Getting Ready For Inclusion Today Program

Did you know that in Alberta, 1 in 4 children have difficulty in their social and/ or emotional development?

Educators do not have sufficient tools or confidence to support children with challenging behaviors, and that’s where the ASaP project comes in. Through ASaP, our accredited educators learn to support children’s social and emotional development, by using evidence-based teaching practices to learn, plan and collaborate together. The project allows for coaching to exist in such that through monthly onsite visits, our educators are able to implement new skills and approaches to help children develop. Though some children need additional support to guide their healthy development such as expressing their emotions, or making new friends, our educators work parents to create a plan to respond to challenging behaviors.

The ASaP project is built upon the Teaching Pyramid Model. As an inclusive framework supporting social and emotional learning and building on the skills and knowledge of early childhood educators, the model acknowledges the importance of an effective workforce, where educators are well-educated and supported, as the foundation for quality learning and care programs.

Universal Supports for all children: Building Positive Relationships and High Quality Supportive Environments means that
• Children learn in the context of trusting and supportive relationships
• Schedules, routines and supportive transitions
• Promoting children’s engagement and conversations
• Providing directions
• Collaborative teaming and teaching behavior expectations 

Targeted Social and Emotional Supports for some children: Intentional Teaching of:
• Friendship skills and problem solving
• Recognize and express emotions (managing strong emotions)
• Social skills and emotional competence
• Connecting with and involving families 

Individualized Supports for a few children: Intensive Intervention (Positive Behavior Support Plan)
• Working as a team with parents, educators and other professionals
• Effective strategies for observations and making meaning of child’s communication
• Supporting child to learn new skills
• Strategies prevent future challenging behavior