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Early Childhood Inclusionary Practices

Vanderbilt’s Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders (TRIAD) will provide a unique year-long coaching collaboration designed specifically for preschool educators in Tennessee who directly serve diverse learners, including those with autism, in an inclusive environment. The purpose of the Early Childhood Inclusionary Practices collaboration is to provide educators with knowledge and strategies to better serve all students, with an emphasis on evidence-based practices for autistic learners. This collaboration will consist of webinars, online learning assignments, engagement with an online learning community of other early childhood educators, and individualized remote coaching from a TRIAD consultant.
Participant Requirements
  1. Register as an individual. Participants should be individual early childhood teachers working with students receiving special education services, ideally in an inclusive setting.
    • Workshop is open to 5 educators from each region of TN (east, middle, and west)
    • Preference will be given to lead preschool teachers who teach in an inclusive classroom setting
  2. Participants are expected to attend all webinars
  3. Participants are expected to engage in individualized remote coaching (live or recorded teaching observations and coaching meetings with TRIAD consultant) throughout the school year
  4. Additional details regarding participation requirements for ongoing collaboration are outlined in a participant agreement.
Training Topics
  • Core characteristics of autism in young children and its impact on learning
  • Effective ways to structure and set up your classroom for student success
  • Evidence-based practices (EBPs) that help children achieve the goals set by the TN Early Learning Standards and optimize learning for all students
Please note: This collaboration is focused on class-wide and group strategies, not individualized student support.
Workshop Format
  • Large group instruction, modeling, and discussion via webinar format
  • Small group application and role play activities via webinar format
  • Online, self-paced e-learning
  • Online observations in inclusive preschool model classrooms (either live or recorded observations)
  • Remote planning and coaching with TRIAD educational consultants
  • Individualized classroom-based goal setting and action planning
Coaching Format
  • Format: delivered remotely, with zoom and/or video reflection
  • Technology required: webcam
  • Frequency: to be determined by participant and TRIAD consultant; expect approximately 1-hour of coaching per month (divided across multiple observations and coaching sessions)
  • TRIAD will utilize a Practice-Based Coaching (PBC) format
Online Learning Assignments
  • Asynchronous online learning modules will be assigned over the course of the coaching collaboration
  • All modules are brief in length (20 minutes or less)
  • There may be accompanying homework assignments with the online learning assignments, including readings or viewing other videos/online modules.
Proof of Attendance Participants will receive certificates documenting their participation in the Early Childhood Inclusionary Practices program. Educators will earn up to 12 hours of professional development from webinars, 6 hours of professional development from online modules, and 10 hours of coaching over the length of the project (a total of 28 hours of professional development).*
*Participants must attend all webinars and coaching sessions, and complete assigned homework modules to receive 28 professional development hours. All coaching hours will be documented by the TRIAD consultant.

Webinar 4 = Feb. 9, 2023
Webinar 5 = March 2, 2023
Webinar 6 = April 13, 2023

Sponsored by the Tennessee Department of Education, through the Tennessee Technical Assistance Network (TN-TAN) and available at no cost to LEAs in Tennessee.

TRIAD School-Age Services IconTRIAD Educational Services (Pre-K to 12)

Interactive training and consultation for administrators, teachers, paraeducators, school psychologists, and other professionals serving Tennessee students in Pre-K to 12 school settings. Browse training opportunities for educators 2022-2023. Subscribe to receive emails about our services, live trainings, basic online trainings and professional development opportunities.