Below you will find resources related to natural learning environments. Resources include a preview of some of the resources you may find on the websites of various national resources, Illinois-specific resources from the Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS), and online training modules. Please remember that the Early Intervention Provider Handbook also includes information on the Natural Environment Requirement in the Illinois Early Intervention System.
This page contains the following sections:
- Articles on Natural Environments
- Why is the Natural Environment So Important?
- Routines-Based Early Intervention: Robin McWilliam's approach...
- Side by Side: Transdisciplinary Early Intervention in Natural Environments
- Creating and Using the Learning Environment
- Illinois Resources around Natural Environments
- Organizations with Natural Environment Resources
Articles on Natural Environments
Why is the Natural Environment So Important? (pdf) A one-page document developed by TaCTICS (Teaching a Collaborative Team Infant/Toddler Community Services, an expired project) to explain the importance of the natural environment in everyday events.
Routines-Based Early Intervention: Robin McWilliam's approach emphasizes child engagement, support to families, and functional interventions (pdf) This article includes information on Routines-Based Early Intervention and helps with understanding the family ecology, participation-based child outcomes, support-based home visits, functional family-centered needs assessment, integrated services, and collaborative consultation to child care.
Side by Side: Transdisciplinary Early Intervention in Natural Environments (pdf) This archived blog post provides strategies for supporting families in natural environments including evaluation in natural environments, engaging families, and thoughts on intervention in natural environments.
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Illinois Resources around Natural Environments
Training from EITP
Natural Environments & the Developmental Justification of Need Requirement is an online training module available to view as a resource from the EITP online training of the same name. This module provides information about the federal requirement for services in the child's natural environment as well as further examines Illinois' processes and procedures to make changes to the frequency, intensity, or location of services on the Individualized Family Service Plan. Please visit our "EITP Online Training Events" page to register for this training to receive EI credit.
Natural Environments module from the Foundational Pillars online training from the Universal Online Part C EI Curriculum Workgroup. The module provides a definition, overview, and examples of Natural Environments in early education. Please visit our "EITP Online Training Events" page to register for this training to receive EI credit.
From Outcomes to Strategies to Service Plan is an online module from the Illinois Early Intervention "Online System Overview" training available as a resource. This module examines the concept of natural learning environments and requirements for IFSP planning.
DHS Resources and Notices
Resources from the Illinois EI Clearinghouse
Resources from EITP
EI and Child Care: Natural Partners in Natural Environments (video) This video highlights the many benefits of collaborating to support children in their child care setting and discusses how Early Intervention and child care can partner to support children and families. Early Interventionists, childcare providers, and families share their experiences of how this partnership benefits everyone involved.
Natural Partners in Natural Environments: Childcare and EI - A Guide to Early Intervention Services in Illinois (pdf) This booklet has a wealth of information for childcare providers about early intervention (EI)! It describes how the EI system works within Illinois and how you can best support young children and their families considering EI services or involved with an EI team already.
Working with Early Intervention as a Child Care Provider (pdf) Childcare providers are an important part of a child's life and can be a valuable resource during an EI visit and as part of the EI team. This brief handout provides an overview of EI services in Illinois, what to expect during an EI visit, how CCPs work to support EI and additional resources.
Working in Child Care as an EI Provider (pdf) Childcare settings are ideal for EI services! This 2-page handout describes ways in which EI providers can involve child care providers (CCPs) in services, and considerations to make during visits to child care settings and while working with CCPs, as well as additional resources to support this essential teamwork.
"What is Early Intervention?" (pdf) This 2-page handout defines Early Intervention (EI) and explains what happens during an EI visit. It also stresses the importance of parents in EI, identifies possible EI team members, and highlights resources that can provide additional information about EI. Spanish version: ¿Qué es la intervención temprana? (pdf)
Created by Early CHOICES (October 2024), this Guide is designed to support families in navigating inclusion in the early childhood system. Each resource in this document is accompanied with links and guidance to help families and providers understand and use the tools effectively. It is also available in Español (Spanish) and 中文 (Chinese).
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Organizations with Natural Environments Resources
ECTA is supported by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). Please visit the ECTA website for more information.
Related Resources You May Like:
Family Guided Approaches to Collaborative Early-intervention Training and Services (FACETS)
FACETS was a collaborative Outreach Program for Young Children with Disabilities (ages birth through three years) that has now ended, but the research and materials are still being used nationally. This joint project from University of Kansas and Florida State University provided training for family-guided, activity-based intervention strategies.
PDFs You May Like from FACETS:
Therapists as Collaborative Team Members for Infants/Toddler Community Services (TaCTICS)
TaCTICS (Therapists as Collaborative Team members for Infant/Toddler Community Services) was an outreach training project funded by a U.S. Department of Education Grant. This website is being maintained to share tools useful in skillfully navigating the path toward provision of Part C Services using the child/family's daily routines, activities, and events as a context for assessment and intervention. Below are a few of the many support materials that can be found on the TaCTICS website within their four training modules. Please visit their website for more information.
PDFs You May Like from TaCTICS:
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A part of the Family, Infant, Preschool Program (FIPP), this Center provides evidence-based practices to support professionals in partnering with families. Below you will find some of the many resources from the CASE website. Please visit their website for more information.
PDFs You May Like from CASE:
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Provides information and resources related to how to use evidence-based practices to provide supports to families within the context of their natural learning environments. Below you will find a few resources from the Coaching in Early Childhood website. Please visit their website for more information.
PDFs You May Like from Coaching in Early Childhood:
Information, resources, and other related materials on the Routines-Based Interview (RBI) can be found at this resource.
The goal of the Center for Early Learning Literacy (CELL) is to promote the adoption and sustained use of evidence-based early literacy learning practices. The site has resources for early childhood intervention practitioners, parents, and other caregivers of children, birth to five years of age, with identified disabilities, developmental delays, and those at-risk for poor outcomes.
ECLKC provides resources around environmental practices centered around the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework (ELOF) and the DEC Recommended Practices. Resources for each topic area are organized based on their level of impact on learning.
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