# Early Intervention Adult Learning Principles and Strategies

## Infographic: 6 Early Intervention Adult Learning Principles

**Adapted from Pause and Reflect (Childress, 2021)**

| El Adult Learning Principles (Childress, 2021; Trivette et al. 2009) | Balanced Intervention Strategies | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **#1-Parents learn best when what is being learned is immediately relevant and useful to them.** | Ask about what the caregiver wants the child to be able to do (relevancy) Explore what the parent already knows and is doing first (prior knowledge) Build on caregiver-child interactions |  |
| **#2-Parents learn best when new knowledge is built on prior knowledge and experience.** | Be specific when suggesting a strategy by explaining what and why Let the parent decide which strategy to try Use descriptive language when explaining how the strategy could be used |  |
| **#3-Parents learn best when they understand what they are learning, why it is important, and how to use it.** | Explore natural learning opportunities together by discussing what typically happens and what could be adjusted (active participation) Make space for or facilitate parent-child interaction (practice) Ask if you can observe (context and real-time) Keep your focus on 1-2 skills |  |
| **#4-Parents learn best through actively participating and practicing what they are learning.** | Explore natural learning opportunities together by discussing what typically happens and what could be adjusted (active participation) Make space for or facilitate parent-child interaction (practice) Ask if you can observe (context and real-time) Keep your focus on 1-2 skills |  |
| **#5-Parents learn and remember best when what they are learning is practiced in context and in real time.** |  |  |
| **#6-Parents learn and remember best when they have opportunities to reflect and receive feedback on their learning and performance.** | Ask open-ended questions to facilitate reflection Provide specific feedback Link what you observe with the parent's priorities Plan for between visits (relevancy, active participation) |  |

## Resources to Keep On Learning:
- **Book**: Pause and Reflect: Your Guide to a Deeper Understanding of Early Intervention Practice (Childress, 2021)
- **Free Online Module**: Supporting Caregiver Learning during Early Intervention Visits (VEIPD eLearning Center, in the Responsibilities of EI Practitioners course)
- **Resource Page**: Adult Learning and Early Intervention (VEIPD)
- **Article**: 8 Concepts from Adult Learning that You Can Use to Support Caregivers (TaCTICS, Florida State Univ.)
- **Blog**: Early Intervention Strategies for Success (VEIPD, search for “adult learning”)