Structured Teaching and the Play of Preschoolers with Developmental Disabilities: An Evaluation
Pullum, Megan R.; King, Seth A.; Kennedy, Krystal (2022). Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, v42 n1 p105-117. Retrieved from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1335231
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examining4Students, gradePK
Practice Guide
Review Details
Reviewed: April 2026
- Practice Guide (findings for Structured teaching and adult guidance for play skills - Pullum et al. (2022) )
- Single Case Design
- Meets WWC standards with reservations because it is a SCD design where the independent variable is manipulated by the researcher, each outcome is measured systematically over time by multiple assessors with a sufficient number of assessment points and inter-assessor agreement, but there are an insufficient number of phases and/or assessments per phase to meet without reservations or the study does not meet requirements for nonoverlap of all pairs.
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
To view more detailed information about the study findings from this review, please download findings data here.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
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Female: 25%
Male: 75% -
Urban
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South
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Race Other or unknown 100% -
Ethnicity Other or unknown 100% -
Eligible for Free and Reduced Price Lunch Other or unknown 100%
Study Details
Setting
This study took place in one integrated preschool classroom in a metropolitan area in the Southeast United States.
Study sample
This study included four students, between the ages of 3 and 4, who received special education services, had Individualized Education programs (IEPs), and limited play skills. Two students had autism spectrum disorder and the other two had developmental delay. No other pertinent demographic information was reported in the study. There was one other student included in the study, but he was excluded from the review.
Intervention Group
The study examined the effects of structured teaching and adult guidance for play skills on the appropriate play of preschool-age children with developmental disabilities. The classroom teacher implemented the intervention. In each intervention session, each child was individually seated at a table separated from the rest of the class and class activities. At this table, a work system was presented that included four organized play boxes and a finished basket. Each play box contained materials required for one of the four chosen play activities: Lincoln Logs, making a plastic sandwich, a small farmhouse with toy animals, or a baby doll. Accompanying each play box was a visual schedule—a pictorial sequence of the activity—and an additional activity schedule depicting the order of play. Play objects from each box were situated near the child’s seat. After seating the child, the teacher directed the child to begin play with the toys. The child received brief direct instruction on how to use the toys at the beginning of the first three intervention sessions, which consisted of a verbal description of the procedure, demonstration of the task, and request for the child to complete each step immediately following guidance. Children worked from left to right placing toys in the finished basket once the activity was completed. Data were collected throughout 10-minute sessions during consecutive school days (Monday through Thursday). Children received the intervention for an average of 12 sessions over approximately three weeks.
Comparison Group
There is no comparison group in single-case designs. During baseline sessions, each child engaged in free play with a typically developing peer of approximately the same age in a designated area mediated by three classroom personnel whose education credentials consisted of having graduated from high school in accordance with the minimum state qualifications. Baseline sessions resembled typical classroom instruction but only the four chosen activities used during the intervention were available. The peers were not given any instruction or guidance other than to play with activities of their choice. Data were collected during observations throughout 10-minute sessions during consecutive school days (Monday through Thursday).
Support for implementation
Procedures in baseline were implemented by three classroom personnel. The intervention was exclusively provided by the first author who was the classroom teacher. Throughout the study, the first author consulted with a third author (a PhD in special education who had board certification in behavior analysis) regarding appropriate implementation of the intervention. Prior to the intervention, the interventionist reviewed proper implementation of structured teaching with a board certification in behavior analysis.
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For more, please see the WWC Glossary entry for improvement index.
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The mean score of students in the comparison group.
The WWC considers a finding to be statistically significant if the likelihood that the finding is due to chance alone, rather than a real difference, is less than five percent.
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Study findings for this report.
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Tier 2 Moderate indicates moderate evidence of effectiveness, and
Tier 3 Promising indicates promising evidence of effectiveness,
as defined in the
non-regulatory guidance for ESSA
and the regulations for ED discretionary grants (EDGAR Part 77).