Decoding Autism And Leading The Way To Successful Inclusion

More students on the autism spectrum are taught in general education settings today than ever before, bringing an array of notable strengths and skills that add intriguing new dimensions to educational programs. But these students also present challenges that are broader, deeper, and more intractable than those of their typically developing peers. Because reaching and teaching students on the autism spectrum in an inclusive environment complicates the work of teachers, school and district administrators must be prepared to provide knowledgeable, mindful leadership. With warmth and wisdom informed by her experience as a school administrator, autism educator, clinician, and parent of a son on the spectrum, Barbara Boroson provides a holistic look at the challenges students on the spectrum face in the areas of anxiety, executive function, sensation, communication, socialization, engagement, and cognitive acquisition. You'll learn to decode the functional and behavioral manifestations of these challenges, and you'll gain practical and research-based preemptive, supportive, and responsive strategies. You will also find - Insight into the perspectives of parents and guardians, along with guidance on partnering with them in ways that acknowledge both their expertise and yours. - Tips for modeling transparency and creative differentiation in order to set an inclusive tone throughout your school or district. - Supplemental materials to help you engage and educate families and the entire school community about autism, inclusion, and best-practice policies. Decoding Autism and Leading the Way to Successful Inclusion empowers school and district leaders to ensure that students on the spectrum are welcome, supported, understood, and set up for success. It's an essential resource for any education leader committed to achieving a differentiated, equitable, and inclusive learning environment for all students in their care.

The research is clear: Including students with disabilities in general education classrooms is the most effective way for all students to learn. If you are working toward greater inclusivity in your school or system, this book from educators and inclusion experts Julie Causton, Kate MacLeod, Kristie Pretti-Frontczak, Jenna Mancini Rufo, and Paul Gordon is an invaluable guide for you and your leadership team. Chock-full of research, resources, and seasoned advice, The Way to Inclusion walks you step-by-step through the inclusivity change process, from envisioning your path to reimagining the roles of existing staff and everything in between. The book outlines seven clearly defined milestones tied to an Action Plan that will help you stay the course with so vital an initiative. In addition to milestones and leadership questions, you'll find * Instructions for conducting an equity review of your system with a focus on special education. * Guidance for creating and analyzing service-delivery maps, including before-and-after examples from systems that have successfully shifted to greater inclusivity. * Classroom observation and staff survey tools. * First-person accounts from educators who have undergone the change process. * Best practices for developing an inclusivity-focused vision statement. * Downloadable forms and templates to help you move forward with implementation. There is no excuse for segregating our students with disabilities from the rest of the student body. This indispensable guide will help you make certain that all students in your system not only learn but also thrive in the least restrictive environment possible.

A guide to the intersection of trauma and special needs, featuring strategies teachers can use to build resilience and counter the effects of trauma on learning and behavior. Childhood trauma is a national health crisis. As many as two out of every three children in any classroom across the country have experienced some form of trauma. Meanwhile, a recent study in Washington State showed that 80 percent of the children eligible for special education services were exposed to early childhood trauma, which has been linked to developmental disabilities. Add in the fact that Black children are four times more likely to be classified with intellectual disabilities and five times more likely than white students to be classified with an emotional or behavioral disorder, and the already daunting complexity of effectively serving kids with an individualized education program (IEP) becomes overwhelming. This is a whole school problem that requires a whole school solution. All educators in both general and special education should learn how trauma affects the brain and how any resulting atypical neurological and psychological development affects learning and behavior. In Trauma-Informed Teaching and IEPs, trauma expert Melissa Sadin presents strategies for supporting the most vulnerable students in general or special education settings, across grade levels, and across the curriculum. You'll learn to * Understand the effects of childhood trauma on the brain, learning, and behavior. * Weave caring into trauma-informed instruction. * Apply a trauma-informed lens to crafting IEPs. * Conduct trauma-informed functional behavior assessments. Once you understand the effects of trauma on learning and development, you will explore classroom strategies and IEP goals and modifications that can actually help to heal your students.With rich examples and helpful strategies, Trauma-Informed Teaching and IEPs gives teachers the most effective tools to help build resilience for every student, no matter their needs.

This book presents a unique perpective on improving education in today's classrooms. While most reform programs require school-wide change.

This engaging, informative book ?now in its second edition ?provides both the knowledge you need to understand students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and the strategies you need to help them learn.

Learn to build individual strengths and work through problems with this picture-based guide for children with ASD aged 7-14. The use of images and photocopiable worksheets creates a simple and fun resource for identifying what you are good at and how to use those skills to deal with personal challenges.

From one of the world's leading historians comes an ambitious and sweeping history of the world in the 20th century. Ranging from the world wars to the traumas of decolonization and the technological triumphs of the space race, A History of the 20th Century documents the events, the characters, the ideologies, the cultural transformations and the dramatic politics of these turbulent times. Jeremy Black examines subjects as diverse as the Russian Revolution, the Great Depression, the Cold War, the Iranian Revolution and the birth of the internet in a compelling narrative. Keen to highlight the role of demographics, the environment, culture and technology as well as the better-known tales of political rivalries, he brings a new perspective to this most important subject.

Children are already learning at birth, and they develop and learn at a rapid pace in their early years. This provides a critical foundation for lifelong progress, and the adults who provide for the care and the education of young children bear a great responsibility for their health, development, and learning. Despite the fact that they share the same objective - to nurture young children and secure their future success - the various practitioners who contribute to the care and the education of children from birth through age 8 are not acknowledged as a workforce unified by the common knowledge and competencies needed to do their jobs well. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 explores the science of child development, particularly looking at implications for the professionals who work with children. This report examines the current capacities and practices of the workforce, the settings in which they work, the policies and infrastructure that set qualifications and provide professional learning, and the government agencies and other funders who support and oversee these systems. This book then makes recommendations to improve the quality of professional practice and the practice environment for care and education professionals. These detailed recommendations create a blueprint for action that builds on a unifying foundation of child development and early learning, shared knowledge and competencies for care and education professionals, and principles for effective professional learning. Young children thrive and learn best when they have secure, positive relationships with adults who are knowledgeable about how to support their development and learning and are responsive to their individual progress. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 offers guidance on system changes to improve the quality of professional practice, specific actions to improve professional learning systems and workforce development, and research to continue to build the knowledge base in ways that will directly advance and inform future actions. The recommendations of this book provide an opportunity to improve the quality of the care and the education that children receive, and ultimately improve outcomes for children.