Evaluation of teaching methods in a home-based training scheme for developmentally delayed pre-school children

Area of Science:

• Developmental Psychology
• Special Education
• Early Childhood Intervention

Background:

• Preschool children with developmental delays require effective educational interventions.
• Home-based advisory services play a crucial role in supporting these children.
• Evaluating different teaching methodologies is essential for optimizing early intervention outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of three distinct teaching methods (activity charts, target setting, suggestion) for preschool children with developmental delays.
• To compare weekly skill gains and checklist progress across different teaching approaches.
• To gather parental feedback on teaching methods and analyze home visit durations.

Main Methods:

• A balanced design was employed to evaluate three teaching methods with 38 preschool children experiencing developmental delays.
• Weekly skill gains and checklist increments were measured pre- and post-intervention.
• Parental opinions and duration of home visits were systematically recorded.

Main Results:

• Activity charts and target setting yielded greater weekly skill gains compared to the suggestion method.
• Severely delayed children exhibited the slowest progress in weekly skill acquisition.
• Checklist progress was not significantly influenced by teaching method, though specific subgroups (severely delayed, older Down's syndrome children) showed less improvement.

Conclusions:

• Activity charts and target setting are more effective teaching strategies for improving weekly skills in developmentally delayed preschoolers.
• Educational programs may need to be individualized, particularly for severely delayed children and those with Down syndrome.
• Parental preference for activity charts, despite their time intensity, suggests a need for practical support in implementing effective interventions.