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Going down a slide, dancing to music, and pushing someone on a tire swing are more than simply "play activities" or a means to staying physically fit. Engagement in motor play provides important opportunities for preschoolers to develop a variety of skills, including gross motor, social, communication, and cognitive skills. However, during the past several years, since the identification of the COVID-19 virus, no guidelines have been available to ensure that gross motor content is addressed while simultaneously meeting the educational needs of preschoolers with and without disabilities during virtual learning. The purpose of this study was to understand the benefits and challenges that 26 preschool teachers faced as they attempted to embed motor play into their curriculum during virtual learning. All teachers worked in inclusive preschool settings and interviews were conducted between March-June 2021. Constant comparative analysis and emergent coding were used to interpret the data. Findings revealed that school readiness skills were the primary focus of virtual learning. Teachers indicated that motor play can help expand students' pre-academic skills, be fun and motivating for children, and help students be more focused and attentive. Some logistical barriers (e.g., technology, limited physical spaces, limited resources) need to be addressed in order to successfully teach motor play in a virtual format. Study findings suggest policies and guidelines need to be established to provide young children with high quality and accessible virtual instruction. Implications for research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With intentional adult guidance, all children have opportunities to learn new skills across developmental domains during motor play. We collected and analyzed 501 written responses from 16 preschool teachers regarding their perceptions of intervention outcomes across domains, based on their observations during the CHildren in Action: Motor Program for PreschoolerS (CHAMPPS) intervention. This 21-week class-wide, semi-structured motor program was implemented in eight inclusive preschool classrooms. The findings reveal that teachers noticed many positive changes in children's social, communication, and pre-academic skills as well as their approaches to learning during the months when they implemented the CHAMPPS program. In addition to sharing data from this qualitative analysis, we discuss (a) the value of motor interventions and purposefully embedding learning opportunities across developmental domains for young children with and without disabilities, and (b) the benefits of gathering end-users' perspectives as we collaborate with them to implement new interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children with disabilities (CWD) tend to participate in fewer physical activities than typically developing children. During motor play, CWD often depend on teachers to provide direct instruction and frequent opportunities to practice motor skills, to interact with their peers, and learn new skills. To promote participation in physical activities for CWD, it is necessary to understand (a) teachers' perceptions about the importance of structured motor programs and (b) teachers' thoughts and concerns about implementing structured motor programs. The aim of this study was to understand teachers' perceptions about structured motor programs (e.g., obstacle course, bowling) and factors that may influence their motivation to implement them. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 teachers who taught in inclusive preschools. Interview data were transcribed and analyzed to identify key themes. The results show that the majority of participants valued structured motor programs and were aware of the benefits of implementing such programs with preschoolers. Several teachers expressed concerns about meeting the expectations of a motor program and preschoolers' challenging behaviors during such programs. Implications for practice from this study include the need to (a) provide professional development to help teachers support preschoolers with disabilities in learning motor skills and understanding how to arrange and scaffold opportunities for children to participate in physical activities and gross motor play with their typically developing peers, and (b) create quality structured motor programs to ensure that all children have access to motor learning opportunities in inclusive preschool settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this exploratory interview study was to examine the perceptions and experiences of 12 teachers related to the suspension and expulsion of preschoolers in private early childhood programs. Thematic and constant comparative methods were used for data analysis. Results indicated that teachers had a range of experiences with suspension, from children being sent out in the hallway temporarily to out-of-school suspensions lasting up to a week. Most participants also had expelled a student because of challenging behavior. Themes that emerged regarding factors that influenced suspension and expulsion decisions were inadequate supports, safety concerns, perceptions of a child's needs, and discipline policies and procedures. Teachers also discussed supports they had in place, supports that were lacking, and the effect that suspensions and expulsions had on their students and themselves. Implications for research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this single case study was to investigate if a functional relation existed between online training and coaching, and early interventionists' use of an approach to practice meant to facilitate family-centered practices. Four professional/family dyads participated in the study. Three of the four professionals demonstrated an immediate increase in fidelity to the approach following online training. Fidelity levels were significantly higher in intervention when supported by coaching than in baseline, although variability was observed. While maintenance data were lower than during intervention, fidelity levels were higher in maintenance than in baseline. Three issues emerged from this study that are worthy of discussion. Change in practice was observed as a result of online training. In addition, online coaching through the use of video recordings was found to be an effective method for impacting practice. Finally, the results revealed that coaching could be effective even between unfamiliar professionals. The study has implications for preservice and in-service training programs in regard to the effectiveness of online technologies for training and coaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the preschool years, children develop several inter-related skills including motor skills and communication skills. In this article, we highlight several communication teaching strategies and describe how practitioners can promote communication skills of preschoolers with disabilities by providing them with multiple opportunities to practice these skills during motor activities. The following strategies are described: arrange the physical environment, model motor vocabulary, ask motor related questions, use a fill in the blank strategy, and reinforce/prompt child communication. The use of these strategies during large and small group motor activities is illustrated with vignettes. We present strategies for creating an engaging environment and providing meaningful opportunities so that children can learn important communication skills while also developing critical motor skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]