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ECE Special Needs Teacher Resources

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Featured Books

Addressing Challenging Behaviors and Mental Health Issues in Early Childhood. Mojdeh Bayat, $60.95

Addressing Challenging Behaviors and Mental Health Issues in Early Childhood focuses on research-based strategies for educators to address challenging behaviors of children during early childhood and elementary school years. Utilizing research from the fields of neuroscience, child development, child psychiatry, counselling and applied behavior analysis, the author suggests simple strategies for teachers to manage behaviors and promote mental health and resilience in children with challenging behaviors.

The book provides a framework for best practices which are empirically based and have been successfully utilized in the classroom. An appreciation of the deep understanding of culture as it affects curricular approaches, family engagement, and child growth and development is utilized throughout this comprehensive, multidisciplinary resource. Bayat references the most recent research in the field of child mental health and provides educational and intervention approaches that are appropriate for all children with and without disabilities.


Assessment of Young Children with Special Needs: a Context-Based Approach, 2nd Edition. Susan Benner & Joan Grim, $83.50

ASSESSMENT OF YOUNG CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS helps prepare teachers for the task of evaluating the skills of infants, toddlers, and preschool children with developmental delays and those considered at risk to experience developmental delays or difficulties.

A child’s environment is a critical consideration when focusing on assessment, and authors Susan Benner and Joan Grim explore the important issues of family resources, health, multidimensional environmental influences, economic deprivation, and domestic violence on infant and child development. This textbook conveys a sense of respect for parents, the powerful influence assessment results can and do have in the lives of young children with special needs, and an understanding of the complexity of child development, progression, and measurement.

This fully revised edition includes updated versions of assessment, and the newest assessment tools that teachers will come across. ASSESSMENT OF YOUNG CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, 2ND EDITION now includes expanded discussion on progress monitoring and response to intervention, functional behavioral analysis, pros and cons of norm-referenced testing, web-based gathering tools, ELL students, and screening for autism.

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Autism Intervention Every Day! Embedding Activities in Daily Routines for Young Children and Their Families. Merle Crawford & Barbara Weber, $40.50

Children with autism often don't get a diagnosis in their first few years of life — but if a very young child is exhibiting red flags, what should professionals and parents do in the meantime? This book has accessible, real-world solutions for use with children birth to three, with or without an autism diagnosis. A follow-up to the bestselling Early Intervention Every Day!, this practical guide is packed with simple, highly effective suggestions for strengthening critical skills during daily routines, from dressing in the morning to getting ready for bed. Early interventionists and other professionals will learn how to coach families in weaving these activities into everyday life with their child, so that intervention continues long after the professional goes home. Discover how to:

  • Recognize red flags for autism spectrum disorder
  • Help children build a foundation for learning to interact, communicate, and participate in routines
  • Strengthen skills that are especially challenging for children with autism, such as regulation, flexibility, and social communication
  • Support families on the journey from pursuing a diagnosis to accessing services
  • Implement concepts and teaching strategies based on applied behavior analysis (ABA)
  • Address common challenges that occur during daily routines and activities
  • Monitor progress to ensure that the strategies are helping children reach their IFSP goals
  • Promote children's participation across settings: in homes, preschools, and other community settings

Cara's Kit: Creating Adaptations for Routines and Activities. Phillippa Campbell, Suzanne Milbourne & Alexis Kennedy, $27.95

To make sure all toddlers in your early childhood program are participating, learning, and thriving, you need to master the art of choosing and using effective adaptations. CARA's Kit is a guidebook and CD-ROM brimming with step-by-step ideas for adapting environments, activities, and materials for children 18 to 36 months. You'll use this complete kit to:

  • implement adaptations in key areas: environment, daily schedule, activities/routines, materials, and requirements or instruction
  • increase engagement and participation for all children, including those with disabilities, challenging behaviors, and other special needs
  • create and use adaptations anywhere — in a home, a child care center, or any other type of early childhood setting
  • improve every aspect of toddlers' development, including physical, social, emotional, communication, and cognitive growth
  • make daily activities run smoothly by addressing children's everyday challenges

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The Carolina Curriculum for Infants & Toddlers with Special Needs. Nancy Johnson-Martin, Susan Attermeier & Bonnie Hacker, $73.50

The Carolina Curriculum for Preschoolers with Special Needs. Nancy Johnson-Martin, Susan Attermeier & Bonnie Hacker, $73.50

These newly revised and updated editions of the Carolina Curriculum have an increased emphasis on the home environment, play and emergent literacy and reflect the changes in knowledge of child development. Reorganized and refined with a streamlined presentation, The Carolina Curriculum books provide effective tools for assessing and implementing goals for young children with disabilities.


Challenging Exceptionally Bright Children in Early Childhood Classrooms. Ann Gadzikowski, $41.95 (ages 3-5)

Nearly every early childhood classroom has an exceptionally bright child-from the child who starts reading independently at age three to the child who would rather take apart his tricycle than ride on it. These strategies help you create a richer learning environment where exceptionally bright children are encouraged to learn beyond prescribed curriculum goals. CHALLENGING EXCEPTIONALLY BRIGHT CHILDREN IN EARLY CHILDHOOD CLASSROOMS will help you identify exceptionally bright children, includes ideas help you change the pace, level, or method of teaching in response to the needs of individual children, and provides guidance for working with families. 


Common Psychological Disorders in Young Children: a Handbook for Child Care Professionals. Jenna Bilmes & Tara Welker, $34.95

Common Psychological Disorders in Young Children is an easy-to-use guide that will help you recognize and deal with the symptoms and behaviors associated with ADHD, autism, anxiety, and other disorders you may face in your classroom. Learn to notice behaviors that may require referral for diagnostic screening and, for children already diagnosed, understand the reason a child might be exhibiting certain behaviors and how you can best help the child within your setting.

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Developing Motor and Social Skills: Activities for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Chris Denning, $37.95

This book focuses on motor and social skills development for young children with autism spectrum disorder and is geared toward special education teachers, general education teachers, and related personnel. This book will outline what we now know about how physical activity impacts children with Autism and how classroom teachers can use physical activity programs in their classrooms.


Digital Decisions: Choosing the Right Technology Tools for Early Childhood Education. Fran Simon & Karen Nemeth, $41.95

DIGITAL DECISIONS provides everything you need to make your own technology plan based on your experiences and beliefs, the needs of the children, the context of your curriculum and the resources available to you.  This no-nonsense, jargon-free guide will help you evaluate the tools and opportunities technology has to offer and integrate them into your early childhood classroom so you can offer real-life, hands-on, interactive activities to children. 

DIGITAL DECISIONS is brimming with charts, resources, and an array of activities that maximize technology as an interactive learning tool. Each chapter provides supporting guidance to make technology most effective for those working with children who are dual language learners or may have special needs.


Dyslexia and Early Childhood: an Essential Guide to Theory and Practice. Barbara Pavey, $56.95

Taking a developmental approach, this accessible text addresses the ever increasing interest in identifying the characteristics of dyslexia in young children and reflects on the best way to reach and support these learners. Drawing upon current research, the author considers our current understanding of dyslexia and calls upon best practice to advise professionals, students and family members alike who seek to fulfil the potential of young children with, or showing the signs of, dyslexia.

Adopting a dyslexia-friendly position, Barbara Pavey acknowledges the ethics associated with a social model of disability, so that the focus is upon modifying teaching and learning, and respecting the views of children and parents throughout. This book includes assessment and practice strategies, good practice points, helpful ideas, first-hand narratives of dyslexia, pointers for further reading, resources and online tools, and will be of enormous practical use to anyone supporting a young child with potential or diagnosed dyslexia.


Early Communication Skills for Children with Down Syndrome: a Guide for Parents and Professionals, 3rd Edition. Libby Kumin, $36.50

This compassionate and authoritative guide is shows parents how they can support and encourage their child’s speech and language development from birth to age 6 (or when a child can form 2- to 3-word sentences). Parents and teachers learn how to work through characteristic challenges, including hearing loss, intelligibility issues, apraxia (difficulty planning oral-motor movements), or a slower pace of development. Families soon see that many children with Down syndrome are natural and willing communicators.

This third edition of EARLY COMMUNICATION SKILLS features expanded information on the needs of children with apraxia, dual diagnosis of autism and Down syndrome, and updated terminology. An expanded chapter explains how technology and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) can help with speech and language, foster communication, and provide inexpensive transitional language systems. Over thirty forms are now included on a CD-ROM to be used for assessment, developing treatment plans, and keeping detailed records of progress. Teachers, speech-language pathologists, and parents will love the convenience of printing multiple copies of forms and organizing information for IEP meetings or periodic evaluations.

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Early Intervention Every Day! Embedding Activities in Daily Routines for Young Children and Their Families. Merle Crawford & Barbara Weber, $41.50

Effective early intervention doesn't stop when the provider leaves the family's home. That's why every interventionist needs this practical sourcebook, packed with research-based strategies for helping parents and caregivers take a consistent, active role in supporting young children's development. Targeting 80 skills in six key developmental domains for children birth to three, this reader-friendly guide gives professionals dozens of ready-to-use ideas for helping families and caregivers embed learning opportunities in their everyday routines. Early interventionists will turn to this book again and again for strategies that enhance child development, strengthen attachment, and help children with developmental delays participate fully in family life.


Fine Motor Skills. Do2Learn, $18.95

Over 50 reproducible activity pages to build fine motor skills. This compilation has something for every learner — simple stamping pages, cut and paste activities, mazes and more. Helpful hints are offered throughout to guide parents and teachers in reinforcing targeted skills.


First Steps to Preschool Inclusion: How to Jumpstart Your Programwide Plan. Sarika Gupta, $41.50

Interested in preschool inclusion, but not sure where to start? This introductory guide gathers everything you need to know to launch a successful inclusive early childhood program — and get critical buy-in from your whole staff. A must for leaders of early childhood programs, this reader-friendly primer reveals how inclusive education benefits all children, how school staff and parents can work as a team to make it happen, and how to knock down common barriers to inclusion. Combining the latest research with the nuts and bolts of program development, this book will help current and future early childhood leaders assemble highly effective inclusion teams and develop programs where every child learns and thrives.

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Fun with Messy Play: Ideas and Activities for Children with Special Needs. Tracey Beckerleg, $22.95

Funny smells, sticky hands and squishy textures are all part of the way in which children develop sensory awareness. Fun with Messy Play is an exciting activity book that heightens the sensory perception of children with special needs through the imaginative use of everyday 'messy' materials like baked beans, condensed milk, jelly or glue. The activities in this book are fun for children and help to improve their co-ordination, communicative and cognitive abilities, as well as their self-esteem and social skills. This is an easy-to-use, practical resource for parents and professionals. It includes ideas and examples from practitioners along with helpful suggestions for different types of equipment that can be used.


Helping Children with Autism Spectrum Conditions through Everyday Transitions. John Smith, Jane Dolan & Bob Smith, $29.95

Facing any type of change can cause confusion and anxiety for individuals with autism spectrum conditions. Explaining why seemingly minor changes to routine can be emotionally distressing for children with autism, this book teaches parents practical solutions for coping with common transitions including switching from a weekday to weekend schedule, the changing of the seasons, and sleeping in a different bed when on holiday. With insights from the authors' personal experiences and helpful scripts, signs and sketches to use along the way, this book shows that with planning and preparation parents can reduce the stress surrounding change for their child and the whole family.


Helping Them Heal: How Teachers Can Support Young Children Who Experience Stress and Trauma. Karen Peterson, $23.95

A young child’s brain is uniquely sensitive to the effects of stress and trauma, which can have detrimental, long-term developmental impact. HELPING THEM HEAL provides answers, ideas, and specific classroom strategies to move trauma-affected children in positive directions. Educators will learn ways to help children build resilience, self-regulation, and self-competence using this sensitive, supportive, and practical guide. 

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ICP™ – The Inclusive Classroom Profile Set, Research Edition. Elana Soukakou, $96.95

How well is your early childhood program implementing quality inclusive practices?

Now there’s a comprehensive, field-tested observational tool that uncovers the answers. A one-of-a-kind tool for classrooms serving children ages 2–5, the Inclusive Classroom Profile (ICP™) assesses 12 key practices with the strongest research base for supporting the education and development of young children in inclusive programs.

For accurate results, the ICP is conducted by a trained outside observer, such as a technical assistance professional or administrator. The observer conducts the three parts of the ICP: a classroom observation scheduled during everyday routines; a face-to-face interview with the teacher; and a documentation review of the program’s policies, screeners and assessments, and child intervention plans. Comprehensive assessment with ICP takes about 3½ hours, plus 20 minutes to score. The in-depth ICP evaluation process gives you the rich information and insights you need to:

  • assess your program’s current inclusive practices
  • establish a baseline for measuring future progress
  • apply recommended inclusive practices for young children
  • guide quality improvement efforts by linking assessment data with instructional decision-making
  • tailor professional development to teachers’ specific needs

The ICP is also a perfect companion to popular early childhood inclusion guides like Building Blocks for Teaching Preschoolers with Special Needs. Determine your strengths and needs with the ICP, and then find effective inclusion strategies in Building Blocks.


Including Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders in the Foundation Stage. Clare Beswick, $28.00

The aim of INCLUDING CHILDREN AUTISTIC SPECTRUM DISORDERS IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE is to equip practitioners and carers with the basic information they require in order to understand and respond appropriately to the child and his or her parents. The emphasis is on helping the child to participate as fully as possible in the curriculum, on equal terms with their peers. The book will inform you by:

  • Providing essential background information about the particular need
  • Telling you about the particular learning requirements of children with that need
  • Indicating further resources and sources of help
  • Unraveling the complexities of working with a range of different agencies
  • Offering tried and tested teaching tips
  • Giving advice about working with support staff
  • Giving practical strategies for differentiation
  • Suggesting a range of activity ideas across all the areas of learning
  • Offering great ideas to help children make a smooth start to education

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Inclusion in the Early Childhood Classroom: What Makes a Difference? Susan Recchia & Yoon-Joo Lee, $34.95

In this engaging book, the authors share stories from their practice and research about several young children with a variety of developmental delays and disabilities and their teachers. They explore the ways that teachers and children respond in real classrooms to real challenges, examining both those opportunities that are capitalized on as well as those that are missed. The book addresses a wide array of issues that contribute to our understanding of “what makes a difference” in the inclusive early childhood classroom: the role of development, ways of honoring different learning styles, building a sense of classroom community, addressing power dynamics, and responding to conflict with both teachers and peers. This practical resource introduces a framework that will inspire early childhood teachers to reflect on their own practices and take action to develop new strategies for teaching in inclusive classrooms.


Inclusion in Early Childhood Programs: Children with Exceptionalities, 5th Canadian Edition. Allen, Paasche, Langford & Nolan, $118.95

Inclusion in Early Childhood Programs: Children with Exceptionalities investigates the education and care of children with special needs from birth through school age in the setting of their neighbourhood early childhood program or school. The book promotes an inclusive approach to working with children who have exceptionalities, providing valuable information which will enable teachers to feel comfortable teaching children with special needs and to successfully include them into their early childhood programs.


Inclusion, Play and Empathy: Neuroaffective Development in Children's Groups. Edited by Susan Hart, $40.95

Contributions from early childhood educators, teachers, psychologists, music therapists, occupational therapists, and psychotherapists highlight the crucial role that early relationships and interactions in group settings play in the development of children's personal, emotional and social skills.

The book features the latest research and methods for successfully encouraging the development of these skills in groups of children aged 4-12. It explores how play within children's groups can be facilitated in order to foster emotional and empathic capacities, how to overcome common challenges to inclusion in schools and introduces practical, creative approaches to cultivating a sense of unity and team spirit in children's groups.

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Inclusive Lesson Plans Throughout the Year: Early Childhood. Laverne Warner, Sharon Lynch, Cynthia Simpson & Diana Nabors, $34.95

Inclusive Lesson Plans Throughout the Year has over 150 lesson plans for teachers who have children with special needs in their early childhood classrooms. Perfect for both beginning teachers and veteran teachers, Inclusive Lesson Plans Throughout the Year helps new teachers develop plans for each day and provides veteran teachers with new ideas and approaches to add spark to their classroom teaching.


Involving Parents of Students with Special Needs: 25 Ready-to-Use Strategies. Jill Dardig, $30.99 (PK - 12)

Research has shown that establishing strong communication link with parents and promoting family involvement can have positive and tangible effects on a student's success in school. In this teacher-friendly resource, Jill Dardig provides 25 read-to-use techniques for involving parents in the education of children with a wide range of learning needs — including cognitive, emotional/behavioural, social, sensory, and physical disabilities.


Making Preschool Inclusion Work: Strategies for Supporting Children, Teachers & Programs. Diane Klein & Anne Marie Richardson-Gibbs, $53.95

In-depth case studies and vignettes from both professional and parent perspectives, strategies for adapting curriculum content, disability-specific interventions to keep and use as a reference

This comprehensive textbook gives education professionals a thorough introduction to inclusion supports: evidence-based practices and strategies that help children with disabilities fully participate in preschool classrooms.

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Observing Children with Attachment Difficulties in Preschool Settings: a Tool for Identifying and Supporting Emotional and Social Difficulties. Kim Golding, Jane Fain, Ann Frost, Sian Templeton & Eleanor Durrant, $39.95

For preschool children with emotional difficulties arising from difficulties in attachment, standard observations used in early years settings are not always helpful in identifying their problems and providing guidance on how they can be helped.

Combining an accessible introduction to attachment and child development with a child observation tool for identifying behaviour, and the emotional needs underlying this behaviour, this book enables ECE professionals to identify problems and provide appropriate support. 'Case study' boxes help to illustrate typical patterns of attachment, and all aspects of behaviour are covered including play, interaction with peers, neediness and aggression. Suitable for use with children aged 2-5, this will be an invaluable resource for early years professionals, as well as clinicians, teachers and learning support staff.


100 Learning Games for Special Needs with Music, Movement, Sounds and... Silence. Johanne Hanko, $31.95

Games and activities are a great way for children with special needs to learn important skills. This book provides inspiration and guidance for special education teachers, teaching assistants, parents and carers on how to use lively and engaging play ideas to foster learning and development.

Targeting key skills including listening, self-awareness, movement, creative thinking and relaxation, each game has been developed with the capabilities of children with special needs in mind. The appropriate age group is clearly identified, and possible variations for different abilities are provided. All of the instructions are easy to follow and there are cheerful illustrations throughout. Using music, dance, art, word games and breathing exercises, this book is packed with creative and enjoyable games that make learning fun.


Play for Children with Special Needs: Supporting Children with Learning Differences, 3-9, Second Edition. Christine Macintyre, $40.50

Play for Children with Special Needs enables practitioners to appreciate the contribution that play makes to the education of all children. Christine Macintyre emphasis the importance of creating an environment where children become confident, independent learners, increasingly able to use their imaginations, care for others and to take safe risks.

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A Practical Guide to Congenital Developmental Disorders and Learning Difficulties. Judith Hudson, $47.50

Early identification and appropriate interventions and support give children with congenital developmental conditions that manifest special learning needs their best chance to succeed. This text highlights what to look for when there are concerns about a child's development. Practical and accessible, it is designed to support professionals working within a multi-modal, collaborative approach to assessment and intervention processes. It is suitable for health visitors, allied health therapists, nurses, teachers and social care practitioners.


Prevent Teach Reinforce for Young Children: the Early Childhood Model of Individualized Positive Behavior Support. Glen Dunlap, Kelly Wilson, Phillip Strain & Janice Lee, $59.50

This practical, reader-friendly guidebook shows you how to improve the social-emotional development and prevent challenging behaviors of young children in preschool settings. A highly effective approach drawn from the research and principles of applied behavior analysis and positive behavior support, PREVENT-TEACH-REINFORCE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN will help you:

  • resolve persistent challenging behaviors
  • address problem behaviors common in younger children
  • set individualized goals for children
  • conduct family-centered assessment and intervention
  • help children with and without disabilities
  • work effectively with diverse families
  • collect reliable data and use it to inform next steps

The CD-ROM includes planning forms and worksheets tailored for early childhood programs, including a Goal Sheet, Daily Log, Behavior Rating Scale, Intervention Menu, and Team Implementation Guide. And four detailed case examples walk you through the PTR-YC steps and implementation.


Reaching and Teaching Children Exposed to Trauma. Barbara Sorrels, $35.50

What does a harmed child look like? It’s the little girl on the playground who has mysterious bruises on her legs. It’s the three-month-old baby boy who arches his back when you try to hold him. It’s the four-year-old who bites and hits when asked to clean up. These are the faces of traumatized children. As an early childhood professional, you play a key role in the early identification of maltreatment and unhealthy patterns of development. You are also the gateway to healing. In Reaching and Teaching Children Exposed to Trauma, you will find the tools and strategies to connect with harmed children and start them on the path to healing. Dr. Sorrels offers practical strategies that caregivers need to help these littlest victims:

  • Connecting with a harmed child using games, music, gentle touch, and play
  • Meeting children’s sensory needs throughout the day: morning arrival, group time, meal times, outdoor play, and naptime
  • Creating a sensory-rich classroom environment with easy, simple ideas
  • Teaching a traumatized child self-regulation skills and impulse control using visual cues, rehearsal and role play, games, and scripted stories
  • Coaching and supporting social skills: turn taking, sharing, joining in play, empathy, and conflict resolution
  • Communicating unconditional love and acceptance to children from hard places

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Sandtray Play and Storymaking: a Hands-On Approach to Build Academic, Social, and Emotional Skills in Mainstream and Special Education. Sheila Dorothy Smith, $27.95

Introducing sandtray play into mainstream and special education classrooms can have an extremely enriching impact on the learning experience. When used effectively, it can create the climate for social, emotional and behavioural growth and incite bursts of creativity in students. The benefits of such an approach are endless, from the positive, therapeutic effects of physically displaying emotions through sand worlds to the development of essential speaking, listening and writing skills when telling and recording sand world stories. This accessible and classroom-friendly book explains the thinking behind this unique approach and answers all the nuts-and-bolts questions of sandtray/narrative workshop setup. It offers a wealth of practical methods that can be applied to a wide spectrum of the student population and details real-life anecdotes and student work.

This book is an invaluable handbook for teachers and school counselors looking to use play and storytelling as a way to develop core competencies in children with special educational needs and in the mainstream, and will also be of interest to play therapists, speech and language therapists and educational psychologists.


Six Steps to Inclusive Preschool Curriculum: a UDL-Based Framework for Children's School Success. Eva Horn, et al, $55.50

How can inclusive early educators plan and deliver challenging instructions to help all young learners succeed in kindergarten? This guide has authoritative answers from some of today's most renowned names in early childhood education. Through practical, evidence-based strategies and guidelines, you'll discover how to equalize access to curriculum content while giving learners multiple ways to access and possess new knowledge. Keep this resource at your fingertips to guide your curriculum and instruction—so all young children have the skills they need to succeed in kindergarten and beyond.

You'll get a wealth of downloadable online resources for implementing the framework, plus specific tips and strategies on addressing key topics such as behavior, classroom organization, and collaboration with families. You'll also see the framework in action, with recurring vignettes in diverse early childhood settings, including a public preschool, a Head Start classroom, and an early childhood special education classroom.


School Shadow Guidelines. Jed Baker & Alex Liau WM, $22.95

Special needs children can benefit from having inclusive education to aid in their development and growth; this is where school shadowing serves vital roles. School Shadow Guidelines is the perfect handbook for everyone assisting special needs schoolchildren.

School Shadow Guidelines will assist children in developing appropriate behaviors in school, establish an environment that helps to strengthen academic ability, and also help to build his/her social interaction skills with the goal of independence.

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The Special Educator’s Toolkit: Everything You Need to Organize, Manage, & Monitor Your Classroom. Cindy Golden, $43.95

Reduce your stress and support student success with this practical toolkit for whole-classroom organization. A lifesaver for special educators in any K–12 setting, this book and CD-ROM set will help teachers expertly manage everything, from schedules and paperwork to student supports and behavior plans with this innovative approach to creating effective classrooms for students with all types of disabilities. Special educators will get step-by-step, ready-to-use guidance on managing six key aspects of their daily work:

  • Environment. Make the most of every inch of classroom space! Clean out clutter, arrange furniture to improve traffic flow, and construct classroom zones, work stations, and bulletin board displays that support learning.
  • Communication. Implement low-cost communication supports that meet student needs. Make simple picture symbol books, interactive schedules, labels for classroom areas and objects, and more.
  • Teaching Methods and Materials. Determine student needs, create schedules, simplify the IEP process, and pinpoint the best methods for teaching academic, vocational, behavioral, social, and life skills.
  • Behavioral Systems. Organize a successful behavioral system that motivates students, helps them improve behavior and social skills, and uses positive reinforcement techniques.
  • Data and Paperwork. Learn the secrets to creating a simple, logical, highly efficient system for managing paperwork—so more time can be spent on teaching.
  • Staff and Home Supports. Build trusting, respectful relationships with classroom staff and parents with stress-free strategies like team meetings and home communication notebooks.

For each of these critical areas, special educators will discover dozens of proven strategies, vivid examples, and clever tips and tricks to help them make immediate improvements in their classroom. The book includes a CD-ROM with more than 60 printable forms and tools to support learning, safety, and positive behavior. This is the ultimate guide for every special educator, from the first-year teacher setting up a new classroom to the seasoned veteran who wants a down-to-earth guide to current best practices.


Starting with Their Strengths: Using the Project Approach in Early Childhood Special Education. Deborah Lickey & Denise Powers, $32.95

This book provides a comprehensive and practical guide to using the project approach when teaching young children with special needs. While focusing on children’s individual strengths, which include their interests, intelligences, and unique styles of learning, this resource demonstrates teaching strategies that address multiple areas of development. Using scenarios from their own practice, the authors examine the process of accessing children’s strengths to facilitate social, emotional, cognitive, and motor development, including concepts and skills. The book provides tools to determine, organize, and plan with children’s strengths and demonstrate the use of documentation as an authentic assessment of children’s skills and goals. Teachers will use this book to create learning environments that enrich learning for all children.

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Teaching by Design: Using Your Computer to Create Materials for Students with Learning Differences. Kimberly Voss, $45.95

Teaching by Design shows readers how to use the computer to design meaningful educational materials for children and adults with special needs. A synthesis of computer graphics, education, and crafting, this book represents the author’s considerable expertise in customizing educational materials for her daughter with multiple disabilities as well as teaching other parents and teachers to create them too. Full of instructions for designing and adapting materials and strategies for using them, including a time-saving CD-ROM of templates, Teaching by Design is useful to parents and teachers of students of all ages with a wide range of disabilities. Design and customize lotto boards, interactive spelling cards, game pieces, playing cards, matching games, menus, fill-in-the-blank decals, handwriting transparencies, and more, to teach visual perception, math, language, communication, reading, handwriting, and self-help skills.


Teaching Infants, Toddlers and Twos with Special Needs. Clarissa Willis, $28.95

Teaching Infants, Toddlers, and Twos with Special Needs is written for all teachers and directors who work with infants, toddlers, and twos, including special educators and educators working with typically developing children. This book specifically addresses the needs of children with developmental delays, as well as children at risk for developing special needs.

Each chapter includes strategies and adaptations that are easy to use and apply to all children. Examples are presented for managing the physical environment and for teaching skills that will enhance the overall development of infants, toddlers, and twos with special needs.


Teaching the Moving Child: OT Insights that Will Transform Your K-3 Classroom. Sybil Berkey, $46.50

Because sensorimotor and environmental factors have a profound effect on children's learning, every teacher should know how to weave strategies from occupational therapy into their everyday instruction so all students can achieve their full potential.

A clear and reader-friendly guide from an OT with nearly 35 years of classroom experience, Teaching the Moving Child gives elementary educators the solid foundation of knowledge they need to:

  • maximize the link between movement and learning
  • meet the needs of students with sensory processing issues by modifying the classroom environment and task demands
  • improve students' writing skills (includes an easy-to-use, five-step process for handwriting instruction)
  • facilitate children's fine motor ability, including using pencils and scissors and drawing lines and shapes
  • optimize learning through strategic use of classroom seating, space, lighting, and visual and auditory stimuli
  • promote imaginative play as essential to every part of the learning process
  • recognize and minimize students' stress, especially during transitions and waiting times
  • decrease restlessness and increase attention through environmental planning strategies
  • collaborate skillfully with OTs to address sensorimotor issues before they become a barrier to learning

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Teaching Young Children with Disabilities in Natural Environments, 2nd Edition. Mary Jo Noonan & Linda McCormick, $65.95

Now enhanced with new topics critical to effective practice, this second edition is the essential methods textbook for pre-service professionals preparing to teach young children with disabilities in today's increasingly diverse and inclusive programs. Focusing on children birth to five, this core text gives future professionals specific, evidence-based knowledge on what to teach and how to teach it, with practical methods that fit into naturally occurring activities and routines. The expert authors synthesize nearly a decade of new developments in this revised and expanded second edition, making this the most comprehensive, up-to-date methods textbook available for the new generation of early childhood special educators and interventionists.


Using Playful Practices to Communicate with Special Children. Margaret Corke, $38.95

Playfulness is important; it creates an alternative space where emotional, cognitive and social dimensions can be explored and tested. This highly practical book explores the endless possibilities of using playful, creative and interactive activities to meaningfully engage with children with multiple learning difficulties or autistic spectrum disorders. The author presents playfulness as 'an experimental frame of mind', and encourages practitioners to play with roles, ideas, words, concepts and objects in order to enhance relationships and interventions. By providing accessible steps to playfulness, this text explores some of the contemporary issues surrounding the education of children with severe learning needs, in particular the use of 'intensive interaction'. The author also invites teachers working in mainstream, particularly early years and primary education, to investigate the creative possibilities inherent in playfulness and to use the activities in this book to enhance the learning environment.

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When Young Children Need Help: Understanding and Addressing Emotional, Behavioral, and Developmental Challenges. Deborah Hirschland, $45.95

You know what it's like to spend time with youngsters who are particularly puzzling or hard to help. When Young Children Need Help helps early childhood educators make sense of what is going on for such children and use that understanding to promote growth and mastery. Written for child care center staff, family child care providers, preschool teachers, and pre-service teachers, this book is useful for any reader who wants to reach the most troubling children in his or her care. This engaging book encourages a collaborative approach and emphasizes that even when a child needs outside services and supports, what goes on in school or in care remains central to making progress. When Young Children Need Help offers its perspectives and strategies through highly readable stories that bring children with challenges alive in all their quirky uniqueness. Age focus: 3-6.


Yogarilla Exercises and Activities: 55 Card Yoga Deck. Kimberly Mielke & Megan-Lynette Richmond, $51.95 (ages 3 & up)

OTis, the OT gorilla, is here to teach children traditional and original yoga poses in a new, fun, and engaging way!

The 55 yoga poses and 110 activities in this oversized, colorfully illustrated card deck help children understand how their bodies and minds work together. Occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, physical therapists, teachers, and parents can use yoga in the classroom, at home, or in treatment to improve fine and gross motor skills, sensory processing, attention, communication, and cognition.

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Complete Booklist

Addressing Challenging Behaviors and Mental Health Issues in Early Childhood. Mojdeh Bayat, $60.95

Assessing Young Children in Inclusive Settings: The Blended Practices Approach. Jennifer Grisham-Brown &  Kristie Pretti-Frontczak, $38.95

Assessment of Young Children with Special Needs: a Context-Based Approach, 2nd Edition. Susan Benner & Joan Grim, $83.50

Assistive Technology: What Every Educator Needs to Know. Brian Friedlander, $15.95 (Laminated Reference Guide)

Autism Intervention Every Day! Embedding Activities in Daily Routines for Young Children and Their Families. Merle Crawford & Barbara Weber, $40.50

Blended Practices for Teaching Young Children in Inclusive Settings. Jennifer Grisham-Brown et al, $37.95

Building Blocks for Teaching Preschoolers with Special Needs, 2nd Edition. Susan Sandall & Ilene Schwartz, $57.50

Building Bridges through Sensory Integration: Therapy for Children with Autism and Other Pervasive Developmental Disorders, 3rd Edition. Ellen Yack, Shirley Sutton & Paula Aquilla, $38.50

Cara's Kit: Creating Adaptations for Routines and Activities. Phillippa Campbell, Suzanne Milbourne & Alexis Kennedy, $27.95

The Carolina Curriculum for Infants & Toddlers with Special Needs. Nancy Johnson-Martin, Susan Attermeier & Bonnie Hacker, $73.50

The Carolina Curriculum for Preschoolers with Special Needs. Nancy Johnson-Martin, Susan Attermeier & Bonnie Hacker, $73.50

Challenging Exceptionally Bright Children in Early Childhood Classrooms. Ann Gadzikowski, $41.95 (ages 3-5)

Children with Disabilities: Reading and Writing the Four-Blocks® Way. Karen Erickson & David Koppenhaver, $46.95

Common Psychological Disorders in Young Children: a Handbook for Child Care Professionals. Jenna Bilmes & Tara Welker, $34.95

Creating Inclusive Learning Environments for Young Children: What to Do on Monday Morning. Clarissa Willis, $38.95

The Dancing Dialogue: Using the Communicative Power of Movement with Young Children. Suzi Tortora, $43.50

Developing Motor and Social Skills: Activities for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Chris Denning, $37.95

Digital Decisions: Choosing the Right Technology Tools for Early Childhood Education. Fran Simon & Karen Nemeth, $41.95

Dyslexia and Early Childhood: an Essential Guide to Theory and Practice. Barbara Pavey, $56.95

Early Communication Skills for Children with Down Syndrome: a Guide for Parents and Professionals, 3rd Edition. Libby Kumin, $36.50

Early Intervention Every Day! Embedding Activities in Daily Routines for Young Children and Their Families. Merle Crawford & Barbara Weber, $41.50

Fine Motor Skills. Do2Learn, $18.95

Fine Motor Skills in Children with Down Syndrome: a Guide for Parents & Professionals. Maryanne Bruni, 2nd Ed., $22.95

First Steps to Preschool Inclusion: How to Jumpstart Your Programwide Plan. Sarika Gupta, $41.50

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Fun with Messy Play: Ideas and Activities for Children with Special Needs. Tracey Beckerleg, $22.95

Gross Motor Skills in Children with Down Syndrome: a Guide for Parents and Professionals. Patricia Winders, $21.95

Helping Children with Autism Spectrum Conditions through Everyday Transitions. John Smith, Jane Dolan & Bob Smith, $29.95

Helping Them Heal: How Teachers Can Support Young Children Who Experience Stress and Trauma. Karen Peterson, $23.95

How Do I Teach This Kid? Visual Work Tasks for Beginning Learners on the Autism Spectrum. Kimberly Henry, $26.50

ICP™ – The Inclusive Classroom Profile Set, Research Edition. Elana Soukakou, $96.95

Including Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders in the Foundation Stage. Clare Beswick, $28.00

Inclusion in the Early Childhood Classroom: What Makes a Difference? Susan Recchia & Yoon-Joo Lee, $34.95

Inclusion in Early Childhood Programs: Children with Exceptionalities, 5th Canadian Edition. Allen, Paasche, Langford & Nolan, $118.95

Inclusion, Play and Empathy: Neuroaffective Development in Children's Groups. Edited by Susan Hart, $40.95

Inclusion Voices: Canadian Child Care Directors Talk About Including Children with Special Needs. $16.95

Inclusive Lesson Plans Throughout the Year: Early Childhood. Laverne Warner, Sharon Lynch, Cynthia Simpson & Diana Nabors, $34.95

Infants & Toddlers at Work: Using Reggio-Inspired Materials to Support Brain Development. Ann Lewin-Benham, $27.95

Involving Parents of Students with Special Needs: 25 Ready-to-Use Strategies. Jill Dardig, $30.99 (PK - 12)

Learning in Motion: 101+ Sensory Activities for the Classroom. Patricia Angermeier, Joan Krzyzanowski & Kristina Keller Moir, $53.95

Making Preschool Inclusion Work: Strategies for Supporting Children, Teachers & Programs. Diane Klein & Anne Marie Richardson-Gibbs, $53.95

Observing Children with Attachment Difficulties in Preschool Settings: a Tool for Identifying and Supporting Emotional and Social Difficulties. Kim Golding, Jane Fain, Ann Frost, Sian Templeton & Eleanor Durrant, $39.95

100 Learning Games for Special Needs with Music, Movement, Sounds and...Silence. Johanne Hanko, $31.95

1001 Great Ideas for Teaching & Raising Children with Autism or Asperger's, Revised 2010. Ellen Notbohm & Veronica Zysk, $35.50

The Out-of-Sync Child Has Fun: Activities for Kids with Sensory Integration Dysfunction. Carol Kranowitz, $17.50

Play for Children with Special Needs: Supporting Children with Learning Differences, 3-9, Second Edition. Christine Macintyre, $40.50

A Practical Guide to Congenital Developmental Disorders and Learning Difficulties. Judith Hudson, $47.50

Prevent Teach Reinforce for Young Children: the Early Childhood Model of Individualized Positive Behavior Support. Glen Dunlap, Kelly Wilson, Phillip Strain & Janice Lee, $59.50

Reaching and Teaching Children Exposed to Trauma. Barbara Sorrels, $35.50

Sandtray Play and Storymaking: a Hands-On Approach to Build Academic, Social, and Emotional Skills in Mainstream and Special Education. Sheila Dorothy Smith, $27.95

School Shadow Guidelines. Jed Baker & Alex Liau WM, $22.95

Six Steps to Inclusive Preschool Curriculum: a UDL-Based Framework for Children's School Success. Eva Horn, et al, $55.50

The Special Educator’s Toolkit: Everything You Need to Organize, Manage, & Monitor Your Classroom. Cindy Golden, $43.95

Starting with Their Strengths: Using the Project Approach in Early Childhood Special Education. Deborah Lickey & Denise Powers, $32.95

Teaching by Design: Using Your Computer to Create Materials for Students with Learning Differences. Kimberly Voss, $45.95

Teaching Infants, Toddlers and Twos with Special Needs. Clarissa Willis, $28.95

Teaching the Moving Child: OT Insights that Will Transform Your K-3 Classroom. Sybil Berkey, $46.50

Teaching Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Clarissa Willis, $28.95

Teaching Young Children with Disabilities in Natural Environments, 2nd Edition. Mary Jo Noonan & Linda McCormick, $65.95

Using Playful Practices to Communicate with Special Children. Margaret Corke, $38.95

When Young Children Need Help: Understanding and Addressing Emotional, Behavioral, and Developmental Challenges. Deborah Hirschland, $45.95

Widening the Circle: Including Children with Disabilities in Preschool Programs. Samuel Odom (ed), $32.95

Yogarilla Exercises and Activities: 55 Card Yoga Deck. Kimberly Mielke & Megan-Lynette Richmond, $51.95 (ages 3 & up)

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For related booklists please see Special Needs Teacher Resources; Early Childhood Education and Inclusive Classrooms

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