5 Ways to Share Information with Families

Here are some ways to share information with parents about their child’s development and progress toward goals:

1. Visual Representations of Learning Opportunities
   Visual representations of learning opportunities related to targeted behaviors can be used to inform parents about their child’s school experiences. These visual representations are referred to as embedding schedules. Embedding schedules (like this one at aeps.fyi/Embedding) include target behaviors or goals for the child that will be addressed, activities that occur throughout the day, and examples of specific skills that the child can practice within an activity.

2. Lesson Planning Forms
   Lesson planning forms are another tool for helping families understand how important concepts and standards are being addressed through play. The forms include the daily classroom/program schedule with accompanying activities that will occur throughout the day, standards or broad outcomes for all children that will be the focus of each activity, and suggestions for how the family can promote the identified skills at home.

3. Formal Meetings or Informal Notes and Phone Calls
   Formal meetings or informal notes and phone calls are a good opportunity to communicate a child’s progress. Hold parent conferences to share assessment results and talk with parents about their child’s strengths and challenges. You’ll also need to develop multiple ways to communicate with families due to differences in schedules, preferences, literacy levels, and primary language. Program websites, blogs, email, and texting can help you communicate with families.

4. In-home Learning Activities and Suggestions
   In-home learning activities and suggestions can help parents learn new ways to promote the child’s targeted behaviors within their daily routines. For example, if a child is working on fine motor skills, you might provide developmentally appropriate art activities that will further develop those skills. (See the ASQ Learning Activities for fun and effective activity ideas.)

5. IFSP or IEP Meetings
   IFSP or IEP meetings are held to share the progress of a child receiving special education services. During these meetings, inform parents when their child has reached proficiency for an individualized goal and create a new goal together. If the child has not yet reached proficiency, plans could also be made to adjust goals or continue work on goals.

Adapted from Assessing Young Children in Inclusive Settings, Second Edition by Kristie Sullivan, Ph.D., with Lynn, M.Ed.