Environmental Support

• Suggest a picture schedule (or checklist for older children) to help a child transition.
• Offer to help use painter’s tape to define a child’s space at group or at the table.
• Design picture labels for shelves.

Materials Adaptation

• Bring in large-print books from the library or special education resource center.
• Help find someone to help lower tables or easels for a child.
• Bring in blocks or phone books to use for foot rests.

Activity Simplification

• Help break an activity down into smaller steps.
• Suggest that a child join a difficult activity at the end (finish with success).
• Draw pictures to help a child understand each step of an art or cooking activity.

Child Preferences

• Ask about a child’s favorite toys, books, or people.
• Bring in books, magazines, games, or toys related to a child’s favorites.
• Suggest starting an activity with something a child likes.

Special Equipment

• Talk about whether a child could sit in a special chair or cushion at group time.
• Bring in tools for the children to try: scissors with a loop handle, finger crayons, paint brushes with padded handles, electronic resources, etc.

Adult Support

• Model staying near the child and encouraging appropriate play.
• Join the child’s play and offer ideas.
• Praise and encourage the child’s engagement.

Peer Support

• Brainstorm with the teacher to identify children who are well-liked and good models, peer buddies.
• Suggest activities that would be good for pairing children up.
• Encourage children to help one another.

Invisible Support

• Observe the child and note difficulties in routines.
• Help think of ways to help each child be successful (e.g., give the child the pitcher when there is less juice in it).