This guidebook offers powerful, concrete ways to engage all middle and high school students -- especially English learners and students with other special needs -- in successful learning. Teachers will benefit from the practical, evidence-based approaches for teaching standards-based content in any subject area. School and district leaders will benefit from the sustainable schoolwide and districtwide practices that respect diversity and support inclusion. Authors John Carr and Sharen Bertrando provide invaluable insight, tools, and strategies, including: An effective framework for teaching diverse learners in any core discipline Specific steps and resources for helping students organize concepts, develop appropriate use of academic language, and communicate ideas effectively Rubrics identifying key characteristics of five English language proficiency levels, along with teaching strategies appropriate for each Methods for scaffolding assessments to ensure every student has a fair and accurate way to communicate what he or she is learning A lesson plan template for combining and putting into practice all of the ideas, approaches, and tools included in this guidebook

This newly revised text, Teaching English Learners in Inclusive Classrooms, updates and expands upon issues of great concern to those working with students who are English learners as well as having special learning challenges. Given the unacceptable school drop-out rates of these students, this book provides practical tools and strategies for educators to approach the unique learning needs of these students. It draws upon the most current laws and research in the interconnected fields of bilingual and multicultural education, language and literacy, and special needs. Additionally, Dr. Durán draws upon her extensive experiences via classroom teaching, university-level instruction, and textbook writing in these fields to present a highly useful compendium of ideas. The range of chapters exemplifies the width and breadth of this material. A sampling of these chapters include topics such as functional language, teaching students with more extensive needs, working with cross-cultural and linguistic diverse students in the U.S. and Central America, helping students with autism and includes information in the area of transition for mild/moderate and students with more extensive needs. There is also information as before on literacy and a chapter in the content subjects as it relates to social studies as well as a chapter on families of cross-cultural students. Many of the chapters look to use of direct instruction approaches that have proven to be successful strategies in addressing these educational areas. Teachers and teacher trainers will find this clear, well-written text to be an invaluable resource in addressing the needs of myriad and unique students.

This resource offers educators evidence-based best practices to help them address the individual needs of English learners with academic challenges and those who have been referred for special education services. The authors include guidance and specific tools to help districts, schools, and classrooms use Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) and other interventions. “Provides excellent guidance for meeting the complex needs of English learners with true learning disabilities. An outstanding resource.” —Alba Ortiz, professor emeritus, The University of Texas at Austin “A wonderful resource for those who have the opportunity to serve English learners in the classroom, including those with academic challenges.” —Martha Thurlow, National Center on Educational Outcomes, University of Minnesota “Readers will find practical guidance and tools grounded in the latest research for teaching English learners.” —Diane Haager, professor, California State University, Los Angeles “A valuable tool that bridges the latest research and practice on bilingual special education.” —Claudia Rinaldi, Lasell College

This edited book is intended to offer a practical guide for general, special, and bilingual/English as a second language educators working with English learners (ELs) with learning disabilities (LD) in the K-12 inclusive classroom. Authored by leading scholars with expertise in the fields of special and bilingual education, the book provides educators with a solid foundation of the growing demographics of ELs in our schools, an understanding of second language acquisition, and further knowledge of the referral, assessment, and identification process. A detailed discussion addresses cultural competence and the development of the individualized education program (IEP) and provides an overview of legal and instructional foundations for developing culturally and linguistically responsive (CLR) IEPs for diverse learners, with a specific focus on students with LD who are acquiring English as an additional language. Federal legislative mandates, required IEP components, and the significant role that families assume in quality IEP development is presented along with practical examples that demonstrate a strengths-based perspective for engaging colleagues and families in the development of CLR IEPs for ELs. The remaining chapters of the book provide content on the use of a multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) framework, effective instructional practices, and research-based language and literacy interventions. To assist with the implementation of these interventions, a variety of co-teaching models are provided. Finally, the authors suggest ways to better communicate with parents and/or families to enhance collaboration between home and school.

For the K-12 special education methods course for future teachers of students with learning problems. Knowing that no one approach to teaching is right for all children all of the time, this comprehensive, yet accessible, case-based text presents current best practices, with the aim of helping prospective teachers learn to tailor instruction to the diverse needs and abilities of students with learning problems. The authors explore the entire inclusion movement and the theories of teaching and learning that inform it; discuss the nature of students with learning problems and the characteristics of effective teachers; and, describe a broad spectrum of proven instructional strategies for all curriculum areas. Finally, they examine the unique challenges and opportunities that transitions create for students with learning problems.

This guide provides practical information for teachers and others working with students who have learning difficulties (such as learning or language disabilities) and for whom English is a second language. Emphasis is on productive instructional strategies and approaches. The book is based on results of focus groups comprised of practicing teachers as well as a review of the research literature on effective instructional practices with English-language learners. Following an introductory chapter, the underlying concepts of "comprehensible input" and "meaningful access to the general curriculum" are explained in the next two chapters. Chapter 4 addresses problems in trying to provide meaningful access through comprehensible input, whereas chapter 5 considers approaches to increasing meaningful access through comprehensible input. Chapter 6 focuses on the teaching of academic language and chapter 7 offers useful initial teaching strategies. The following chapter considers what teachers can do to provide meaningful access to the general curriculum. Chapter 9 offers specific strategies to build comprehension and other language abilities. The final chapter explains key instructional principles such as teacher "think alouds" and modeling, use of concrete examples to explain concepts, importance of consistent language, the need to balance cognitive and language demands, and the value of peers in language development. (Contains 54 references.) (DB)