ECE 261: Infant/Toddler Care: Methods and Techniques

Course Description

This course will focus on both the theoretical knowledge and practical skills necessary to create an infant/toddler curriculum in an inclusive environment. It provides information on how the playful interaction of infants/toddlers with their surroundings helps them to discover what the world is made of, how it works, and what they can do with their emerging skills. Students learn how the routines and organization of a child’s inside-outside environment facilitate a child’s learning. The successful student will demonstrate knowledge of program planning and implementation, as well as an understanding of the role of the physical environment in creating quality development programs for typical and atypical infants and toddlers. (3 credits)

Prerequisites

ECE 101: Introduction to Early Childhood Education
ECE 217: The Exceptional Learner
ECE 247: Child Develoment: Birth to Eight

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:

Know and understand infant/toddler growth and development and learning.
1. Describe characteristics and needs of infants and toddlers.
2. Use their knowledge of infant/toddler growth and development in creating healthy, respectful, supportive and challenging learning environments.
Build family and community relationships.
1. Describe characteristics of families with infants and toddlers and the communities where the families live.
2. Use their knowledge of cultural and linguistic differences in identifying strategies to involve families and the community in the development of infants and toddlers.
Observe, document and assess to support infants and toddlers and their families.
1. Observe, document and assess the development of infants and toddlers.
2. Describe cultural and linguistic differences and special needs of infants and toddlers.
Know, understand and use effective approaches, teaching strategies and tools for infants and toddlers.
1. Apply their knowledge on brain research in planning experiences for infants and toddlers.
2. Describe multisensory experiences and guidelines for increasing sensory experiences for infants and toddlers.
3. Describe everyday experiences in fostering infants' and toddlers' understanding of the world.
4. Describe guidelines for caregivers' and families' to promote early literacy related to emergent literacy research.
5. Design a meaningful curriculum using their knowledge and other resources.
6. Implement and evaluate a meaningful curriculum for infants and toddlers.
Evaluate themselves as a professional infant/toddler caregiver/teacher by reflecting on their beliefs, knowledge, teaching strategies and NAEYC ethical conduct.

General Education Outcomes (GEOs)

Please check the applicable GEOs for this course, if any, by outcomes at GEO Category Search, or by subject area at GEO Discipline Search.

Course Activities and Grading

Assignments	Weight
Responses to discussion topics (Week 1 - 7) SLOs 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, and 5	15%
Multisensory Experiences (Week 3) SLO 1a, 1b, 4a, 4b, and 4c	10%
Early Language and Literacy Assignment (Week 4) SLO 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, and 4d	10%
Midterm Exam (Week 4) SLOs 1a, 1b, 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d	10%
Observation paper (Week 5) SLO 1a, 1b, 3a, and 3b	15%
Curriculum Plan of Learning Experiences for Infants and Toddlers (Week 7) SLO 2a, 2b, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f, and 5	20%
Reflective Journal (Week 7) SLO 5	10%
Final Exam (Week 8) SLOs 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, and 5	10%
Total	100%

Observation

The observation for ECE 261 needs to be set up in a Birth to Three setting. Take care to choose a program of high quality; preferably NAEYC accredited. This may be your place of employment or another site you have access to. Instructor can assist in finding an accredited program if needed.

Required Textbooks

Available through Charter Oak's online bookstore

Gonzalez-Mena, J. and D.W. Eyer. Infants, Toddlers and Caregivers: A Curriculum of Respectful, Responsive Care and Education, 12th ed. New York, NY: Mc-Graw-Hill Higher, 2021. ISBN-13: 978-1-260-83441-3

Course Schedule

Week	SLOs	Readings and Exercises	Assignment(s)
1	1a, 1b, 4a, 4b, 4c	Topics: Introductions and Part 1 - Focus on the Caregiver Readings: Chapter 2 Infant/Toddler Education	Introduce yourself on the discussion board Read and print out the course syllabus and course assignment schedule Read assigned chapter Participate in the Discussion Thread Review the Lecture material Take Chapter 2 Practice Quiz (not graded)
2	1b, 3b, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d	Topic: Part 1 - Focus on the Caregiver Readings: Chapter 1 Principles, Practice and Curriculum Connecticut Early Learning Guidelines for Infant and Toddler Care Creative Curriculum for Infants and Toddlers Early Head Start Standards	Read assigned chapter and supplementary reading materials posted on Blackboard Participate in the Discussion Thread Review the Lecture material Take Chapter 1 Practice Quiz (not graded)
3	1a, 1b, 4a, 4b, 4c	Topic: Part 2 - Focus on the Child Readings: Chapter 5 Attachment Chapter 10 Emotions Chapter 6 Perception	Read assigned chapters Participate in the Discussion Thread Review the Lecture material Take Chapters 5, 10 and 6 Practice Quiz (not graded) Submit ten multisensory experiences (five for indoors and five for outdoors) assignment
4	1a, 1b, 4d	Topic: Part 2 - Focus on the Child Readings: Chapter 7 Motor Skills Chapter 8 Cognition Chapter 9 Language Supplemental reading materials on Early Language and Literacy	Read assigned chapters and supplemental reading materials Participate in the Discussion Thread Review the Lecture material Take Chapters 7, 8 and 9 Practice Quiz (not graded) Submit Early Language and Literacy assignment - Five songs, or finger plays and five titles and description of children's books appropriate for infants and toddlers Take the Midterm Exam
4	Midterm Exam Chapters 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 SLOs 1a, 1b, 3b, 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d
5	1a, 1b, 3a, 3b	Topic: Part 2 - Focus on the Child Readings: Chapter 11 Social Skills Topic: Part 3 - Focus on the Program Readings: Chapter 12 The Physical Environment Chapter 13 The Social Environment	Read assigned chapters Participate in the Discussion Thread Review the Lecture material Take Chapters 11, 12 and 13 Practice Quiz (not graded) Submit Observation assignment
6	2a, 2b	Topic: Part 3 - Focus on the Program Readings: Chapter 14 Adult Relations in Infant and toddler Care and Education Programs Topic: Part 1 - Focus on the Caregiver Readings: Chapter 3 Care giving as Curriculum Chapter 4 Play as Curriculum	Read assigned chapters Participate in the Discussion Thread Review the Lecture material Take chapters 14, 3 and 4 Practice Quiz (not graded)
7	4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e 4f, 5	Topic: Developmentally Appropriate Experiences - Curriculum Implications of the Three Focuses: The Caregiver, the Child and the Program	Read supplementary reading materials posted on Blackboard Participate in the Discussion Thread Review the Lecture materials Submit written assignment - Curriculum Plan of Learning Experiences for Infants and Toddlers
8	1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 5	Topic: Final Exam	Submit Reflective Journal Complete Final Exam (Exam covers chapters 11, 12, 13, 14, 3 & 4)

COSC Accessibility Statement

Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.

COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources

Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.