WHAT: Join us for our Online Early Childhood Professional Development Program! This online course is fully asynchronous and includes self-paced coursework, open forum hours, and an educator network chat platform. Participants will need to have the ability to access Google Classroom either through permission from their districts or through a personal Gmail account. Once participants register, they will receive instructions on accessing the Google Classroom for this course.

SPECIAL NOTE: In this program, participants can choose to receive a minimum of 10 (and a maximum of 30) PDPs. Participants must complete all requirements of the Institute including online coursework, a pre-test, a post-course assessment, surveys of the Institute content, and all relevant assignments for the amount of PDPs they are seeking.

WHO: This program is for all early childhood and pre-k special and general educators, directors, paraprofessionals, mental health, and related service providers (OT, PT, SLP) working in public schools in Massachusetts.

HOST: AANE Staff

COST: FREE

DESCRIPTION: Autism is neurologically based and affects cognition, sensory processing, communication, social and emotional development, learning, and behavior. Research has shown that intervening early can improve outcomes and enhance a child’s development and future success. This course will help educators expand their knowledge in the stages of development and the importance of routine screenings.

The course will incorporate the tools from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and MA Act Early, as well as draw on AANE’s vast experience working with and supporting families of children on the autism spectrum.

For those licensed to teach Early Childhood Education, participants will expand their knowledge of the stages of development. We will also cover the unique characteristics of autism as related to communication, social/emotional development, behavior, sensory processing, cognition, and learning.

This Institute is funded by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and is offered at no charge to educators.