Topical COS Professional Development Activities
These activities focus on aspects of the COS Process providers frequently need additional training and support. The Child Outcomes Summary (COS) Process Online Module prepares Part C and Part B, Section 619 staff to use the COS process to describe how children are doing on the Three Child Outcomes.
For assistance, contact Kellen Reid:
kellen.reid@unc.eduConsiderations
It is important to note that these materials are not stand-alone training activities. It is imperative that PD staff ensure those who participate in these training activities first complete the COS Process Online Module. ECTA staff are available to provide technical assistance to help PD staff consider how to use the materials presented on this page and determine strategies for individualizing training for specific audiences and formats. Prior to selecting any activity, PD staff should ensure that the content is consistent with their state's COS policies and procedures and adapt, if necessary (e.g., add information about the state's COS policies and procedures).
Organization of the Materials
The materials on this page are organized into COS process topical sections. Each section includes activities (with instructions, handouts, and supplemental resources) that can be used to enhance EI and ECSE practitioners' understanding of a particular aspect of the COS process addressed in the online module. The activities in each section are classified for either an EI or ECSE audience, or both, but any activity may be adapted to present to both audiences together.
The following topics are included in the collection of training activities:
- General COS Activities: Provides background information for those new to child outcomes measurement and/or the COS process.
- Assessing Functional Skills: Focuses on how to gather and consider information about a child's functional skills in everyday settings and across daily activities/routines.
- Age Anchoring: Addresses the process by which the COS team compares the child's functioning to age-expected development.
- Using the 7-Point Scale: Reinforces an understanding of the criteria for each point on the COS 7-point rating scale.
General COS Activities
Activity Title | Learning Objective | EI, ECSE or Both | Instructions, Handouts, and Supplemental Resources |
---|---|---|---|
Why Collect Child Outcomes Data? | Participants will identify the various purposes and uses of child outcomes measurement. | Both |
For trainer:
For participants:
|
Understanding the Three Child Outcomes |
Participants will:
|
Both |
For trainer:
|
Assessing the Three Child Outcomes |
Participants will:
|
Both | For trainer: For participants: |
Assessing Functional Skills
Activity Title | Learning Objective | EI, ECSE or Both | Instructions, Handouts, and Supplemental Resources |
---|---|---|---|
Using Assessment Data in the COS Process: Jack's Narrative |
Participants will demonstrate their ability to apply information from assessment of skills to the COS process, including identifying assessment information that is valuable to the process and information that is still needed about the child's functioning in an outcome area. Activity time: 30 minutes |
EI | For trainer: For participants: |
What are Functional Skills and Behaviors? |
Participants will identify the difference between isolated (discrete) skills and functional skills to better understand and assess children's every day functioning. Activity time: 30 minutes |
Both | For trainer: For participants: |
Child Outcomes Instrument Crosswalks |
Participants will review assessment tools and extract meaningful information from them for each of the three outcomes. Activity time: 30 minutes |
Both | For trainer: For participants: |
Authentic Assessment: Table Talk |
Participants will examine their program's current practices related to authentic assessment. Activity time: 30 minutes |
Both | For trainer: For participants: |
Age Anchoring
Activity Title | Learning Objective | EI, ECSE or Both | Instructions, Handouts, and Supplemental Resources |
---|---|---|---|
Age Anchoring Guidance for Determining Child Outcomes Summary (COS) Ratings |
Participants will obtain answers to commonly asked questions about age anchoring children’s functional skills for the COS process and have access to examples of how the guidance applies in practice. |
Both | |
Understanding Age-Expected Skills and Behaviors |
Participants will age anchor skills and behaviors for a 30-month old using an age-expected child development resource/tool. Activity time: 30 minutes |
EI | For trainer: For participants: |
Age Anchoring Tyler's Skills and Behaviors (13 months) |
Participants will demonstrate the ability to age anchor a 13-month-old child's skills and behaviors in the three outcome areas using video observations and age anchoring tools and resources. Activity time: 20 minutes |
EI | For trainer: For participants: |
Age Anchoring Nolan's Skills and Behaviors (36 months) |
Participants will demonstrate the ability to age anchor a 36-month-old child's skills and behaviors in the three outcome areas using video observations and age anchoring tools and resources. Activity time: 25 minutes |
ECSE |
For trainer:
|
Using the 7-Point COS Scale
Activity Title | Learning Objective | EI, ECSE or Both | Instructions, Handouts, and Supplemental Resources |
---|---|---|---|
Who Wants to be a 7-Point Rating Scale Millionaire? |
Participants will demonstrate understanding of the criteria for ratings on the COS 7-point rating scale, including the definitions of age-expected, immediate foundational and foundational skills. Activity time: 30 minutes |
Both | For trainer: For participants (optional): |
7-point Rating Scale Jeopardy! |
Participants will demonstrate understanding of the criteria for ratings on the COS 7-point rating scale. Activity time: 15 minutes |
Both | For trainer: For participants (optional): |
7-Point Rating Scale Face-Off |
Participants will identify the rating on the COS 7-point rating scale that describe written examples of children's functioning. Activity time: 30 minutes |
EI | For trainer: For participants: |
Small Group COS Process Practice Activity (or Make Your Own COS Case Study) |
Participants will practice team rating discussions based on information about actual children provided by other participants. |
Both |
Handouts:
|