Practitioner beliefs about and understanding of natural environment interventions were examined. Sixteen early intervention practitioners from two programs in a southeastern state were interviewed about their understanding and use of natural environments as sources of learning opportunities for young children. Practitioners in one program had considerable experience with natural environment interventions, whereas those in the other program had little or no experience with natural environment interventions. Results indicated considerable variability and understanding between experienced and novice practitioners about the sources and characteristics of natural environment practices. Implications for promoting practitioners' understanding and adoption of natural learning environment practices are described.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Bricker, D. (2001). The natural environment: A useful construct? Infants and Young Children, 13(4), 21-31.
2.
Bronfenbrenner, U. (1992). Ecological systems theory. In R. Vasta (Ed.), Six theories of child development: Revised formulations and current issues (pp. 187-248). Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley.
3.
Bruder, M.B., & Dunst, C.J. (1999). Expanding learning opportunities for infants and toddlers in natural environments: A chance to reconceptualize early intervention . Zero to Three, 20(3), 34-36.
4.
Campbell, P.H., & Halbert, J. (2002). Between research and practice: Provider perspectives on early intervention. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education , 22, 213-226.
5.
Chinn, C.A., & Brewer, W.F. (1993). The role of anomalous data in knowledge acquisition: A theoretical framework and implications for science instruction. Review of Educational Research, 63, 1-49.
Dunst, C.J. (2001a). Contextually mediated therapy and contextually mediated intervention. Unpublished manuscript, Family, Infant and Preschool Program, Western Carolina Center, Morganton, NC.
8.
Dunst, C.J. (2001b). Participation of young children with disabilities in community learning activities. In M. J. Guralnick (Ed.), Early childhood inclusion: Focus on change (pp. 307-333). Baltimore: Brookes.
9.
Dunst, C.J., & Bruder, M.B. (1999). Family and community activity settings, natural learning environments, and children's learning opportunities. Children's Learning Opportunities Report, 1(2).
10.
Dunst, C.J., & Bruder, M.B. (2004). Implementing early intervention in everyday activity settings: Effects on children and their families. Manuscript in preparation.
11.
Dunst, C.J., Bruder, M.B., Trivette, C.M., Hamby, D., Raab, M., & McLean, M. (2001). Characteristics and consequences of everyday natural learning opportunities. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 21, 68-92.
12.
Dunst, C.J., Bruder, M.B., Trivette, C.M., Raab, M., & McLean, M. (1998, May). Increasing children's learning opportunities through families and communities early childhood research institute: Year 2 progress report. Asheville, NC: Orelena Hawks Puckett Institute.
13.
Dunst, C.J., Bruder, M.B., Trivette, C.M., Raab, M., & McLean, M. (2001). Natural learning opportunities for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Young Exceptional Children, 4(3), 18-25 (Erratum in Vol. 4(4), 25).
14.
Dunst, C.J., Herter, S., & Shields, H. (2000). Interest-based natural learning opportunities . Young Exceptional Children Monograph Series No. 2: Natural Environments and Inclusion, 37-48.
Dunst, C.J., Trivette, C.M., Humphries, T., Raab, M., & Roper, N. (2001). Contrasting approaches to natural learning environment interventions. Infants and Young Children, 14(2), 48-63.
17.
Dunst, C.J., Trivette, C.M., & LaPointe, N. (1992). Toward clarification of the meaning and key elements of empowerment. Family Science Review, 5, 111-130.
18.
Ehrmann, L.C., Aeschleman, S.R., & Svanum, S. (1995). Parental reports of community activity patterns: A comparison between young children with disabilities and their nondisabled peers. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 16, 331-343.
19.
Erwin, E.J., & Schreiber, R. (1999). Creating supports for young children with disabilities in natural environments. Early Childhood Education Journal , 26, 167-171.
20.
Fosnot, C.T. (1996). Constructivism: A psychological theory of learning . In C. T Fosnot (Ed.), Constructivism: Theory, perspectives, and practice (pp. 8-33). New York: Teachers College Press.
21.
Fuhrman, S. (1994). Uniting producers and consumers: Challenges in creating and utilizing educational research and development. In A. Tuijnman (Ed.), Education research and reform: An international perspective (pp. 133-147). Washington, DC: U. S. Department of Education.
22.
Gallimore, R., Weisner, T.S., Bernheimer, L.P., Guthrie, D., & Nihira, K. (1993). Family responses to young children with developmental delays: Accommodation activity in ecological and cultural context. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 98, 185-206.
23.
Göncü, A. (Ed.). (1999). Children's engagement in the world: Sociocultural perspectives. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.
24.
Hanft, B.E., & Pilkington, K.O. (2000). Therapy in natural environments: The means or end goal for early intervention? Infants and Young Children, 12(4), 1-13.
25.
Hebbeler, K.M., & Gerlach-Downie, S.G. (2002). Inside the black box of home visiting: A qualitative analysis of why intended outcomes were not achieved. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 17, 28-51.
26.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments, 20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq. (1997).
27.
Janes, H., & Kermani, H. (2001). Caregivers' story reading to young children in family literacy programs: Pleasure or punishment? Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 44, 458-466.
28.
Jonassen, D.H., Peck, K.L., & Wilson, B.G. (1999). Learning with technology: A constructivist perspective . Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill .
29.
Kellegrew, D.H. (1998). Creating opportunities for occupation: An intervention to promote the self-care independence of young children with special needs . American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 52, 457-465.
30.
Malmskog, S., & McDonnell, A.P. (1999). Teacher-mediated facilitation of engagement by children with developmental delays in inclusive pre-schools . Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 19, 203-216.
31.
McBride, S.L., & Peterson, C. (1997). Home-based early intervention with families of children with disabilities: Who is doing what? Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 17, 209-233.
32.
McWilliam, R.A. (1999). Controversial practices: The need for a reacculturation of early intervention fields. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 19, 177-188.
33.
McWilliam, R.A. (2000). It's only natural... to have early intervention in the environments where it's needed. Young Exceptional Children Monograph Series No. 2: Natural Environments and Inclusion, 17∼26.
34.
McWilliam, R.A., Young, H.J., & Harville, K. (1996). Therapy services in early intervention: Current status, barriers, and recommendations. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 16, 348-374.
35.
National Center for the Dissemination of Disability Research. (1996, July). A review of the literature on dissemination and knowledge utilization. Austin, TX : Southwest Educational Development Laboratory.
36.
Noonan, M.J., & McCormick, L. (1993). Early intervention in natural environments: Methods and procedures. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/ Cole.
37.
Odom, S.L., Favazza, P.C., Brown, W.H., & Horn, E.M. (2000). Approaches to understanding the ecology of early childhood environments for children with disabilities. In F. Symons (Ed.), Behavioral observation: Technology and applications in developmental disabilities (pp. 193-214). Baltimore: Brookes.
38.
Renninger, K. A., Hidi, S., & Krapp, A. (Eds.). (1992). The role of interest in learning and development . Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
39.
Sandall, S., & Ostrosky, M. (Eds.). (2000). Natural environments and inclusion (Young Exceptional Children Monograph Series No. 2). Longmont, CO: Sopris West.
40.
Sewell, T.J., Collins, B.C., Hemmeter, M.L., & Schuster, J.W. (1998). Using simultaneous prompting within an activity-based format to teach dressing skills to preschoolers with developmental delays. Journal of Early Intervention, 21, 132-145.
41.
Shelden, M.L., & Rush, D.D. (2001). The ten myths about providing early intervention services in natural environments. Infants and Young Children , 14(1), 1-13.
42.
Shelley-Sireci, L.M., & Racicot, L. (2000). Are natural environments unnatural? A survey of early intervention service providers. NHSA Dialog, 4, 123-147.
43.
Siegel, S., & Castellan, N.J. , Jr. (1988). Nonparametric statistics for the behavioral sciences. (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
44.
Stremel, K., Matthews, P., Wilson, R., Molden, V., Yates, C., Busbea, B., & Holston, J. (1992, December). Facilitating infant/toddler skills in family-child routines. Paper presented at the Council for Exceptional Children/Division of Early Childhood International Conference on Children with Special Needs, Washington, DC.
45.
Trivette, C.M., Dunst, C.J., & Deal, A.G. (1997). Resource-based approach to early intervention . In S. R. Gottwald (Ed.), Contexts of early intervention: Systems and settings (pp. 73-92). Baltimore : Brookes.
46.
Trivette, C.M., Dunst, C.J., & Hamby, D. (in press). Sources of variation in and consequences of everyday activity settings on child and parenting functioning. Perspectives in Education.
47.
von Glasersfeld, E. (1995). A constructivist approach to teaching. In J. E. Gale (Ed.), Constructivism in education (pp. 3-15). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
48.
Wozniak, R. H., & Fischer, K. W. (Eds.). (1993). Development in context: Acting and thinking in specific environments. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
49.
Yin, R.K. (1994). Case study research: Design and methods. (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
