Search Results

School leaders: How can you tell if your school system is NOT inclusive—and what can you do to lead inclusive change? Get practical answers in this upcoming webinar with two Brookes authors, Dr. Julie Causton and Dr. Kristie Pretti-Frontczak. In a highly engaging presentation, these renowned...

When young children struggle to learn and understand new words, how can you intervene early and keep these kids from falling behind? Today we’re spotlighting a program that can help: Story Friends, a fun and effective intervention you can use in any early childhood classroom to help prepare...

Autobiographical memory (ABM) is a type of long-term memory that holds information about ourselves and our past experiences. It’s key to social learning and social communication, and it’s often impaired in learners on the autism spectrum. (See this blog post to learn more about the link between...

A young child’s healthy development depends on many factors, including early assessment and intervention for children who have delays or disabilities. And when parents and other caregivers are involved as active partners, everyone benefits: families, programs, and children. That’s why we’ve created...

Distance education is an effective way to meet the needs of students with disabilities—but how can educators address the challenges of virtual special education? Today’s post, excerpted and adapted from The Special Educator’s Guide to Distance Education, offers 8 tips for delivering successful...

Once you’ve mastered the key principles of evidence-based literacy instruction, how can you fine-tune your teaching and make it the best it can be? Today’s post offers 10 ideas for refining your instruction, excerpted and lightly adapted from the third edition of Speech to Print by Louisa Cook...

Clarifying goals and expectations for children’s behavior is an important prerequisite for improving behavior in schools—and the same is true for families. Share today’s post with the families you work with, and help them implement a key step in the positive behavior support (PBS) process:...

Every early educator wants to give each child a bright start—and a big part of that goal is dismantling the biases and inequities that have created an achievement gap for young Black children. Authors Jen Neitzel and Ebonyse Mead are doing excellent work to transform practices and work for systemic...

Phonological development is strongly linked with a child’s later success with language and literacy. A new assessment releasing this month, Profiles of Early Expressive Phonological Skills™ (PEEPS™) by A. Lynn Williams & Carol Stoel-Gammon, is a quick, convenient, and flexible...

Paraprofessionals are vital members of the school team, working alongside teachers to support students in an inclusive classroom. Daina Loeffler, formerly the Special Education Coordinator of Nye County School District in Las Vegas, recognizes how important paras are—and how challenging it can be...

*Today’s blog post has been adapted from Susan Craig’s popular book, Reaching and Teaching Children Who Hurt. Paying attention—in a classroom or in any other setting—always involves selecting from a variety of competing options. Children attend to what they have been taught to see. Their brains’...

What are some fun ways to interact with babies and encourage their language skills, whether at home or in a child care setting? Today’s post—excerpted and adapted from Talk to Me, Baby! by Betty Bardige—gives you 11 great ideas to try. Babies don’t need expensive or elaborate activities. They like...

Many critical decisions are made during an IEP meeting for a student with support needs, so effective and timely followup—with families, students, and other team members—is essential. Today’s post offers a checklist of to-do items to follow after the meeting is over. Excerpted and adapted from...

The number of dual language learners (DLLs) in early childhood classrooms is expanding every year. Programs serving these children must be ready to promote their age-appropriate progress in language development—and ensure that they have equal access to the curriculum. Federal legislation and...

Early intervention visits in natural environments enhance the capacity of parents and other care providers to promote the growth and development of young children. In today’s blog post, adapted from The Early Childhood Coaching Handbook, Second Edition by Dathan Rush & M’Lisa Shelden, we’ll...

How can you help support learners on the autism spectrum as they develop critical social skills and authentic, positive connections with others? That’s what today’s post is about. Adapted from the groundbreaking book Supporting Social Learning in Autism, this article gives you a refresher on the...

In the immediate aftermath of a death in the family, school, or community, sensitive support from a teacher can be a powerful protective factor for students of all ages. But as experts David Schonfeld and Marcia Quackenbush point out, it’s also critical to recognize that “feelings of loss are...

Good news for early childhood professionals: the third edition of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories (CDIs) are now available. Capture parents’ knowledge of their child’s emerging language and communication skills with the new edition of these widely used measures, developed...

At Brookes, we’re proud to work with leading literacy experts to develop practical, evidence-based resources on effective reading instruction. Today we’re highlighting 10 great quotes from our authors—bite-sized bits of essential advice on inclusive literacy instruction, teaching writing and...

Classroom behavior challenges are one of the most pressing issues you’ll face as an educator. What are the keys to resolving these challenges, and how can you avoid the pitfalls that may make disruptive behaviors worse? Excerpted and adapted from Your Classroom Guide to Special Education Law by...

How can you start—or continue—your journey toward equity, access, and belonging for all children and families in your early childhood program? This essential work starts with dismantling the common myths that early childhood professionals may subscribe to, whether consciously or unconsciously. In...

Collecting data regularly and monitoring student progress toward goals are critical steps toward ensuring that your instruction is working. In today’s post, excerpted and adapted from A Teacher’s Guide to Progress Monitoring, author Jennifer N. Mahdavi reviews some diverse options for managing your...

An estimated 105,000 Education Paraprofessionals are employed in the U.S. right now, according to the Zippia careers website. Paraprofessionals are an essential support for students and a key success factor for inclusive classrooms—but until now, there hasn’t really been an in-depth training geared...

Reading, singing, dancing, and playing with young children is more than just fun—these activities help boost early learning and build important skills across developmental domains. Today we’re highlighting a great program for early educators that uses books, music, and play to help all young...