Megan Grable

September 30th, 2019

Infant Toddler Observation and Reflection Protocol
Note: If available, you may want to bring a laptop or tablet to your observation. This way you can complete the form electronically while you
are at the site. If this is not possible, print this form and bring it with you to guide your observation.

Date of Observation 9/25/2019 Program Observed: Marion Forsman Boushie Early Learning Center
Tribal Early Head Start
Age Group Observed; 1-2-year-olds Address: 5283 Totten Rd. Poulsbo, WA 98370
Brief Program Description (e.g, location, number of children served, number of children in setting you observed, demographics, and any other
distinguishing information.
The program is an Early Head Start/ Head Start/ ECEAP program on the Suquamish Tribal Reservation. The classroom serves children between
the ages of one and two. There were eight children in the classroom and three teachers. five of the children are Native American; with four
those members of the Suquamish Tribe and the other child being Blackfeet, two are Caucasian, one is African American.

Environment and Materials (CDE, 2012)

Please see the attached photos.
Guidance from the CA Infant-Toddler Learning and Development
Framework
Engage infants with books and stories
Moderate background noise
Arrange the environment to support dual language development
Provide materials that foster communication
My observations:
What I saw and/or heard related to this criterion
Books are around the classroom in many different interest areas
including table toys, dramatic play, and library.
The teachers worked to keep the children spread out across the room,
engaged in different activities. This kept the noise level down.
Items are labeled in both English and Lushootseed in the classroom,
many pictures around the room for children to understand where
items belonged and what to do during the day, without being able to
read.
Sign-in books are down low along with writing materials for the
children to use as they wish. A print-rich environment with the

Guiding Principles (CDE, 2012)
Complete the chart below.
Guidance from the CA Infant-Toddler Learning and Development
Framework
Be responsive to the active communicator and language learner
Include language in your interactions with infants and toddlers
Celebrate and support the individual
Connect with children’s cultural and linguistic experiences at home
Create literacy-rich environments
Make communication and language interesting and fun
alphabet and children’s named displayed in different areas of the
room.
My observations:
What I saw and/or heard related to this criterion
The teachers responded quickly to when children used gestures and
sign language, as well as short attempts at language. They put effort
into understanding thing the children and helping them get their needs
met in the classroom, expanding ion what they were asking for in full
sentences.
The teachers used the children’s names as much as possible, they
acknowledged each child individually, talking in a circle about each
child’s name, their parent or guardians name, how old they are and
where they lived.
There were many instances where the teachers used Lushootseed in
the classroom, asking the children to put their kepus (coats) in their
cubby. To wash their cialesh (hands), they counted decu, sali, tix, buus,
celas instead of one, two, there, four, five.
The teacher also asked them about their home, what they had for
dinner the previous night, if their parents, or aunties or cousins, played
with them, depending on the makeup of their family unit.
Books in many different areas of the classroom, print-rich with
alphabet and names labeled in many areas.
The teachers used music and singing throughout the day. They
narrated their actions and the actions of the children in the classroom,
“I see Tuklus is building a big tower, it’s so tall.” And, “Tommy is
drumming to the music, he using the drumstick to make music.”
Interactions (CDE, 2012)
Complete the chart below.
Guidance from the CA Infant-Toddler Learning and Development My observations:
Framework What I saw and/or heard related to this criterion

Be responsive when children imitate communication
Engage in nonverbal communication
Use child-directed language
Help children expand language
Support dual language development
Attend to individual development needs
Be playful with language
Teachers were in the floor with the children and interacting with them,
they respond red quickly to the children when they had anything to
say, including babbling for the younger children or full words for the
children that are older.
While teachers were talking with the children, they gave them time to
formulate their words and read any sign language they where using,
they acknowledged when a child said “all done” in sign language and
responded to the communication. When a child told another child
“no” the teacher reinforced that comment, reminding the other child,
“Susie said, no.”
The teachers use short statements to the children, two to three words
when asking them to complete a task. The used the children’s names
often when talking with them.
Several instances where the teacher listened to what the children were
saying and repeated and elaborated on what the child had to say when
a child was painting, the child pointed at the paint bottle and “mo” the
teacher responded with “ore, paint? Lincoln says that he would like
more paint.” The child said, “mo pae”
While the children were participating in a circle the teacher counted
out how many children there were in English and Lushootseed, she
asked them to hold their cialesh (hands) up.
When a child signed “stop” the teacher told the other child, “Tommy is
saying, stop. You need to stop taking his toy.”
The teachers used many songs, fingerplays, and rhymes while in their
daily routines. They sang a variation of “Ant’s go marching” to be
“Qalqualaxic go swimming” (Qalqualaxic is the Lushootseed name for
Orca) as they transitioned outside to the playground.
 Assessment: In the box below, briefly describe the ways the early childhood educator assesses the children’s language and literacy
development. If the program uses the Desired Results Developmental Profiles (DRDP) or another continuum, explain how the program collects
the required information to complete the instrument.
The classrooms use the ASQ for developmental assessment at the beginning of the year. They use the Teaching Strategies Gold continuum
checkpoint tool as the quarterly assessment tool. The teachers collect observations to assess where the children fall in each developmental
domain and score them on different objectives in each domain.

Reflection Questions: Use what you have learned about language and literacy learning and development in infant toddler settings to identify the
educator’s strengths. Answer each of the questions below. Your responses need not be more than two paragraphs, but they need to be detailed
and include specific evidence (see rubric for more details).

1. In the area of Environment and Materials, what are this educator’s strengths? Use what you observed and the CA Infant Toddler
Language Development Foundations (receptive language, expressive language, communication skills and knowledge, and interest in
print) as evidence of the educator’s strength.
The areas were labeled with pictures of the toys and in some cases the words for what the area was. There were three examples
of the alphabet in the classroom environment. There were several places in the classroom where the children’s pictures and
names were displayed. Having the pictures up in the rooms with the children’s faces alongside their printed names will help the
children when they are older as they begin to identify the letter in their names. Connecting print with that is most important to
them (themselves) will help reinforce the concepts of print.

The sign-in books were on a low cabinet alongside writing materials and other paper for when children showed an interest in
writing and drawing. “As infants grow older, making intentional marks on paper with a crayon or marker, pretending to read and
write, repeating stories, repeating rhymes, recognizing images in books, noticing common symbols and words, and enjoying
books are all related to interest in print.” (CDE, p. 46) Having access to these materials is crucial in creating a child who has a
good foundation for language and literacy.

2. In the area of Guiding Principles, what are this educator’s strengths? Use what you observed and the CA Infant Toddler Language
Development Foundations (receptive language, expressive language, communication skills and knowledge, and interest in print) as
evidence of the educator’s strength.
 The teachers did a wonderful job narrating the actions of the children in the classroom. Often they were sportscasting what the
children were doing in the classroom as well as narrating their own actions out loud for the class. The use of narration is
important as children learn about the world around them. Even the children who are not yet verbal will learn from hearing the
conversations of their teachers. In the Infant and Toddler Foundation, they talk about how this helps children filter language to
later form their own words, “This strategy enables infants to identify the phonemic units most useful to them in their native
language and serves as a building block to later word acquisition.” (CDE, p. 62)

In several areas, there were baskets of board books for the children to explore, including the library, the dramatic play area, and
table toys. The use of hardy board books that the children are free to explore is an example of creating a print-rich environment,
the Infant and Toddler Foundations talks of the first stages in regards to interest in print, “Infants show an interest in print at
first through physically exploring, such as putting books in their mouths, handling books, or focusing on print in the environment
around them.” (CDE, p. 45) Having these materials available will allow the children to explore print materials in a free way,

3. In the area of Interactions, what are this educator’s strengths? Use what you observed and the CA Infant Toddler Language
Development Foundations (receptive language, expressive language, communication skills and knowledge, and interest in print) as
evidence of the educator’s strength.
The teachers support the children using both verbal and nonverbal communication. Sign language and words were both treated
as a form of communication and were responded to and expanded on. The Infant and Toddler foundations talks of the
importance of gestures before words, “developing infants seem so intent on communicating once they realize there is
somebody out there “listening” that they find creative ways to do so before they have mastered words.” (CDE, p. 45) There were
several instances that a teacher was observed responded positively to a child using sign language, or gestures.

The teachers worked to foster the growth of language and conversation dialogue, They did this by pausing after asking the
children questions to allow them time to answer with verbal or nonverbal responses. “As they grow, they increasingly
understand the rules or conventions of social communication. Infants also gain an expanded vocabulary that helps them express
themselves through words. As they develop, infants benefit from communicating with both peers and adults, very different
conversational partners.” (CDE, p. 45) By showing the children how conversations are constructed and by using narration, the
children were learning about communication patterns and speech.
 4. In the area of Assessment, what are this educator’s strengths? Use what you observed and the CA Infant Toddler Language
Development Foundations (receptive language, expressive language, communication skills and knowledge, and interest in print) as
evidence of the educator’s strength.
By using research and data-based assessment tools such as the Ages and States Questionnaire and Teaching Strategies Gold
checkpoint continuum, the teachers can objectively assess where the children are developmentally. They can see where the
child is developing typically, where there may be areas of concerns that may need additional focus, and what areas may even
need referral for additional services. Having the same assessment tool that all children use, will help the teachers be more
objective on what is developmentally appropriate for the age of the children.

CDE (2012). California infant-toddler learning and development framework. Sacramento, CA: CDE Press.