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Kids love animals—and that’s why animal activities are a great way to expand young children’s early language and literacy skills. Today’s blog post brings you 11 creative activities early educators can use to teach new vocabulary words, reinforce correct grammar constructions, and encourage talk...

Writing is a complex skill—and to become good writers, students need to integrate skills and strategies from all the components of what author Joan Sedita calls The Writing Rope. Using a metaphor similar to Scarborough’s Reading Rope, The Writing Rope uses strands of a rope to represent five...

One of our most-read blog posts is this collection of 5 Activities for Building Empathy in Your Students. That’s not a surprise—the world could use a lot more empathy, and teaching students this critical skill in the early grades is one of the best ways to ensure that they become empathetic adults....

Coaching between educators is one of the best ways to enhance teacher practice and improve outcomes for all learners. To make the most of coaching, whether for individual teachers or educator teams, it’s best to use a clear and organized framework that can be applied consistently. Excerpted and...

If you’re feeling anxious about the school year ahead and pressured to be the “perfect teacher” for students who have endured a turbulent few years, today’s guest post is a must-read. Brookes author Jenna Mancini Rufo, Ed.D., is here to share insights from a teacher who—in the midst of the...

Short-term memory is an important part of learning; students with a stronger short-term memory will be better able to retain knowledge and process new information. In an inclusive classroom—where students will have varying levels of need and ability—strategies to support students who may struggle...

What’s the most effective way to ensure coordinated, family-centered services for young children and families? The primary service provider (PSP) approach to teaming is a widely used, evidence-based model that’s growing in popularity for great reasons. The PSP approach makes one team member the...

The way a classroom is set up can have a powerful impact on the behavior of young children. A supportive and thoughtfully designed classroom environment can help reduce behavior challenges and encourage more of what you want to see: cooperation, learning, smooth transitions, and positive social...

A diverse classroom library can help build acceptance of the differences among students, promote positive attitude development, and help culturally and linguistically diverse learners feel seen and welcomed. Today’s post, a timely update of one of our popular blog posts from 2015, links you to 16...

A well-stocked, diverse classroom library can spark a child’s lifelong love of reading—and expand the key literacy skills you’re teaching every day. But before you spend your own money on building up a library your students will love, read the tips in today’s post. Excerpted and adapted from...

Positive and supportive peer relationships are important—they can reduce student stress, support mental health, strengthen communication skills, and mitigate negative family and community factors. Today’s post, excerpted and adapted from Understanding and Supporting Students with Emotional and...

Does your school and classroom environment support multilingual learners (MLs) effectively? Today’s post, a must-read for educators and educational decision-makers, will help schools assess and improve their practices and supports. Excerpted and adapted from Special Education Considerations for...

Before the Brookes blog starts its brief summer break, we wanted to spotlight some great books you might want to add to your professional development reading list before the new school year starts. Developed by expert authors, these books offer guidance, insight, and inspiration on critical topics...

Early spatial development is a critical skill to nurture in young children, whether you’re a teacher or a parent. Mary Jo Pollman, Ph.D., author of the book Blocks and Beyond: Strengthening Early Math and Science Skills through Spatial Learning, points out that “research has shown…a relationship...

Today’s post is a guest blog by Dr. Julie Causton, Dr. Kristie Pretti-Frontczak, and Dr. Kate MacLeod of Inclusive Schooling. These three inclusive education experts are here to share strategies for supporting paraprofessionals—and introduce a great new training opportunity for them! *** “Our...

If you’re an SLP, special educator, or reading specialist, you might already know about or use the Test of Integrated Language & Literacy Skills™ (TILLS™) . Developed by a team of highly respected experts—Nickola Nelson, Elena Plante, Nancy Helm-Estabrooks, and Gillian Hotz—TILLS...

For more than a decade, early childhood educators have been using the Pyramid Model for Promoting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children to boost social-emotional development using research-based practices. How can you get started with Pyramid Model strategies in your own...

Offering a wide range of benefits for students with and without disabilities, peer support arrangements are one effective strategy for supporting authentically inclusive education. In today’s post, you’ll read a compelling case story that illustrates the benefits of peer support arrangements in a...

As students with disabilities approach adult life beyond high school, they’ll need critical self-determination skills to identify their dreams and goals and advocate for the future they want. Student IEPs are the perfect vehicle for teaching essential components of self-determination. By learning...

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, enrollment in virtual and blended schools had been steadily rising, and remote learning will likely continue in some form for the foreseeable future. That means teachers will need explicit guidance on how to resolve the challenges of virtual instruction—not just...

At Brookes, we believe that science-based reading instruction is essential to students’ academic success (that’s why we publish evidence-based resources on applying structured literacy and the science of reading in the classroom). We also keep up with the latest news and developments on this...

Curiosity unlocks learning for young children: it supports creative thinking and initiative, encourages children to question and try new things, and builds the excitement that comes from successful problem-solving. As noted in the book Engaging Young Engineers, “children need curiosity to continue...

As an educator in an inclusive classroom, you know how important assessment is—but it’s equally important to ensure that the assessments you use don’t inadvertently create barriers for your learners. Today’s post, excerpted and adapted from Your UDL Lesson Planner by Patti Kelly Ralabate, will be a...

SLPs can get the big picture of young children’s progress and needs with the Bilingual English-Spanish Assessment™ (BESA™)....