Curriculum

Growing

For use after the AEPS®-3 Test, this activity-based, multitiered curriculum helps professionals support every child’s development with differentiated instruction in eight developmental areas: Fine Motor, Gross Motor, Adaptive, Social-Emotional, Social-Communication, Cognitive, Literacy, and Math. The AEPS®-3 Curriculum is divided into three levels—Beginning, Growing, and Ready—so that children with different developmental needs can participate in the same activity or routine. This Growing curriculum volume covers skills that typically appear during the toddler years (from 18 months to 3 years of age).

In this volume, professionals will find:

• A complete introduction to the curriculum’s foundations, content, and organization.
• Strategies for matching tiered teaching/intervention strategies—universal, focused, and specialized supports—with young children’s individual needs.
• Instructions on collecting progress monitoring data at each teaching/intervention tier.
• Evidence-based strategies for teaching specific developmental skills within 18 typical routines and activities, such as Meals & Snacks; Nap & Sleep; Diapering, Toileting, & Handwashing; Block Play; and Art.

Ideal for both classroom and home settings and easily adaptable for each child’s schedule and family cultural context, this expertly organized curriculum is an essential part of the comprehensive, linked AEPS-3 system.

Foundations and Framework

The AEPS-3 Curriculum is grounded in established contemporary early childhood developmental theory as well as recommended practices in early intervention and early childhood special education (EI/ECSE). It is a core component of the AEPS-3 linked system, specifically designed to be used as part of a multi-tiered system of support in all early childhood settings. AEPS-3 directly links the components of assessment, goal/outcome development, teaching/intervention, and progress monitoring, providing a comprehensive system for the assessment and instruction of young children at various developmental levels.

Multi-tiered System of Support (MTSS)

The AEPS-3 Curriculum is designed to address the need for a continuum of differentiated strategies to effectively serve diverse groups of young children. The approach allows practitioners to collect assessment data and use those data to develop specific developmental and academic goals, plan teaching interventions, and guide monitoring of children’s progress.

Curriculum Organization

• Beginning, Growing, Ready Levels: Items are grouped for infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children, allowing a structured approach to teaching developmental skills.
• Teaching Strategies: The curriculum includes universal strategies for all children, focused strategies for children needing extra help, and specialized strategies for those with significant needs.

Routine-Based Learning

The AEPS-3 Curriculum focuses on teaching during regularly occurring routines and activities at home and in the classroom. These routines emphasize play and young children's successful participation, using evidence-based strategies to teach specific developmental skills.

Routines and Activities:

• Active & Outdoor Play
• Arrival & Departure
• Art
• Bath Time
• Block Play
• Circle Time
• Diapering, Toileting, & Handwashing
• Dramatic Play
• Meals & Snacks
• Music & Movement
• Nap & Sleep
• Technology
• Writing

Each activity is aligned with developmental skills and is designed to be incorporated into daily routines, facilitating learning in natural contexts.

Evidence-based Practices

The AEPS-3 Curriculum incorporates a variety of evidence-based teaching/intervention practices. These strategies are grounded in high-quality research and are designed to have meaningful effects on student outcomes, promoting the acquisition and reinforcement of developmental skills in children with diverse needs.

About the Authors

Diane Bricker, Ph.D., Professor Emerita and Former Director, Early Intervention Program, University of Oregon.

Carmen Dionne, Ph.D., Chairholder, UNESCO, and Lecturer, Department of Psychoeducation, University of Québec at Trois-Rivières, Canada.

Jennifer Grisham, Ed.D., Professor, Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education Program, University of Kentucky.

JoAnn (JJ) Johnson, Ph.D., Professor and Department Chair, Department of Child and Family Studies, St. Cloud State University.

Marisa Macy, Ph.D., Cille and Ron Williams Endowed Community Chair for Early Childhood Education, University of Nebraska at Kearney.

Kristine Slentz, Ph.D., Professor Emerita, Department of Special Education, Western Washington University.

Misti Waddell, M.S., Senior Research Assistant, Early Intervention Program, University of Oregon.

Additional Resources

Appendix A contains additional resources to supplement the AEPS-3 Curriculum, including a list of general curriculum resources and supplementary resources for individual routines and activities.

Appendix B includes the AEPS-3 Skills Matrix, which highlights individual skills across all routines and activities, providing specific focus for children needing intensive support.

This curriculum is designed to support children’s learning and development through evidence-based practices, ensuring that every child receives the individualized support they need to thrive.