Using IGDIs: Monitoring Progress and Improving Intervention for Infants and Young Children

As more and more early childhood programs implement response to intervention, the Individual Growth and Development Indicators (IGDIs) will be the tool of choice for fast, reliable, and ongoing progress monitoring. That's why every program needs this book, the only quick guide to conducting the popular IGDIs accurately and efficiently. Bringing complete information on the IGDIs together in one convenient, expertly organized volume, this book gives early childhood professionals specific, in-depth guidance on understanding and using all five of the IGDI tools: communication, cognitive problem solving, early movement, social development, and parent-child interaction. With this comprehensive manual, readers will be able to: (1) administer semistructured, play-based IGDI sessions with all young children, including children with special needs or those who have English as a second language; (2) easily work the IGDIs into existing programs and intervention formats; (3) score the IGDIs accurately with clear instructions and examples of filled-in forms; (4) interpret results to inform intervention and quickly determine when adjustments need to be made; (5) use the IGDI online data services system to enter IGDI scores and obtain total scores and slope scores for individual children or groups (see www.igdi.ku.edu for information and pricing); (6) learn how the IGDIs align with AERA Educational Testing Standards, Progress Monitoring Measurement Standards, and DEC Recommended Assessment Practices; and (7) get detailed technical data on validity and reliability. This book also helps early childhood professionals deepen their knowledge of child development in each of the five critical areas the IGDIs cover. They'll get concise, research-based summaries of what we know about how children develop skills in each area, how those skills affect broader child outcomes, and how the IGDI tools were custom-developed to screen each area effectively and detect small increments of progress. A must for all infant-toddler and preschool specialists, this book will be in constant use in Early Head Start and Part C programs across the country. Professionals will keep this one-and-only guide to IGDI administration close at hand as they track progress, target interventions, and ensure measurable improvements in child outcomes. Contents include: (1) Background and Overview of IGDIs (Judith J. Carta and Charles Greenwood); (2) Conceptual Background (Charles Greenwood and Judith J. Carta); (3) IGDI Administration: Coding, Scoring, and Graphing (Dale Walker and Jay Buzhardt); (4) The Communication IGDI: Early Communication Indicator (ECI) (Dale Walker and Judith J. Carta); (5) The Cognitive Problem-Solving IGDI: Early Problem-Solving Indicator (EPSI) (Dale Walker and Charles Greenwood); (6) The Early Movement IGDI: Early Movement Indicator (EMI) (Charles Greenwood and Judith J. Carta); (7) The Social IGDI: Early Social Indicator (ESI) (Judith Carta and Charles Greenwood); (8) The Indicator of Parent-Child Interaction (IPCI) (Kathleen Baggett and Judith J. Carta); (9) Web-based Support for Decision-Making Using IGDIs (Jay Buzhardt and Dale Walker); (10) General Guidelines for IGDI Training and Certification (Jay Buzhardt and Dale Walker); (11) Development and Validation of IGDIs (Charles Greenwood and Dale Walker); (12) Early Literacy and Language IGDIs for Preschool-Age Children (Kristen Missall and Scott McConnell); and (13) New Applications and Considerations (Judith J. Carta and Charles Greenwood).