What Successful Teachers Do in Inclusive Classrooms: 60 Research-Based Teaching Strategies That Help Special Learners Succeed

"An awesome collection of very current best practice suggestions!" Jacqueline Thousand Co-Author, A Guide to Co-Teaching "This is the way that flesh′n′blood teachers talk to each other." Millie Gore, Chair, Special Education Department Midwestern State University "The greatest strengths of this book are its practicality and the fact that there is a tremendous need for it out there for teachers with no background in special education who are teaching students with special needs." J. David Smith Author, In Search of Better Angels Test-drive these research-based strategies in your inclusive classroom! Bridging the gap between theory and practice, this book focuses on extending academic research to classroom practices that address the problems faced by teachers working with special needs students in inclusive classrooms. Providing a convenient format that teachers, trainers, and administrators will find appealing, What Successful Teachers Do in Inclusive Classrooms packs 60 research-based strategies into one user-friendly guide that gives teachers the tools and confidence to engage their special needs learners. It masterfully deciphers the latest research and makes it accessible and applicable for day-to-day classroom practice. Each one of the 60 teaching strategies covers: A straightforward one-line action statement that encapsulates the "Strategy" An easy-to-read synthesis of relevant educational, psychological, and sociological studies Concrete and specific tactics for immediate application in the classroom Pointers on how to identify and avoid potential pitfalls Sources for further reading on the research/strategy outlined This comprehensive guide outlines a full range of research-based methods that can be interwoven and tailored to create the best instructional plan for special learners, focusing on maximizing achievement in today′s inclusive classroom.

Table of Contents:
Foreword - Torrie Norton Preface Acknowledgments About the Authors 1. Interacting With Students 2. Organizing Lesson Plans for an Effective Learning Environment 3. Using Formal, Informal, and Alternative Student Assessment 4. Classroom Management and Discipline 5. Integrating Assistive Technology 6. Collaborating With Colleagues and Parents Afterword Index

About the Author :
Sarah J. McNary is currently teaching a credit recov-ery program for the San Dieguito Union High School District in Southern California, where she is also the district’s consultant for special education working with the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA)/Induction program. She is a faculty member in the Masters of Education program for the University of Phoenix. Over the past 15 years she has taught SH, SDC, RSP, and general education classes at the ele-mentary, middle school, and high school levels. She is   a frequent presenter on a variety of aspects of special education and student support. She is innately curious and is a firm believer in lifelong learning. When asked what she teaches, Sarah will answer, “Kids”; when asked what she teaches kids, she responds, “Life! I just use my curriculum to do it!” She and her husband split their time between Encinitas and their mountain home. She is also the mother of two teenagers. Neal A. Glasgow′s experience includes serving as a secondary school science and art teacher both in California and New York, as a university biotechnology teaching laboratory director and laboratory technician, and as an educational consultant and frequent speaker on many educational topics. He is the author or coauthor of ten books on educational topics: What Successful Schools Do to Involve Families: Fifty Research-Based Strategies for Teachers and Administrators (2008), What Successful Literacy Teachers Do: 70 Research-Based Strategies for Teachers, Reading Coaches, and Instructional Planners (2007), What Successful Teachers Do in Diverse Classrooms: 71 Research-Based Strategies for New and Veteran Teachers (2006); What Successful Teachers Do in Inclusive Classrooms: 60 Research-Based Strategies That Help Special Learners (2005); What Successful Mentors Do: 81 Researched-Based Strategies for New Teacher Induction, Training, and Support (2004); What Successful Teachers Do: 91 Research-Based Strategies for New and Veteran Teachers (2003); Tips for Science Teachers: Research-Based Strategies to Help Students Learn (2001); New Curriculum for New Times: A Guide to Student-Centered, Problem-Based Learning (1997); Doing Science: Innovative Curriculum Beyond the Textbook for the Life Sciences (1997); and Taking the Classroom to the Community: A Guidebook (1996).   Cathy D. Hicks most recently directed the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA) program for the San Dieguito Union High School District in Southern California. She oversaw an induction program supporting beginning teachers. She served for ten years on the executive board of the California Association of School Health Educators (CASHE) and has been an adjunct faculty member at California State University at San Marcos. She is co-author of five books: What Successful Teachers Do: 91 Research-Based Strategies for New and Veteran Teachers (2003); What Successful Mentors Do: 81 Research- Based Strategies for New Teacher Induction, Training, and Support (2005); What Successful Teachers Do in Inclusive Classrooms: 60 Research-Based Strategies That help Special Learns (2005); and What Successful Teachers Do in Diverse Classrooms: 71 Research-Based Strategies for New and Veteran Teachers (2006); What Successful Teachers Do: 101 Research-Based Strategies for new and Veteran Teachers (2009).She is a frequent presenter on educational topics both at the state and national level. She taught Physical Education and Health at both the middle and high school level for more than 25 years. During that time, she was involved in the California State Mentor Teacher Program and mentored new teachers in her district for more than 17 years. Her energy, enthusiasm, and passion for teaching and supporting new teachers reinforce the career path she chose in elementary school. She believes the most effective teachers are the ones who never settle for “good enough,” but continue to grow, stretch, reflect, create, collaborate, and take risks throughout their teaching career.

Review :
“An awesome collection of very current best practice suggestions!” “This is the way that flesh’n’blood teachers talk to each other.” “The greatest strengths of this book are its practicality and the fact that there is a tremendous need for it out there for teachers with no background in special education who are teaching students with special needs.” "This format is highly effective, and the book meets its intended goal of being a portable compenduim of applicable references. Its strength lies in its research base. Rather than providing personal opinions based on anecdotal evidence and case studies, the book discusses principles and techniques that appear to have at least some research support."