2021 BRIGHT START CONFERENCE

PRELIMINARY PROGRAMME FOR THURSDAY, 18 NOVEMBER 2021

Conference Track 1: For children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and special educational needs & disabilities (SEND).

Conference Track 2: For typically developing children (ECD).

WHEN REGISTERING DON'T FORGET TO USE THE CODE 'EdCentral' TO CLAIM YOUR 20 EURO DISCOUNT!

CONFERENCE TRACK 1

TIME (GMT): 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. 

TYPE: Practical Workshop

TOPIC:  Applied Behavior Analysis and Special Education (TRACK 1)

Description:

Blending approaches to meet the needs of preschool children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) applied behavior analysis is hands down the most effective treatment for young children with ASD. The purpose of this presentation is to describe how private Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and school personnel can work together to meet the needs of young children with ASD. Dr Schwartz will describe a school based early intensive behavioral intervention that has sustained in Washington state for over 20 years and provide strategies that can be used to ensure that all children with ASD receive the quality of services to which they are entitled. In this Practical Workshop participants will gain: a beginning understanding of the differences and similarities of special education and applied behavior analysis service delivery systems understanding of the types of skills and behaviors and instructional strategies that can be used to support student learning across environments understanding about the social contexts of the different environments in which students spend time.

Speaker: Ilene Schwartz University of Washington, USA, PhD, BCBA-D, Professor in the Area of Special Education.

TIME (GMT): 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

TYPE: Practical Workshop

TOPIC:  Empirically-Based Decision Making for Parent Coaching Plans

Description:

This workshop is designed to provide participants with an empirically based decision-making rubric for designing, implementing, and evaluating the effectiveness of parent coaching plans. Understanding a family’s key barriers implementing effective behavior change strategies in their homes requires a knowledge of not just the function(s) of all household members’ behavior, but also the setting events that can negatively affect parents’ abilities to be contingent with both positive and negative consequences for their children behaviors. Participants will evaluate sample family dynamics with respect to environmental arrangements, timing, the appropriateness of goal setting, and consistent use of contingent behavioral strategies. Potential barriers to success across these domains will also be discussed in the context of a data-based rubric for providing parents with supportive, yet efficient, parent coaching.

Speaker: Stacey Shook, Northwest Behavioral Associates, USA, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LBA Director.

TIME (GMT): 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

TYPE: Presentation

TOPIC:  Evidence-based Approaches to Facilitate Early Learning for Children with Autism in EC Settings

Description:

With sustained increases in diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), there is a concomitant need for the delivery of early intervention to maximize learning opportunities during the period of maximal brain plasticity. This presentation will cover evidence-based practices to facilitate early learning and socialization for young children with ASD in inclusive early learning and care settings. We will focus in particular on Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention approaches (NDBIs), which use scientific knowledge on early learning and early development to improve cognitive, adaptive and social outcomes for children with ASD by capitalizing on children’s interests and strengths, amplifying the social affective and communicative elements of social interactions, and embedding learning opportunities in meaningful and motivating everyday routines. We will cover both practices and research documenting that intensive participation in socially rewarding shared experiences leads children with ASD to become more attuned to their social environment, thereby increasing natural learning opportunities and improving developmental outcomes.

Speaker: Giacomo Vivanti, A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA, PhD, Associate Professor.

TIME (GMT): 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

TYPE: Panel Discussion

TOPIC:  Moving and Learning! Physical Activities for Young Children with Disabilities

Description:

Young children need physical activity to help prevent childhood obesity, promote brain development, and develop the habit of a physically active lifestyle. But how can physical activities be designed to enable young children with disabilities to participate with their peers? Join the panel to discuss modifications to meet the needs of children with a variety of physical, sensory, intellectual, or learning disabilities. Gather practical ideas for inclusive physical activities that are developmentally appropriate, age-appropriate, use inexpensive equipment, can be done in small spaces, and are FUN for children to play together!

Speakers:

CONFERENCE TRACK 2

TIME (GMT): 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. 

TYPE: Presentation

TOPIC:  Early prosocial motivation

Description: How do human beings become caring beings? Although traditionally regarded as self-centered and egocentric, young children are extraordinarily sensitive to people’s feelings, they exhibit a primitive capacity for empathy, and they are attuned to people's’ goals and how they are affected by the actions of others. Taken together, these developing advances in their understanding of people are motivational for young children, and a generation of new research has revealed their capacities for helping, sharing, and caring in response to the needs of others. This presentation describes this work and its implications for a new understanding of moral development.

Speaker: Ross A. Thompson, University of California, PhD, Distinguished Professor of Psychology, Immediate Past President of ZERO TO THREE.

TIME (GMT): 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

TYPE: Best Practice Presentation

TOPIC:  Strategies to Support Young Children with Challenging Behaviors

Description: Discover how to blend intervention and prevention to help children who exhibit challenging behaviors, while guiding all children toward positive self-esteem and school success. Anne will describe ways music-and play-based strategies can support the work of teachers desiring to implement the Teaching Pyramid model and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). Learn how to build supportive relationships with all children as you teach the social and emotional skills children need to learn and grow.

Speaker: Anne Meeker Watson, Meeker Creative LLC, Kansas City, USA, Ph.D., CEO Founder, author, and the creator of the SING.PLAY.LOVE.® program.

TIME (GMT): 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

TYPE: Best Practice Presentation

TOPIC:  Keeping Child Assessment Developmentally Appropriate

Description: Do your assessment practices tell you what children know and can do? In this session, the role that child development plays in assessment will be discussed. Keeping child assessment developmentally appropriate means understanding how Do Your Assessment Practices Tell You what Children Know and can Do? In this session, the role that child development plays in assessment will be discussed. Keeping child assessment developmentally appropriate means understanding how children’s development can influence assessment practices and outcomes. Emphasis will be placed on discussions of (1) developmental constraints that affect assessment; (2) differences in young children’s motivation affecting assessment; (3) how young children generalize knowledge across contexts and how this affects assessment; and (4) the importance of assessing young children as they are engaged in the process of learning.

Speaker: Dominic F. Gullo, School of Education, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Drexel University, USA, Ph.D., Professor of Early Childhood Education, Director, The McNichol Early Childhood Education Lab.

TIME (GMT): 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

TYPE: Best Practice Presentation

TOPIC:  Media Literacy in Early Childhood: Young Children as Critical Users of Media

Description: Young children are surrounded by media, but that does not mean that they are digital media experts. This session will introduce the TEC Center’s national report, Media Literacy in Early Childhood Report: Framework, Child Development Guidelines, and Tips for Implementation. Participants will learn the importance of supporting young children as critical media users, be introduced to the latest data on young children’s media use and comprehension and explore ways to facilitate media literacy education for young children. By the end of this session participants will be able to: (1) recognize the importance of positive and appropriate early childhood experiences with media, (2) develop an awareness of inequities related to media including media access, engagement, and representation, and (3) implement developmentally appropriate activities that support media literacy skills.

Speakers: Alexis Lauricella, Erikson Institute, USA, Associate Professor, and TEC Center’s Director and Jenna Herdzina, Technology in Early Childhood (TEC) Center, Erikson Institute, USA, Program Manager.

TIME (GMT): 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

TYPE: Research Presentation

TOPIC:  Positive Technology Development: Using Technology to Engage Young Children

Description: In this session, participants will learn about the Positive Technology Development (PTD) framework, developed through years of research at the DevTech Research Group at Tufts University, and hear examples of how PTD can support children's positive social, cognitive, and civic development at home and school. Participants will be able to plan their own technology-rich activities aligned with the PTD framework and ask questions about how PTD might fit their unique needs. Participants will understand how to access free PTD resources for developing technology-rich activities and learning settings.