The Project Approach: A Strategy for Inclusive Classrooms

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2010 13: 15 originally published online 16 April 2010Young Exceptional ChildrenHelene Arbouet Harte

The Project Approach: A Strategy for Inclusive Classrooms

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Vol. 13, No. 3, June 2010 YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN 15

DOI: 10.1177/1096250610364355http://yec.sagepub.com

© 2010 Division for Early Childhood

Helene Arbouet Harte, EdDNorthern Kentucky University

The Project Approach: A Strategyfor Inclusive Classrooms

Mark’s interest in trains helped histeachers to decide to make trains thetopic for their next classroom project.The classroom teachers created acurriculum web and met with Mark’sparents. They met with Mark in advanceand asked him to tell them what heknows about trains, so that during themeeting they could ask him specificquestions to share with the group. Marklisted the different parts of a freighttrain and what each one does. He talkedabout Thomas the Tank Engine. At the

class meeting, the teacher asked Mark toshare the parts of the freight train. Markthen read the book Freight Train byDonald Crews to the class. The teacheraddressed the entire class, providing anopportunity to share what they knewabout trains. The children decide to visita train yard and interview an engineer.Each child drew a picture and dictatedor wrote a question. They excitedlydiscussed what they learned and decidedto create their own freight train out ofcardboard boxes.

During the train project, Mark workson his goals of turn taking and initiatingauthentic interactions with otherchildren, not just the teacher. The teacherfacilitates these interactions, using theopportunity to provide verbal prompts.Other children work on individual goalsto meet their specific needs. Charlesworks on sorting and counting items togo into the train. Anne sells tickets andlearns to label and identify money. Andretakes orders in the dining car and buildsher writing skills.



Meeting the needs of childrenwith disabilities requiresstrategies for engaging each

and every child as an individual andfacilitating their participation as amember of a group. The use of theproject approach meets the needs ofindividual children by building on anawareness of children’s interests andhigh expectations (Helm & Katz,2001). All early childhood teachersshould be intentional in theirinstruction, curriculum design, andinteractions with children. In this timeof standards-based education, earlychildhood special educators are evenmore fully expected to be accountableand explicate the purpose and goals ofactivities they implement in theirclassrooms (National Association forthe Education of Young Children &National Association of EarlyChildhood Specialists in StateDepartments of Education, 2003).Early childhood special educators canmake learning visible with the use ofthe project approach (Harris & Gleim,2008). In this article, the alignment ofthe project approach with keypractices necessary for successfulinclusive environments will beexplored. The purpose of this article isto describe the utility of the projectapproach in inclusive settings and itsreflection of strategies recommendedfor use with children with disabilities,such as enhancing engagement, data-based decision making, buildingclassroom communities, universaldesign for learning, and natural,authentic environments.

The Project ApproachThe project approach is a detailed,thoughtful exploration of a subjectmatter of significance to the

children. It is a multifacetedapproach that varies inimplementation according to theinterests and abilities of studentsand allows for meeting the needs ofdiverse learners (Beneke &Ostrosky, 2009). Learning throughprojects began with engineers andtradespeople and has occurred formore than 400 years (Howell,2003). Project work has evolvedover time. Originally focusing onconstruction as the final goal, theproject approach now involvescollaborative and comprehensiveinvestigations of a topic of interest(Helm & Katz, 2001). Studentsengage in a process throughoutwhich they work toward commongoals and develop sharedunderstandings. Students areengaged in meaningful andpurposeful problem solving (Howell,2003).

The project approach isgrounded in collaboration,communication, and an assumptionthat children are competent. Childrencommunicate and have multiplemeans to do so, including verbalexplanations, drawings, photographs,writing, dictation, and art.Documentation is an integral part ofthis communication (Helm, 2003).The environment is the third teacher,where every space has a purpose inengaging children. The teacher’s roleis a partner, nurturer, guide, andresearcher (Cadwell, 2003).

A common myth about theproject approach is that it may keepchildren with disabilities on thesidelines. With careful planning, thiswill not be the case. The use of theproject approach should be anopportunity not only forcollaboration among children butalso for collaboration among

The Project Approach: A Strategy / Harte

YOUNG EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN Vol. 13, No. 3, June 201016

The project approach is a

detailed, thoughtful

exploration of a subject

matter of significance to

the children.

“

”



professionals and families. Projectsare suited to meet the needs ofchildren with disabilities in a varietyof ways (Helm, Beneke, Scranton, &Doubet, 2003; Vakil, Freeman, &Swim, 2003).

First, projects are collaborativeand focus on strengths and assetsrather than deficits. Children canchoose and decide how toparticipate in the activities. Everychild makes a contribution towardthe project. Adaptations would bethe same as with any curriculum:modification of time, space, ormaterials. There is an emphasis onthe interests of children, whichdemonstrates respect for each andevery child. Although children haveopportunities to participate indiverse learning experiences, notevery child is expected to participatein every experience (Helm & Katz,2001). Because of the initial effortto develop a sense of community,the role of adaptations for childrenwith disabilities changes in thatplans address how each and every

child can be an equal participant.Adaptations are not an afterthoughtbut a key aspect of planning (Helmet al., 2003).

Furthermore, IndividualizedEducation Plan (IEP) andIndividualized Family Service Plangoals can be met using the projectapproach. For example, childrenworking on increasing theirvocabulary might label drawingswith new words and learn to usenew vocabulary in small-groupdiscussions (Helm et al., 2003).Speech, language, and socialdevelopment are enhanced aschildren engage in purposeful literacyactivities, which occur in all phasesof project work. Children representtheir learning and share what theylearn with their peers and caregivers(Helm et al., 2003). Children becomeresearchers, seeking answers to theirquestions and collaborating witheach project. Projects help to meetthe needs of diverse groups oflearners. Children can be engaged inthe manner that best meets theirlearning needs so their time in theclassroom is meaningful. Projectwork emphasizes small-group work.Encouraging participation in small-group discussion allows for increasedopportunities for communication,participation, and relationshipbuilding for children with andwithout disabilities (Helm et al.,2003).

Second, projects develop inphases, from topic selection toinvestigation to culmination andconclusion. In the first phase, theteacher may select a topic based onthe interests of a child with adisability. This will help connect thechild to the class and provide him orher opportunities to be in aleadership role. The topic should be

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relevant to young children andsomething that can be realisticallyinvestigated. The teacher willcollaborate with the teaching teamto create a curriculum web thatincludes possible questions, IEPgoals, possible group experiences,and opportunities for parentparticipation. He or she will then doa web with the children todetermine what they already knowand that they want to learn. Theteacher can help each child to comeup with a question to investigate.The second phase is investigation.The teacher invites visiting expertsto the classroom. He or she arrangesto go on site visits to allow childrento address their questions ratherthan simply tour facilities. Childrencan then represent what theylearned in a variety of ways. Ininclusive settings, it is helpful to pairchildren with peers. Documentationoccurs through each step withphotographs or video, children’sreflections and understandings, andteacher observations. In the thirdphase, the class discusses what thechildren have learned and plans away to share what they havelearned.

In the next section of thisarticle, I describe six components ofsuccessful inclusive practices in earlychildhood: (a) enhancingengagement, (b) using principles ofuniversal design for learning (UDL),(c) data-based decision making, (d)meaningful parental involvement, (e)building classroom communities,and (f) designing and implementingnatural and authentic environments,interventions, and assessments. I willdescribe how each of thesecomponents is inherent in theproject approach.

Enhancing Engagement

Children’s experiences influencelearning and should be designed toenhance rather than constrainlearning (Wolery, 2006). Everymoment of time is important.Interest in materials increasesengagement, which leads to learningand further interests (Odom &Wolery, 2003). Promoting activeengagement of children is arecommended practice in earlychildhood special education (Wolery,2006).

Children demonstrateengagement in a variety of ways,including behavioral engagement,emotional engagement, andcognitive engagement (Fredricks,Blumenfeld, & Paris, 2004).Behavioral engagement involvesparticipation in activities, such asfollowing classroom rules.Persistence and concentration alsofall under the category of behavioralengagement. Emotional engagementinvolves feelings and attitudestoward teachers, peers, and school.Happiness, anxiety, and sense ofbelonging are all part of emotionalengagement. Cognitive engagementis defined as an investment of timeand energy to comprehension andmastery of skills (Fredricks et al.,2004). All three types ofengagement are incorporated in the



Children’s experiences

influence learning and

should be designed to

enhance rather than

constrain learning.

“

”

For the first time this school year, Markinteracts meaningfully with other childrenas part of the train project. In themorning, he grabs his mom’s hand andhurries her to the classroom to see hisfriends. He tells his peers about trains,writes labels for the train, and explainshow many windows and wheels thereshould be on each train car.



use of the project approach and areassociated with positive outcomesfor each and every child.

Behavioral engagement isinherent in the project approach asall children participate in differentways. Emotional engagementdevelops as children workcollaboratively and develop a senseof community. Children arecognitively engaged as they use andmaster skills involved ininvestigation, communication, andrepresentation (Fredericks et al.,2004). The time spent in theclassroom using the projectapproach is productive. Learningtime is maximized as children areactively engaged in pursuing theanswers to questions about a topicof interest. In universally designedclassrooms, children are alsoengaged in a variety of ways.

Using Principles of UDL

UDL involves flexibility incurriculum development andpresentation (Council forExceptional Children, 2005).Teachers build in the devicesnecessary for each and every child toaccess the curriculum from the onsetrather than attempt to makeadaptations after the curriculum hasalready been developed. Three main

principles of UDL apply to theproject approach.

First, information is presented in avariety of ways. In the projectapproach, presentation of informationcould be in the form of a visitingexpert, a site visit to a location relatedto a topic, reading books, and hands-on exploration. Teachers shareinformation verbally by tellingchildren, visually by creating aninteractive chart, and tactually byincluding textures, such as flannelboards. The project approach alsoincorporates a variety of teachingmethods to meet the needs of children.For example, projects involve small-group work, independent research,modeling, peer support, and directteaching and demonstration oftechnical skills (Edwards, Gandini, &Forman, 1998).

Second, different learning stylesare taken into account as well aslevel of complexity. Students areboth challenged and supported(Hitchcock, Meyer, Rose & Jackson,2002). With the project approach,children can express themselves in avariety of ways. Children canexpress themselves by drawing,writing, performing a play,sculpting, or any other ways theychoose.

Third, children are engaged in avariety of ways. Their interests aretaken into account, and children aremotivated (Council for ExceptionalChildren, 2005). Child interests arenot simply taken into account; theyare often the basis for topic selection.It is a dynamic process, and teachersrespond to children’s ideasthroughout the project. Teachersdetermine children’s interests andinclude them in the classroom.



19

Mark is interested in trains and ismotivated to participate in the project. Heconstructs trains with Legos as well asfacilitates building and painting theclassroom train. He reads books to otherchildren and takes photographs with acamera. He is able to participatesuccessfully in his own way while alsoengaging and interacting with his peers.



Teachers using UDL reportincreased comprehension,collaboration, and on-task behavior(Acrey, Johnstone, & Milligan,2005). Teachers who engage in theproject approach are in fact usingUDL principles. This is significantbecause it reinforces the notion thatthe project approach is appropriatefor children in inclusive and diversesettings. UDL is not about oneteaching approach or technique. It is,however, a foundation from which avariety of methods can and should beused with the goal of developingchildren’s understandings (Councilfor Exceptional Children, 2005).

Data-Based DecisionMaking

Inclusive environments do notguarantee that learning will occur forall children. Instructional decisionmaking should be based on data(Wolery, 2006). In classrooms usingthe project approach, as in ReggioEmilia, teachers are seen asresearchers who observe, document,and find ways to support learningprocesses (Malaguzzi, 1998).Assessment is ongoing. Projectsprovide a meaningful context for

assessment and reflection in whichteachers can use information tofacilitate learning (Sloane, 2004).

When teachers keep up-to-datedocumentation of children’sprogress, their progress is greater(Council for Exceptional Children,2007). Data collection providesinformation about children’sstrengths, goals, interests, thinking,understanding, and progress overtime. Some forms of data mayinclude writing samples, art samples,dictation, anecdotal records, video,and photographs. Teachers use thisinformation to make decisions abouttopics, materials, and changes to theclassroom environment.

In classrooms using the projectapproach, observation not only isdocumented for the teacher but isalso shared with the classroomcommunity in the form of adocumentation panel. Adocumentation panel is not a recordof cute things that children mayhave said in the course of theirproject but, rather, an illustration ofthe process of children’s learningand thinking. The documentationpanels serve both as a memory forthe children and teachers and asdata to help teachers plan and makeadjustments as needed.Documentation panels often revealthe children’s current thinking andunderstanding (Helm, 2003). Thishelps teachers make informeddecisions, but also children canmove to the next level ofunderstanding by revisiting theirformer ideas. Documentation as ameans of collecting data makeslearning visible to everyone, adds toa sense of community, and helps toinclude parents and inform themabout classroom experiences.



The teacher observes throughout thecourse of the project that Mark respondsto the other children and adults whoinitiate interactions four out of five timesthree times a week. The teacher has alsocollected photographs and dictation of hiswords. Mark does not, however, initiateinteractions consistently. The teachingteam sees this as a necessary componentin communication as well as being aleader in the project and thus plans toprovide opportunities for him to initiateinteractions.

Assessment is ongoing.

Projects provide a

meaningful context for

assessment and reflection

in which teachers can use

information to facilitate

learning.

“

”



Increasing MeaningfulParent Involvement

Not only is there a sense ofcommunity within the classroomamong children, but also parents andfamily members are a part of theclassroom community (Helm & Katz,2001). Positive relationships amongfamily members and teachers are acommon element in programs inwhich children with significantdisabilities are included successfully(Cross, Traub, Hutter-Pishgahi, &Shelton, 2004). If parents becomeaccustomed to participating in theirchild’s education in the earlychildhood years, perhaps they will beencouraged to continue to participateas their child grows older.Involvement of family membersaffects children’s development in apositive way (Quesenberry, Ostrosky& Corso, 2007). Meaningfulopportunities for parent participationin children’s education enhances theeffectiveness of education for childrenwith disabilities (IDEIA, 2004).

Building ClassroomCommunities

One integral part of using theproject approach is building aclassroom community (Helm &Katz, 2001). The project approach isbuilt on establishing a sense ofcommunity within the classroom aswell as developing relationships withfamilies and the community. For theReggio Emilia schools, for example,education is based on relationships.Teachers strive to provide a sense ofbelonging, opportunities forparticipation, and development ofshared meanings (Rinaldi, 1998).

As children investigate topics ofinterest, they work together todevelop knowledge. Buildingknowledge involves the creation of aclassroom community in whichchildren participate as intentionallearners to construct and shareknowledge (Messina, 2001). In aclassroom community, all membersmake important contributions.Building a classroom communityrequires dialogue.

A goal of inclusive classroomsshould be to create learningcommunities, which take into accounteach and every child’s assets andinterests. In classroom communities,everyone has responsibilities andeveryone makes a contribution.Facilitating respect, understanding, andfriendships among children with and



21

In Mark’s classroom, parents areencouraged to provide materials from home,such as cardboard boxes, paper plates forwheels, and toy trains. Some of theparents read the documentation panelswith their children during arrival anddismissal. Some may take their children tothe library after school to find booksabout trains and bring these books to theclassroom. The teachers have noticed thatmore and more parents are beginning tospend more time in the classroom, comingjust a few minutes earlier for arrival anddismissal to see what is going on. Some ofthe parents volunteer to go with the classon site visits and read project historybooks that teachers may send home withchildren. As parents see their children’sengagement in their projects, parentsbegin to become engaged as well.

Children gather in the block area duringcenter time to make a train. Theyapproach Mark as an expert, asking himwhat parts are needed. Mark selectsmaterials and shapes as the children worktogether to build a train. The children areworking together toward a common goal,and there are multiple opportunities foreveryone to participate.The project approach is

built on establishing a

sense of community within

the classroom as well as

developing relationships

with families and the

community.

“

”



without disabilities and providingopportunities for each child to take onleadership roles may foster positiveattitudes allowing all children to beviewed as accepted members of theclassroom community (Han, Ostrosky& Diamond, 2006). Creating such anenvironment begins with respect. Itrequires listening to children, trustingchildren, and allowing everyone’svoices to be heard. Children havesome control over and responsibilityfor learning. Acknowledging diversityas a resource and responding tochildren’ experiences rather thandividing children on the basis of adultperceptions of ability are an essentialcomponent in creating a community oflearners (Cheatham, Armstrong &Santos, 2009). Teachers engaging inthe project approach conductclassroom meetings and provideopportunities for everyone toparticipate. Everyone has assets andskills and is included. Diversity isvalued and diverse interests andabilities are used to meet the goals ofthe project. Teachers who use theproject approach create anenvironment that sends a clearmessage that children’s needs, interests,ideas, and work are important.

NaturalisticInterventions andAssessments

The implementation of theproject approach occurs in theclassroom environment.Recommended child-focusedpractices advise serving children inthe natural environment (Wolery,2006). Naturalistic interventionsinvolve using the least-intrusiveinterventions to meet desired goalsin the most normal settings(Wolery, 2006). Classrooms usingthe project approach provideopportunities for meaningful andfunctional communication,representation, and engagement.There is an ongoing process ofobservation. Naturalistic teachingallows for data collection andprovides repeated opportunities forprompting, learning, and feedbackto promote development of skills incontext (DiCarlo & Vagianos,2009). Teachers may usedocumentation of children’slanguage usage as a naturalisticassessment of their socialinteraction skills; then, teachers canuse this information toindividualize intervention strategies(Katz & Galbraith, 2006; Suárez &Daniels, 2008).

Naturalistic interventionprovides opportunities to examinethe situation and environment ratherthan to simply consider the behaviorof the individual child, allowing notonly for consideration of the contextbut also for use of skills in context(Stanton-Chapman, Kaiser, Vijay &Chapman, 2008). The interests andskills of children and teachers areessential components in designingnaturalistic interventions.Interventions are grounded innatural routines and interactions.The documentation used in theproject approach may assist withassessment of learning.



Earlier, using documentation panels fordata-based decision making, the teachersset initiating interactions as a goal forMark. With video documentation,photographs, and anecdotes collected forreflecting and revisiting learning, theteachers are able to assess how oftenMark initiates interactions. They are alsoable to review the videos and photographsof other children with Mark as anintervention to model expected behavior.



Implications forClassroom Practice

Designing and implementing theproject approach in the classroomtakes time. This section presents fivecritical steps for teachers to considerwhen implementing the projectapproach in inclusive classrooms.

First, a key component in theproject approach is to involvechildren in the process. Instead ofdesigning the curriculum and askingwhat can be changed to make itculturally relevant and to meet theneeds of children with disabilities,begin with what the children know,what they need to know, how theylearn, what they can do, and wherethey come from. In the projectapproach, teachers allow children totake control, carefully observingtheir needs and interests. It is adynamic, ongoing, reciprocalprocess. The need for deliberateobservation to identify childinterests is essential.

Second, collaboration isextremely important in the projectapproach. Teachers are not the soleexperts; they distribute informationto children and view themselves asmembers of a team. Teachers musthave clear, effective, opencommunication with parents, familymembers, other teachers,paraprofessionals, and communitymembers. Teachers cancommunicate in a variety of ways,such as through informalconversation, parent-teacherconferences, weekly phone calls, andletters and invitations to familiesand community members to visit theclassroom. Teachers must let go ofthe idea of being completely incontrol and be willing to allow

parents and visiting experts toprovide input on a consistent basis.To build a sense of community, it isnecessary to help children feel theconnections among their classroom,their homes, and their community.

Third, the environment plays asignificant role in learning. Classroomteachers must work to create anenvironment in which all children feelsafe, valued, and able to take risks.Frequent and careful evaluation ofthe environment is necessary todetermine what works well and whatis missing as well as to evaluateaccessibility, safety, aesthetics,responsiveness, and learningopportunities. Proactive planning isimportant to make all aspects of theenvironment accessible rather than“add-on” accommodations.

Fourth, teachers must have highexpectations. In the projectapproach, teachers view children ascapable and competent. Teachersmust, therefore, provide qualitymaterials and help determine howchildren can carry out plans. Forexample, rather than only providingPlay-Doh, teachers can provide clayand other materials that real artistsmight use. The variety of materialsis both available everyday andcarefully chosen for specificactivities within a particular project.Teaching practices must be based onboth knowledge of individualchildren and evidence-basedteaching practices.

Finally, documentation anddata-based decision making areparamount. Teachers not only mustdocument learning on a consistentbasis but must also use theinformation gained to makedecisions about the classroomenvironment, curriculum, andinteractions.



23

A key component in the

project approach is to

involve children in the

process.

“

”



Practices necessary forsuccessful inclusive programs areinherent in the project approach.See Table 1 for a comparison ofthe goals of inclusion and theproject approach. The purposeof this article is to provide a bridge

to understanding how the projectapproach may be designedand implemented to supportthe needs of children withdisabilities in inclusive settings.For additional reading andresources, see Table 2.



At the culmination of the train project,children created a collaborative mural aswell as a train constructed of cardboardboxes. All of the children sharedinformation about trains with the parentsat a final presentation. Mark, who usedto direct most conversations to trains, hasextended his interest beyond trains.Building on an exploration of the diningcar in passenger trains, the children arenow exploring restaurants. Mark isinterested in cooking. His parents haveused that opportunity to facilitateindependent skills, such as makingmicrowave popcorn at home. Mark has

increased initiating interactions withpeers in the classroom, using thedocumentation panels on the walls tobegin conversations. He is alsomaintaining interactions. There are stillvarious challenges in the classroom whenit is too loud or overwhelming. Mark hasthe opportunity to work individuallywhen needed. The participation inprojects, however, has affordedmeaningful engagement, familyinvolvement, social interactions, andincreased opportunities to use languagewith access to the curriculum from theonset.

Table 1The Goals of Inclusion in Comparison With Goals of the Project Approach

Goals of Inclusion Goals of the Project Approach

Development of positive relationships and a sense of community Collaborative inquiry, cooperative learning (Helm & Katz, 2001)(DEC & NAEYC, 2009)

Effective education that addresses social, physical, and academic Effective education that addresses children’s knowledge, skills,needs (Downing & Peckham- Hardin, 2007) dispositions, and feelings (Chard & Katz, 2001)

NOTE: DEC = Division for Early Childhood; NAEYC = National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Table 2Additional Readings and Resources on Reggio Emilia and the Project Approach

Cadwell, L. (2003). Bringing learning to life: The Reggio approach to early childhood education. New York: Teachers College Press.Edwards, C., Gandini, L., & Forman, G. (1993). The hundred languages of children: The Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education.

Norwood, NJ: Ablex.Gandini, L., Etheredge, S., & Hill. L., (Eds.). (2008). Insights and inspirations: Stories of teachers and children from North America. Worcester, MA:

Davis.Helm, J. H., & Katz, L. G. (2001). Young investigators: The project approach in the early years. New York: Teachers College Press.Hill, L., Stremmel, A., & Fu, V. (2005). Teaching as inquiry: Rethinking early childhood education. Columbus, OH: Allyn & Bacon.Early Childhood and Parenting Collaborative/Clearinghouse on Early Education and Parenting (Reggio section):

http://ceep.crc.uiuc.edu/poptopics/reggio.htmlNorth American Reggio Emilia Alliance (NAREA): http://www.reggioalliance.orgThe Project Approach: http://www.projectapproach.org/Reggio Children: http://www.reggiochildren.it



NoteYou may reach Helene Arbouet Harte by e-mail at [email protected].

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The Project Approach: A Strategy for Inclusive Classrooms

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