Coffee Chats with Brookes
Looking for a new professional development opportunity? Tune in to this series of free video chats with Brookes authors, renowned experts on inclusive education, early childhood, and communication and language development. These brief, informal chats are a great chance to get tips and guidance from the experts on the topics you care about the most.
Upcoming Chats
Unpacking the Pyramid Model: Friendship Skills and Strategies for Teaching Them
Wed, April 14, 2021 2:00PM ET
Presented by: Lori E. Meyer, Ph.D., Molly E. Milam, Ph.D., BCBA, & Michaelene M. Ostrosky, Ph.D.
Age range: Preschoolers
Who this chat is for: Early childhood educators, special educators, any professionals having regular contact with young children in early learning settings
Strong friendship skills are critical for young children to develop in their first years of school, but how can busy educators nurture these skills in children with and without disabilities? Find out in this coffee chat, presented by three contributors to the practical guidebook Unpacking the Pyramid Model. In this engaging and practical presentation, Drs. Meyer, Milam, & Ostrosky will discuss how professionals who work with preschoolers can create a culture of friendship in inclusive early learning settings—and apply the trusted Pyramid Model approach to teach friendship skills throughout the school day.
Participants will:
- Discover two key indicators for determining the presence of a friendship between young children
- Learn how to teach friendship skills through strategies and supports for entire classrooms, small groups and partners, and individual students
- Get effective strategies for partnering with families to support children’s development of friendships
- Learn how to address the unique challenges of grief during the pandemic
- See how teaching friendship skills can be embedded across daily routines and activities
Supporting the Grieving Student: Practical Guidance for All School Professionals
Wed, April 21, 2021 2:00PM ET
Presented by: David Schonfeld, MD., & Marcia Quackenbush, MS, MFT, CHES
Age range:Preschoolers, early elementary (K-2), upper elementary (3-5), middle school, high school
Who this chat is for: All school professionals
Educators and other school professionals are a critical lifeline for grieving children, especially in times of national crisis such as the current pandemic. Led by a renowned school crisis expert and a family therapist, this coffee chat will offer practical advice for all school professionals on how to support grieving students and make sure that your school’s practices—and your approach with students—are grief-sensitive. The session will also highlight some of the unique challenges of supporting grieving students during the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath.
Participants will:
- Review appropriate academic accommodations for grieving students
- Learn how to handle grief triggers in the classroom setting
- Discover how to anticipate and address guilt
- Learn how to address the unique challenges of grief during the pandemic
- Find out how to access free resources available through the Coalition to Support Grieving Students
Dual Language Development & Disorders: Expert Insights & Recent Research
Wed, April 28, 2021 2:00PM ET
Presented by: Johanne Paradis, Ph.D., & Fred Genesee, Ph.D.
Age range: Infants & toddlers, preschoolers, early elementary (K-2), upper elementary (3-5), middle school
Who this chat is for: General educators, speech language specialists, reading specialists, special educators, medical professionals who serve parents with bilingual children, policy makers
What is the latest, most up-to-date thinking about dual language development and disorders, and what are the implications for everyday practice? Explore the answers in this coffee chat with Johanne Paradis & Fred Genesee, coauthors of the new third edition of the bestselling textbook Dual Language Development & Disorders. The presenters will discuss what’s new in the latest edition of their book, focusing on new research findings and their impact on clinical and educational practice as well as parent practices in the home.
Participants will:
- New insights from recent research in the field about dual language development and disorders in preschool and school-age learners
- An enhanced understanding of the benefits, opportunities, and challenges of dual language learning, especially among learners with developmental disorders
- An appreciation of the complex array of factors that can influence young learners’ acquisition of additional languages in the home, in the community, and in school
- Evidence-based implications for policy and practice with respect to dual language learners—both typically-developing children and those with developmental disorders
Emotion Coaching Among Providers and Parents: Supporting Early Social-Emotional Development
Wed, May 5, 2021 2:00PM ET
Presented by: Nicole M. Edwards, Ph.D.
Age range: Infants & Toddlers, Preschoolers
Who this chat is for: Birth–5 professionals in early intervention (EI)/early childhood education (ECE)/early childhood special education (ECE), including therapists, general educators, special educators, program directors, and mental health providers.
When you think of the many roles played by care providers in early development, does “emotion coach” come to mind? Collaborating with families on emotion coaching for young children can lay a stronger foundation for early social-emotional development—and this coffee chat will show you how. Join Nicole M. Edwards, author of the book Early Social-Emotional Development, for an engaging and informative chat about the how and why of emotion coaching in early childhood.
Participants will:
- Increase their familiarity with the components of emotional development, including emotion knowledge, emotion expression, and emotion regulation
- Explore the possible signs of emotion dysregulation in children ages birth–5
- Learn about the link between adult scaffolding/modeling, emotions, and behavior
- Reflect on the extent to which they embrace their role as an emotion coach and how they see key partners responding to negative displays of emotion
- Get tips and insights from the literature on communicating with families about how they can nurture their child’s emotional development
Finding and Using Online Information about ASD: Tips for Families and Professionals
Wed, May 12, 2021 2:00PM ET
Presented by: Rebecca J. McCauley, Ph.D.
Age range: Infants & toddlers, preschoolers, early elementary (K-2), upper elementary (3-5), middle school, high school
Who this chat is for: Early educators, speech-language pathologists, teachers, counselors, and any other professional having regular contact with people who have ASD
How can families and professionals evaluate and use online information about autism spectrum disorder (ASD)? Get expert insights in this coffee chat with Rebecca J. McCauley, coeditor of the new edition of Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Dr. McCauley will provide a valuable overview of several reliable online sources where families and professionals can obtain information about the latest research and clinical developments related to topics in ASD. She’ll also offer practical suggestions on how to judge the relative quality of different websites providing this information.
Participants will:
- Learn how to evaluate websites for their likely accuracy and impartiality about ASD
- Identify reliable online sources that provide a variety of materials they can use or share with others (e.g., team members, peripherally involved professionals and other family members, first responders in their community)
- Discover additional sources that provide professionals with information they may recommend or use themselves to improve their outreach and support for people with ASD
- Develop a solid plan for searching for information in an area in which they currently lack information
Promoting Evidence-Based Practices in Programs for Children and Youth with Autism
Wed, May 19, 2021 2:00PM ET
Presented by: Samuel L. Odom, Ph.D., & Ann Sam
Age range: Preschoolers, Early Elementary (K-2), Upper Elementary (3-5), Middle School, High School
Who this chat is for: Teachers and other practitioners
What does recent research say about interventions for children and youth with autism, and how should that translate into practice for teachers and other practitioners? Explore the answers in this coffee chat with Sam Odom and Ann Sam, research scientists at the Frank Porter Graham Institute. In this presentation, Odom and Sam will offer valuable insights from a recent systematic review of the intervention research for children and youth with autism and discuss how to identify evidence-based practices. They’ll also connect participants with resources that will help them use these practices in their everyday work.
Participants will:
- Discover intervention practices for children and youth with autism that have evidence of efficacy
- Learn about teacher-friendly resources that translate reliable research into practical instruction and intervention practices
- See how to select practices to address individualized learning objectives and goals
- Get a process that teachers can use to support paraprofessionals’ use of the practices
Teaching Expectations and Rules in Early Childhood Classrooms and Programs
Wed, May 26, 2021 2:00PM ET
Presented by: Denise Perez Binder
Age range: Preschoolers
Who this chat is for: Early childhood teachers, program coaches, classroom coaches
How can early childhood professionals create appropriate rules and expectations for behavior—and teach them effectively in their classrooms and programs? This engaging coffee chat has the answers. Presented by Denise Perez Binder, a contributor to the practical guidebook Unpacking the Pyramid Model, this webinar shows early educators how to use behavior expectations and rules as a powerful strategy for strengthening young children’s social-emotional skills, which will lead to fewer behavior challenges down the line. You’ll learn how to establish program-wide expectations and link them to your teaching of classroom rules, while making families an integral part of the process.
Participants will:
- Get clear working definitions of “expectations” vs. “rules”
- Learn strategies for creating both expectations and rules for early childhood classrooms
- Discover new strategies to teach young children about behavior expectations and rules
- Get strategies for sharing behavior expectations with families and collaborating with them effectively
Connecting Case Studies to Evidence-Based Interventions for ASD
Wed, June 2, 2021 2:00PM ET
Presented by: Patricia A. Prelock, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-CL, FNAP-CL
Age range: Infants & toddlers, preschoolers, early elementary (K-2), upper elementary (3-5), middle school, high school
Who this chat is for: Speech-language pathologists, early childhood educators, special educators, general educators, psychologists, behavioral interventionists, those typically engaged with children with ASD
SLPs, educators, and other professionals who work with children with ASD: don’t miss this opportunity to hear expert insights from Patricia Prelock, coeditor of the new edition of Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder and the companion casebook, Case Studies for the Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Dr. Prelock will provide a helpful overview of the interventions highlighted in her new book and discuss how they support the social communication and social interaction of children with ASD. She’ll also talk about the supplemental casebook, and how the case studies featured in it can be exemplars for applying what we know about a child to evidence-based decision-making about interventions.
Participants will:
- Learn about at least 3 specific interventions appropriate for supporting social communication in children with ASD
- Learn about at least 2 interventions appropriate for supporting social interaction skills in children with ASD
- Explore the value of using case studies to support evidence-based decision-making
- Develop a case study that highlights the social communication strengths and challenges of a child with ASD and uses assessment to guide decision-making about interventions
Where the Wild Things Are: Utilizing Music and Play to Support Self-Regulation
Wed, June 9, 2021 2:00PM ET
Presented by: Anne Meeker Watson, Ph.D., MT-BC
Age range: : Preschoolers
Who this chat is for: Speech-language pathologists, early childhood educators, special educators, general educators, psychologists, behavioral interventionists, those typically engaged with children with ASD
Children with strong self-regulation skills are better able to learn—and music and play are two of the most effective tools for helping young children develop those skills. Join Dr. Anne Meeker Watson, creator of the SING.PLAY.LOVE. ® program, for a free coffee chat that shares practical, fun, and easy ways to intentionally teach key skills for self-regulation and social-emotional growth. A music therapist and early childhood specialist, Anne will share songs, strategies, and stories from her extensive work “in the wild” with young children.
Attendees will learn answers to these key questions:
- What are the key three skills for supporting self-regulation?
- How can we as educators generalize intentional learning opportunities across the routines and environments of a child’s day?
- What are some ways to support social-emotional learning for every child, while providing unique and powerful support for children who may struggle with challenging behaviors?
- How can music help young children successfully participate in a group activity?
What Report Cards Can Tell You About Essentials Skills for Learning
Wed, June 16, 2021 2:00 PM ET
Presented by: Erik Von Hahn, M.D.
Age range: : Grades kindergarten to 8
Who this chat is for: General and special educators, administrators, any other member of the Student Support Team
As students return for full-time, in-person learning, educators will face a student body with variable educational experiences, and even more variable learning strengths and needs. There is a risk of over-referral as students adjust to the ‘old normal.’ Teachers may find it more challenging than usual to identify which learners are struggling due to lost instructional time, and which learners are struggling because they may have a disability.
This webinar will highlight how observable behaviors, commonly graded in a report card, inform us about the essential skills for learning success. It describes strategies that the Student Support Team can use to help streamline case presentations by the general education teacher, and arrive more quickly at key educational decisions for each student.
Attendees will learn answers to these key questions:
- How can the report card inform us about the Essential Skills that so often are missing or under-developed in the struggling learner?
- How should the general education teacher present their concerns to the Student Support Team?
- In response to the general education teacher’s presentation, how can the Student Support Team make the most meaningful and the most targeted recommendations for intervention?
- Following use of the intervention, how can the general education teacher and the Student Support Team continue to corroborate and refine their initial impressions. What next steps should they use to assure the student’s success?
The webinar will show how Essential Skills can enhance the consistency and efficiency of case presentations and help the team make meaningful educational decisions more quickly.
