ERIC Number: EJ1490776
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Dec
Pages: 20
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1053-8151
EISSN: EISSN-2154-3992
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Providers' Perspectives about Selecting Materials for Early Intervention Sessions: Five Tensions That Influence Material Use
Crystal S. Williams1; Kim Fisher2; Claire Stelter3
Journal of Early Intervention, v47 n4 p438-457 2025
Early intervention (EI) sessions are intended to occur in a child's natural environment. Part of a child's natural environment includes the materials they typically can access. Recommended practices in the field suggest that EI providers should use materials in children's homes rather than bringing a toy bag to address the child and family goals. However, the use of the toy bag is still prevalent in the field. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the perspectives of EI special instructors related to how they select materials for their EI sessions. Findings include five themes that represent tensions that EI providers experienced when selecting materials for EI sessions: (a) the journey of bagless intervention, (b) family-centered versus judgment-based views, (c) the natural environment versus the "ideal" environment, (d) professional responsibilities, and (e) addressing children's needs. Implications include the need for high-quality preservice preparation and professional development related to this recommended practice and continued research related to bagless intervention.
Descriptors: Early Intervention, Child Development Specialists, Child Development, Media Selection, Toys, Instructional Design, Curriculum Design, Beliefs, Attitudes, Barriers, Decision Making
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Illinois
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1The Ohio State University–Nisonger Center, Columbus, USA; 2Illinois State University, Normal, USA; 3University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign, USA

Peer reviewed
Direct link
