Literacy: Program Planning and Implementation for Young Children with Disabilities: B-3 yrs.

    Early intervention can have a significant effect on developmental outcomes for young children with disabilities and their families. Students focus on planning, implementing, and evaluating programs for eligible infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and their families. There is an emphasis on facilitation of a family-centered foundation for learning and literacy in infants and toddlers. Topics include: (a) a survey of curricular options for young children and families, (b) selection of family-centered treatment outcomes, (c) design of instructional activities for promoting developmental progress, (d) evaluation of program effectiveness, and (e) evaluation of family satisfaction with services. (3 credits)

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  • 872.504 Early Learning and Literacy: Program Planning and Implementation for Young Children with Disabilities: 3-5 yrs.

    Research has shown that preschool special education programs can promote development in young children with disabilities. This course concentrates on instructional and curricular approaches to early learning and literacy within the context of inclusive programs for children with disabilities. (3 credits)

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  • 872.810 Internship: Early Intervention and Preschool Special Education

    Designed for students seeking Maryland special education teacher certification at the infant/primary level, this internship provides supervised field experiences in early intervention or preschool special education programs for young children with disabilities in the birth-to-five-years age range. Internship sites and activities are individually selected according to student interest and training needs. Note: Must have permission of academic adviser to register for this course. (3 credits)

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  • 871.512 Collaborative Programming in Special Education

    This course focuses on five collaboration themes common to various educational settings: interpersonal communication, problem solving, cultural diversity, teamwork, and family systems theory. Participants examine techniques that promote effective communication between school practitioners and related professionals and families of students with special needs. (3 credits)

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