Revolutionary!
If you haven’t yet observed a Chirp lesson being taught, you may be wondering what it is about this curriculum that is so revolutionary and so different from other methods of teaching Biblical truths. We are blessed by the effect Chirp lessons are having in the lives of our students, and we can’t wait to explain what makes us mold-breaking and why our method works so well!
What Makes The Chirp Curriculum So Unique And So Effective?
Chirp lessons are written with a specific audience in mind
(children with cognitive and language delays!)
The Chirp Curriculum was not adapted from a traditional children’s curriculum; it was developed especially for children with cognitive and language delays. Because these lessons are written by a communication specialist, they don't just work better for people with disabilities; they also provide excellent support for children who are developing early language (i.e. these lessons work especially well in early childhood programs!)
Chirp Curriculum is written entirely from the child’s perspective
Chirp lessons use best practices as recognized by current educational research rather than expecting our students to learn in the same way typically-developing students learn. Chirp lessons are written and taught from a child’s perspective. Research is showing that the best way to help children with developmental delays* internalize lessons is to teach lessons from a child’s perspective.
This means that instead of teaching, “Being mean hurts mommy’s feelings,” a therapist might teach, “When I am mean, it makes people sad.” Notice the “I” statement. When lessons are taught from a child’s perspective, the child is more easily able to slot him/herself into the story.
Chirp lessons are highly visual
Schools and therapeutic settings have long realized that children with developmental delays are not able to successfully understand and respond to verbal language (auditory input). Additionally, it is very difficult for these children to learn well from transient input (such as gestures or signing, which are there one second and gone the next). Best practices for these children in preschool and special education classrooms lean heavily on visual symbols.
Chirp lessons use creative and engaging illustrations and visual supports to add layers of meaning. Students can visually see spiritual truths that otherwise would remain too abstract for them to comprehend (click here to discover more about why visual strategies are so important!)
The Chirp Curriculum also uses creative and engaging visual tools to teach Bible verses and to help our students learn how to talk to God (pray). Each section of every Chirp lesson has a visual component to enable children to understand and internalize God’s truths
The Chirp Curriculum teaches spiritual concepts rather than Bible history
Chirp lessons are organized around the idea that all God’s Word to us (as written in the Bible) is equally inspired, but that all Scripture is not equally important or equally applicable (for further explanation of this, see “7 Practices of Effective Ministry" by Andy Stanley, Reggie Joiner, and Lane Jones).
If you have one hour per week with your students, what are the most important truths of Christianity you’d want them to know? Chirp’s lessons are focused on the most important and most applicable scriptural truths. The result of this is that children go home saying, “God loves me!” and “Jesus is alive!” rather than talking about the animals on Noah’s ark or how Elijah was fed by ravens.
We encourage families to read children's books about Biblical history in order to supplement the theological training provided in the curriculum.
Chirp lessons teach via the Main Idea
Each Chirp lesson is focused on one Main Idea (the spiritual concept being taught in that lesson). The Main Idea is the one truth we want students to internalize during that lesson arc (each lesson arc is four weeks long). The Main Idea is explained using the story, and is repeated during all activities throughout the service. Because each Chirp lesson focuses on ONE Main Idea, students are not overwhelmed with superfluous details, and they are able to actually remember what they learn!
Repetition is what enables human beings to move new information from working memory (easily forgotten) to long-term memory storage (where we remember it without even trying!) Before we can truly incorporate a new truth into our lives, we must remember it!
Chirp lessons offer many opportunities for repetition of each lesson’s Main Idea (the spiritual concept being taught) during the story time. The Main Idea is reinforced in a slightly different context during a language-intensive Communication Activity. Communication Activities work on skills such as matching, sequencing letters in words, and writing. There are always options for students who require more support, as well as opportunities for students who are more independent. The Main Idea is also reinforced during the Motor Activity, which helps students improve their skills in the areas of fine motor development (cutting, writing, coloring, painting, stamping, drawing, and so on). During all these activities, students are communicating about the activities and repeating the Main Idea.
Chirp provides ongoing training within each lesson
At the beginning of each lesson, you’ll find a hint. The hint is a professional strategy or education principle that will help your Special Needs Team function better and stay on top of best practices. These tips range in scope (examples are “Encouraging Eye Gaze” and “Redirection”). They are quick to read and easy to implement. Putting into practice just one new hint per lesson will help your volunteers feel confident and well-equipped. Using these strategies will lead to improved student behavior and a calmer environment in your classrooms, which will give students a better opportunity to learn!
A Family Supplement Is Provided For Each Lesson
Family Supplement Families of children with developmental disorders typically do not feel well equipped to confidently talk to their kids about God. They typically do not know how to incorporate “God stuff” into daily routines with their children. One of our jobs as Christ's Church’s is to support families in their role as their children’s main spiritual teachers (see “Think Orange: Imagine the Impact When Church and Family Collide” by Reggie Joiner and “It Starts At Home: A Practical Guide To Nurturing Lifelong Faith” by Kurt Bruner for more on this topic).
Chirp makes this easier by providing a Mini-Book of each lesson to be sent home with students and by providing a Family Supplement that gives families ideas on how to communicate about God during daily life activities in ways their children are able to comprehend. These ideas focus on teaching during routines which families are likely to already have in their lives rather than trying to convince families to add yet another thing into their busy weeks.
Please contact us for more information about what makes the Chirp Curriculum
REVOLUTIONARY!
****************************
* Very young children (pre-school-aged) also benefit tremendously from the same strategies used for children with communication and cognitive delays.
(children with cognitive and language delays!)
The Chirp Curriculum was not adapted from a traditional children’s curriculum; it was developed especially for children with cognitive and language delays. Because these lessons are written by a communication specialist, they don't just work better for people with disabilities; they also provide excellent support for children who are developing early language (i.e. these lessons work especially well in early childhood programs!)
Chirp Curriculum is written entirely from the child’s perspective
Chirp lessons use best practices as recognized by current educational research rather than expecting our students to learn in the same way typically-developing students learn. Chirp lessons are written and taught from a child’s perspective. Research is showing that the best way to help children with developmental delays* internalize lessons is to teach lessons from a child’s perspective.
This means that instead of teaching, “Being mean hurts mommy’s feelings,” a therapist might teach, “When I am mean, it makes people sad.” Notice the “I” statement. When lessons are taught from a child’s perspective, the child is more easily able to slot him/herself into the story.
Chirp lessons are highly visual
Schools and therapeutic settings have long realized that children with developmental delays are not able to successfully understand and respond to verbal language (auditory input). Additionally, it is very difficult for these children to learn well from transient input (such as gestures or signing, which are there one second and gone the next). Best practices for these children in preschool and special education classrooms lean heavily on visual symbols.
Chirp lessons use creative and engaging illustrations and visual supports to add layers of meaning. Students can visually see spiritual truths that otherwise would remain too abstract for them to comprehend (click here to discover more about why visual strategies are so important!)
The Chirp Curriculum also uses creative and engaging visual tools to teach Bible verses and to help our students learn how to talk to God (pray). Each section of every Chirp lesson has a visual component to enable children to understand and internalize God’s truths
The Chirp Curriculum teaches spiritual concepts rather than Bible history
Chirp lessons are organized around the idea that all God’s Word to us (as written in the Bible) is equally inspired, but that all Scripture is not equally important or equally applicable (for further explanation of this, see “7 Practices of Effective Ministry" by Andy Stanley, Reggie Joiner, and Lane Jones).
If you have one hour per week with your students, what are the most important truths of Christianity you’d want them to know? Chirp’s lessons are focused on the most important and most applicable scriptural truths. The result of this is that children go home saying, “God loves me!” and “Jesus is alive!” rather than talking about the animals on Noah’s ark or how Elijah was fed by ravens.
We encourage families to read children's books about Biblical history in order to supplement the theological training provided in the curriculum.
Chirp lessons teach via the Main Idea
Each Chirp lesson is focused on one Main Idea (the spiritual concept being taught in that lesson). The Main Idea is the one truth we want students to internalize during that lesson arc (each lesson arc is four weeks long). The Main Idea is explained using the story, and is repeated during all activities throughout the service. Because each Chirp lesson focuses on ONE Main Idea, students are not overwhelmed with superfluous details, and they are able to actually remember what they learn!
Repetition is what enables human beings to move new information from working memory (easily forgotten) to long-term memory storage (where we remember it without even trying!) Before we can truly incorporate a new truth into our lives, we must remember it!
Chirp lessons offer many opportunities for repetition of each lesson’s Main Idea (the spiritual concept being taught) during the story time. The Main Idea is reinforced in a slightly different context during a language-intensive Communication Activity. Communication Activities work on skills such as matching, sequencing letters in words, and writing. There are always options for students who require more support, as well as opportunities for students who are more independent. The Main Idea is also reinforced during the Motor Activity, which helps students improve their skills in the areas of fine motor development (cutting, writing, coloring, painting, stamping, drawing, and so on). During all these activities, students are communicating about the activities and repeating the Main Idea.
Chirp provides ongoing training within each lesson
At the beginning of each lesson, you’ll find a hint. The hint is a professional strategy or education principle that will help your Special Needs Team function better and stay on top of best practices. These tips range in scope (examples are “Encouraging Eye Gaze” and “Redirection”). They are quick to read and easy to implement. Putting into practice just one new hint per lesson will help your volunteers feel confident and well-equipped. Using these strategies will lead to improved student behavior and a calmer environment in your classrooms, which will give students a better opportunity to learn!
A Family Supplement Is Provided For Each Lesson
Family Supplement Families of children with developmental disorders typically do not feel well equipped to confidently talk to their kids about God. They typically do not know how to incorporate “God stuff” into daily routines with their children. One of our jobs as Christ's Church’s is to support families in their role as their children’s main spiritual teachers (see “Think Orange: Imagine the Impact When Church and Family Collide” by Reggie Joiner and “It Starts At Home: A Practical Guide To Nurturing Lifelong Faith” by Kurt Bruner for more on this topic).
Chirp makes this easier by providing a Mini-Book of each lesson to be sent home with students and by providing a Family Supplement that gives families ideas on how to communicate about God during daily life activities in ways their children are able to comprehend. These ideas focus on teaching during routines which families are likely to already have in their lives rather than trying to convince families to add yet another thing into their busy weeks.
Please contact us for more information about what makes the Chirp Curriculum
REVOLUTIONARY!
****************************
* Very young children (pre-school-aged) also benefit tremendously from the same strategies used for children with communication and cognitive delays.
