Maine Access to Inclusive Education Resources

Parent Coaching Modules

These Parent Coaching Modules are designed to encourage positive emotions and happy interactions with your child in a manner that promotes learning. They do not require special equipment and take advantage of toys and play materials readily available in most homes. Each module includes information, resources, and activities to help you help your child achieve important learning goals. In a step-by step manner, the modules will build from teaching you how to capture your child’s attention to higher level social communication skills. Funding for this project has ended. Our thanks to all those who helped make this content a success. 

Introduction to Learning

Young children are constantly taking in new information through their senses and learning about the world and others around them at a time when their brains are quickly developing. Research supports the important role parents and caregivers play in your child’s learning, including the development of language, play skills, and positive social relationships.

As a parent, you can support your child’s learning by helping them engage with others and learn through normal daily routines and play activities. Parents who scaffold, or draw their child’s attention to learning opportunities, can turn ordinary play and routines such as eating, bathing and dressing into occasions for learning.

Examples of scaffolding include increasing or decreasing stimulation, providing appropriate toys, repeating or exaggerating your actions, and simplifying and slowing your speech. These actions, when included as part of your child’s preferred activities and daily routines, help your child build important social learning skills, including the ability to imitate others, share attention, initiate communications, and play with others.

Parent coaching modules are based on the principles of the Early Start Denver Model and are adapted from Rogers, S.J., Dawson, G., & Vismara, L. A. (2012). An early start for your child with autism: Using everyday activities to help kids connect, communicate, and learn. New York: Guilford Press.