Natural Environments

This book offers professionals and families multiple ways to implement the environment practices across the settings in which children grow and learn.

Offers recommended practices for family-centered, evidence-based intervention and team collaboration to ensure the best possible outcomes for infants and young children involved in early intervention programs.

This short book addresses the importance of natural environments and inclusion. Chapters include “It’s Only Natural…to Have Early Intervention in the Environments Where It’s Needed” and “Interest-Based Natural Learning Opportunities.” The last chapter titled “Resources within Reason: Natural Environments and Inclusion” includes lists of books, videos, and Web sites.

This DVD discusses children’s learning that occurs every day as part of family life. The three-part video series focuses on learning in the natural environments of young children: the family home, the community, and the early childhood classroom.

This 2-part video illustrates how inclusive practices should begin as early as possible. The first part describes Lydia Rose’s time in the NICU and her stroke at 4-months old. In the second part, Lydia Rose’s EI team members discuss inclusion, collaboration, teamwork, natural environments, coaching, and more.

This national technical assistance center supports state early intervention and early childhood special education programs in implementing high-quality programming and enhancing outcomes for young children. The outcomes team of the ECTA Center provides national leadership in assisting states with the implementation of high-quality child and family outcomes measurement for early intervention (EI) and early childhood special education (ECSE) programs.

A mother of a son with Down Syndrome discusses how her family and childcare providers work with him in natural environments to support his learning in daily activities. She urges other parents to keep trying until they find the right match that works for their family.

This article describes ASHA’s position on service delivery in early intervention.

Preschool teachers know that children develop and learn at different rates and in different ways. To engage every child, teachers pay attention to how individual children engage with the classroom environment. They also present information in multiple ways, and they offer many opportunities for children to express what they know and can do. Also in Polish.

The birds are singing and little green shoots are popping up out of the ground. Springtime has arrived in Illinois. There is new activity in our neighborhoods as people are getting out and walking their dogs, pushing babies in strollers, and holding the hands of toddlers as they make their way down the sidewalk.

This document provides practical information and guidance for early intervention administrators, service providers and others.

This page from the Early Intervention Training Program includes resources related to natural learning environments in early intervention.

This brochure, produced by a Parent Information Center, suggests questions that parents can ask when choosing a natural environment setting for their child.

This NECTAC fact sheet provides examples of what services provided in natural environments should “look like” in practice.