By looking at the positive strengths of your students with special needs, you can help those students flourish, ensure their success, and align their instruction to Common Core State Standards. One of our most popular authors, Thomas Armstrong, shows you the steps you need to take to establish a more favorable, productive learning environment for five special needs categories:
- Learning disabilities
- ADD/ADHD
- Autistic spectrum disorders
- Intellectual disabilities
- Emotional and behavioral disorders
Explore the strengths, talents, and abilities of students with these special needs, and learn how to construct a positive day-to-day learning experience that fits the unique needs of each child. Armstrong explains why applying these strength-based concepts makes it easier to align instruction of special needs students with the Common Core State Standards. And he provides you with examples of how to teach and assess specific English language arts and mathematics standards for students with different special needs. Even if you rarely deal with special needs students, taking account of your students' neurodiversity is an essential new insight for your practice.
(ASCD E-Book, 2011) PDF e-book accompanied by bonus MOBI and EPUB files for use on e-book readers like the Kindle and the Nook. See the e-book FAQ link for information about device compatibility.
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Book Reviews of Neurodiversity in the Classroom: Strength-Based Strategies to Help Students with Special Needs Succeed in School and Life
"Just imagine what would happen if special education teachers were to take strengths as the starting point instead of weaknesses. In clear and inspiring language, Dr. Armstrong offers a map for moving from a focus on disability to one of diversity. This book is a long-needed, groundbreaking, and sane look at a field that has resisted all attempts to improve it. Until now."
--Jan Hunt is a counselor, speaker, writer, and the Director of The Natural Child Project.
“Thomas Armstrong captures the potential and power of disabilities. He cites many examples of the gifts and talents demonstrated by individuals who have disabilities. He also describes actions that educators can take to support students with a wide range of needs and transform teaching and learning for everyone.”
--Bill Henderson, former principal of the Henderson Inclusion School and author of The Blind Advantage.
“In Neurodiversity in the Classroom, best-selling author Thomas Armstrong continues to present concepts that stand to revolutionize the way students with learning disabilities are taught and thought of by educators… This book thoroughly describes the new concept on human diversity, neurodiversity, and it provides easy, practical strategies for educators to implement in their classroom that will help students’ with special needs to focus more on their strengths while still working to improve their weaknesses.”
Cindy Lumpkin Special Education Lead Teacher Atlanta, Georgia Reprinted with permission from
The Educator’s Room.