Personnel Preparation for Early Intervention

Personnel preparation refers to an organized program of study that prepares individuals for careers. The focus of this entry is on preparation of teachers for early intervention. Teacher preparation programs generally include both coursework and field-based experiences.

Teacher preparation is generally thought of as occurring at the preservice or in-service level. Preservice preparation refers to the program of study and training that occurs prior to taking a teaching position. In-service refers to coursework or training for those who are already engaged in the profession of teaching. This is an artificial distinction in early intervention in that many individuals take on the role of teacher before they have completed a formal personnel preparation program. With increasing requirements for college degrees and demonstration of performance competencies, more teachers ...