The Portage Project is dedicated to supporting families through services, materials, and advocacy. Founded in 1969, our long and rich history of working with children and families has provided us with a foundation for an approach that continues to evolve with new knowledge and experience.
When first developed, the Portage Model was quickly found to be useful by early childhood programs across the nation; and during the last decade, by programs around the world. But we didn't stop learning and growing. Responding to information from parents, new legislation, and current research, the Portage Project staff has reconceptualized the Portage Model to better serve the field of early intervention today, as reflected in the Growing: Birth to Three materials.
As we move toward the year 2000, the Portage Project continues its dedication to:
a) service delivery models that are family guided and culturally sensitive;
b) training and technical assistance designed to enhance services to children and families; and
c) a continued leadership role in advocating for children with disabilities and their families.
Many readers will already be familiar with the traditional Portage Model and materials. We invite you to acquaint yourself with the Growing: Birth to Three materials, and also the new video tapes which reflect our continued efforts in supporting community collaborations resulting in inclusive programs for children and families. We think you will be as pleased as we are to see the new items along with some "seasoned friends".
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Portage Project Materials
video tapes:
Family Album Item no. 500 Circle of Friends Item no. 550 Too Much, Too Soon, Too Little Item no. 600 To Have a Friend Item no. 700 Order Form
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Special Training for Special Needs
1996 Revised Edition
A Competency-Based Training Program for Personnel Working With Young Children Who Have Special Needs
This competency based training package offers over 80 hours of high quality, varied, motivating activities to increase teacher competencies. The goal of Special Training for Special Needs is to enhance the ability of early childhood staff to include children with special needs into the childcare setting. A set of five competency-based training modules are designed to equip child care providers with necessary knowledge, skills, and attitudes to successfully include young children with special needs. The training methods utilized in the modules include trainer presentations, brainstorming, quizzes, worksheets, puzzles, practice activities, role plays, discussion, task and situation cards, self-assessment and application.
Components of this valuable resource include:
Training Guide
The Training Guide is designed for use by personnel designated to implement the training for Special Needs. Self-Study Handbook
Independent activities which review and supplement the training content in Modules 1-5 are found in the Self-Study Handbook. Five Modules
Monitoring Development and Identifying Special Needs. Focuses on understanding children's development and how it relates to children with special needs. Developing an Individual Plan. Presents information and procedures involved in planning for special needs children. Program Implementation. Relates to scheduling, planning developmentally appropriate activities, setting up the environment and using principles of behavior management. Caregiver/Child Relationships. Centers on the self-concept of the child. Parent Involvement. Assists child care staff in meeting children's needs more fully through active involvement with parents. Complete set of Special Training for Special Needs includes:
980 pages, three hole punched and shrink wrapped (Binder not included)
$60.00 plus shipping and handling
(items can be ordered individually-see order form)
Item No. 300
Order Form
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Collaboration: Because It's Good for Children & Families
A set of materials (resource manual and video tape) to support local agencies in developing collaborative programs
Both Head Start and local education agencies have mandates to serve children with disabilities.
This manual provides support for interagency collaboration and answers some of the questions which have been raised about cooperation and collaboration between Head Start and local school districts. Steps in the process in developing interagency agreements are outlined to assist local school districts and Head Start programs in developing their own agreements that will produce benefits for everyone, especially children with disabilities and their families. Programs in Wisconsin provide examples and case studies of collaborative efforts.
The Appendices contain sample interagency agreements and charts comparing criteria for disabilities from Head Start and Wisconsin legislation.
The collaboration video captures comments and images from Head Start, local and state education agencies and day care and family representatives describing their experiences in collaborative programs. They explore the importance of planning, developing relationships, and their visions for future collaborative endeavors.
This set of materials will guide you in developing collaborative programs which benefit children and families.
"Collaboration is a transformation of the way we do business" Jim McCoy Early Childhood Consultant, Department of Public Instruction
Collaboration Manual and 30 minute videotape (VHS format only)
$50 plus shipping and handling
Item No. 900
Order Form
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Growing: Birth to Three
Growing: Birth to Three helps you to consider the complex relationships that impact early intervention.The materials include techniques to support positive parent-child interactions and strategies to enhance parent-interventionist interactions. Formats provide assistance to parents and interventionists in observing, understanding, and supporting each child's growth and development, as well as practical strategies for addressing the child and family priorities within play, daily routines, and family rituals.
Focus is on Parent-Child Interactions
Growing: Birth to Three supports a process which begins with the parent rather than the child and views parent-child interactions within the family as the primary way to support and promote child growth and development. This relationship based intervention process focuses on the strengths and capacities of families. It can help you to identify and promote the families' goals and support the interactive strengths within the parent child relationship.
Family guided intervention
Growing: Birth to Three represents a collection of materials to support family guided, relationship based intervention. It is designed to be used as a set, as each piece contributes in a unique way to the intervention process. The materials encourage flexibility and creativity in working with families. The materials included in Growing: Birth to Three are described on the following page.
Piecing It All Together
presents the research and literature foundation and describes the materials in Growing: Birth to Three Interactive Grow Pack
provides techniques for supporting mutually satisfying interactions between parents and children offers strategies for enhancing communication between interventionist and caregivers, with examples illustrating the use of these strategies Ecological Planner
includes a Developmental Observation Guide of skills and functional behaviors children often display between birth and 36 months; this Guide can help you engage in ongoing discussions of development, provide developmental guidance by exploring parental feelings and supporting next steps in development gives directions for use of the materials includes conversation, observation, and daily routine planning forms which can be used to individualize intervention planning Interactions and Daily Routines Books
set of four books contains activities correlated with the Developmental Observation Guide and offers suggestions for interactive and daily routines to support child and family goals provides activities designed to serve as a "creative nudge" and planning sheets which offer a format for individualizing the activities with each family Nurturing Journals
designed for use by parents or primary caregivers, the two journals pose open-ended questions and statements to guide reflections on parenting promotes parental self-discovery, confidence in the parenting role, and expression of feelings and concerns Master Forms Packet
provides reproducible forms for gathering essential family information and documenting child and family changes includes forms for recording information gathered during conversations and observations, developing a family generated service plan, and developing intervention suggestions responsive to each family
Step 1
GATHERING & RECORDING INFORMATION
Ecological Planner Nurturing Journals Interactive Grow Pack Step 2
DETERMINING FUNCTIONAL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES WITH FAMILY
Ecological Planner Nurturing Journals Interactive Grow Pack Step 3
FAMILY GUIDED INTERVENTION
Interactions & Daily Routines Books Interactive Grow Pack Nurturing Journals Intervention Planning Forms Step 4
DOCUMENTING & MONITORING PROGRESS
Ecological Planner Intervention Planning Forms Step 5
DETERMINING NEW GOALS
Ecological Planner Interactive Grow Pack Nurturing Journals Complete set of Growing: Birth to Three includes:
$127 plus shipping and handling
(items can be ordered individually-see order form)
Item No. 800
Order Form
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Portage Guide to Early Education
1994 Revised Edition
REVISED ACTIVITY CARDS & CHECKLIST
NEW GUIDELINES FOR USE
The '94 revision of the widely-acclaimed Portage Guide to Early Education includes changes to the Activity Cards, Checklist, and the Manual, now called Guidelines for Use.
These revisions reflect the evolution of the Portage Model over the past two decades. Suggestions on the Activity Cards, along with information and sample forms in the Guidelines for Use, expand the use of play and routines to support each child's development and assist in embedding developmental skills into the activities of everyday life. The Checklist has minor revisions and is a way to guide each child's development. The Guide includes:
Checklist
580 developmentally sequenced behaviors from birth to age six in five areas: Socialization, Self-Help, Language, Cognition, & Motor a special section of behaviors related to Infant Development log for related information on child Activity Card File
ideas for supporting development of each Checklist behavior within play and daily routines (color coded with Checklist for easy use) suggestions use household objects and can be modified for each child and family Guidelines for Use
describes the Portage Model and Portage Guide to Early Education provides information & sample forms for embedding goals into play and routines Complete set of the Portage Guide to Early Education includes:
$64 plus shipping and handling
(items can be ordered individually-see order form)
Item No. 100
Also available in Spanish (not revised)
Order Form
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The Portage Classroom Curriculum
Your classroom planning starts here!
The Portage Classroom Curriculum assists you in providing an exciting classroom program which insures that all children participate regardless of ability.
Designed for children two to six years of age, including children with mild to moderate disabilities, this multi-level teaching system assists you in planning for each child's involvement in activities in ways that are appropriate and that support developmental progress.
Encourages maximum social interactions between children & promotes family involvement
As several teachers have told us: "The Portage Classroom Curriculum helps me be `accountable' for individualizing in my classroom by providing a systematic approach to individualization." This approach also encourages maximum social interactions between children and supports them as they "learn by doing" through active manipulation and exploration of materials and the environment. In addition, the materials promote family involvement in the child's developmental plan. The Portage Classroom Curriculum features three components which facilitate the planning process.
Administrative Manual
describes rationale and use of The Portage Classroom Curriculum provides techniques for adapting activities for children with special needs includes a special chapter on teaching protective behaviors, with handouts for parents and teachers and a resource listing sample data collection forms for you to reproduce or modify Classroom Checklist & Individual Profile
this criterion referenced curriculum assessment assists you in individualized planning and documenting developmental progress in five domains for each child group checklist format allows you to record progress of up to 21 children Individual Profile reproduces the group checklist and provides for sharing information on each child Instructional Units & Family Activity Letters
eight Instructional Units provide you with suggestions for integrating skills from various developmental domains into each activity each unit activity includes complete directions which you can modify to fit your unique situation over 90 reproducible Family Activity Letters suggest ways for parents to support their child's learning at home Complete set of The Portage Classroom Curriculum includes:
$66 plus
shipping and handling
(items can be ordered individually-see order form)
Item No. 200
Order Form
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Get A Jump On Kindergarten
for all parents preparing children for kindergarten
Valuable reading for all parents preparing their children for kindergarten, Get A Jump On Kindergarten makes the transition easier for children and parents.
This revised edition incorporates suggestions from parents and the experience of Portage Project staff in assisting families with transitions.
Delightfully illustrated by elementary school students, this innovative book presents practical suggestions for facing the changes that come with going to school with the "big kids".
TOPICS INCLUDE:
For the Family
You may have mixed feelings about your child going to school for the first time, this section discusses some things that can help make this a happy memory for everyone.
Basics
A few things you can discuss with your child that will make your child feel safe and comfortable at school.
Self-care
It will make it easier in the transition if your child knows some basic self-care skills like dressing for outdoors, staying healthy, using the bathroom and cleaning up.
Communication
This section outlines some communication skills that may help your child in school e.g. answering questions, following directions, and speaking up.
Cooperation
Kindergarten may be the first time your child works and plays with a large group of children, this section lists some things that will help your child be better able to cooperate.
Records & References
An immunization chart is provided with recommended schedule established by the American Academy of Pediatrics, a letter for the teacher, helpful hints on how you can support your child, and more!
Get A Jump On Kindergarten
Single copy $4.60
2-25 copies $4.40
26-or more $4.00
plus shipping and handling
Item No. 402
Order Form
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Family Album
videotape
Experiences, feelings, and concerns of parents raising a child with a disability are shared in this sensitive, thought-provoking video.
In the Family Album, parents of four children talk honestly about how they learned of their child's disability, their initial reaction to this knowledge, and the response of others to their child. The parents discuss their participation with Portage Project early intervention services and ways this program helped them meet their families' needs. Families discuss qualities they appreciated in their home visitor and share their honest reactions to what it was like having an interventionist come into their home. Parents share their plans, hopes, and dreams for the future of their children.
This video provides a parent perspective on home visiting and helps sensitize people working with families in their homes. It can serve as a starting point for discussion with people who work in homes and with parents, leading to increased awareness and improved relationships. A brief guide facilitates group discussion and explores the issues raised in the video.
Family Album videotape
23 minutes, VHS format only
$35 plus shipping and handling
Item No. 500
Order Form
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Circle of Friends
Developing Friendships for Children With Challenging Needs
This video focuses on the value of friendships in including children with disabilities into regular schools and regular classes. This unique planning process, Circle of Friends, focuses on the gifts, talents and capacities of the child.
In this program, you will be viewing the development of a Circle of Friends for Rudy, a child with Autism. Children, parents and teachers participate in this process and demonstrate the value of friendships for all.
Successful peer relations contribute significantly to young children's social and emotional development. These relationships provide opportunities for all children to learn about themselves as well as how to get along with others.
Circle of Friends videotape
approximately 25 minutes, VHS format only
$35 plus shipping & handling
Item No. 550
Order Form
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Too Much, Too Soon, Too Little
Adolescent Pregnancy and Parenting videotape
Teens share their own experiences on issues related to teen pregnancy and teen parenting. In this provocative video, pregnant and parenting teens open up their lives to other teens by sharing their own experiences.
The viewer is invited to watch, hear, and become aware of issues related to teen pregnancy and teen parenting. No conclusions are drawn, allowing the video to be used as a catalyst for discussion about parenting, pregnancy, sexuality decision making, and life planning.
This video grew out of the Teen Age Parent Program (TAPP), a two-year project funded through a grant from the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect. The project goal was to prevent child abuse and neglect by providing support and assistance to pregnant and parenting teens in their expressed areas of need. The teen parents involved in this project expressed a sincere desire to reach out to other teens; this video is the result of that effort.
Appropriate for a wide audience, including junior and senior high school students, post-secondary students, parents and other adults, community and youth organizations. A brief discussion guide is included to facilitate discussion.
Too Much, Too Soon, Too Little videotape
approximately 15 minutes, VHS format only
$35 plus shipping and handling
Item No. 600
Order Form
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To Have a Friend
Building Bridges to Encourage Friendship
The video promotes a discussion of the importance of friendships and ways to encourage friendships for all children. Appropriate for audiences of all ages, it was developed to emphasize a positive understanding of individual likenesses and differences in order to build bridges for friendships for all children. A brief guide facilitates group discussion and possible classroom activities that explore individual likenesses and differences.
Promotes a discussion of the importance of friendships
Pictures and music capture the differences and likenesses of all children, including those with disabilities and those from different cultural backgrounds in this sensitive and thought-provoking video.
To Have a Friend videotape
approximately 6 minutes, VHS format only
$35 plus shipping and handling
Item No. 700
Order Form
