By Susan R. Sandall, Ph.D., & Ilene S. Schwartz, Ph.D., with Gail E. Joseph, Ph.D., Hsin-Ying Chou, Ed.D., Eva M. Horn, Ph.D., Joan Lieber, Ph.D., Samuel L. Odom, Ph.D., & Ruth Wolery, Ph.D.

In an inclusive early childhood classroom, the everyday challenges teachers face can seem overwhelming — especially if they have little experience working with children who have disabilities. This easy-to-use guidebook throws them a lifeline, offering strategies for teaching children with special needs, tailoring activities to individual needs, and working on a child’s IEP goals.

At the heart of the book is the authors’ Building Blocks model, three practical methods teachers can use to include young children with disabilities in the classroom: curriculum modifications that allow all children to participate, embedded learning opportunities that are used within typical classroom activities, and child-focused instructional strategies that help students achieve individual learning objectives. To help them use this model, this guide gives teachers

• detailed chapters for each building block, including instructions on when to use each method, everyday examples of each, and practical suggestions for implementation
  
  
• pages of photocopiable curriculum modifications with space for teacher-generated ideas
  
  
• a chart of classroom challenges linked back to curriculum modifications
  
  
• four stories of successful interventions, featuring children from diverse backgrounds and their teachers
  
  
• suggestions for using the model to address crucial curriculum content areas

This is the perfect guide to working with children who have disabilities and meeting their educational needs.

About the Authors
Foreword
Mary Louise Hemmeter
Acknowledgments

I. Using the Model

1. Introduction
   
   
2. The Building Blocks Model
   
   
3. Keys to Collaboration
   
   
4. Getting Started

II. Teaching Strategies

5. Curriculum Modifications
   
   
6. Embedded Learning Opportunities
   
   
7. Child-Focused Instructional Strategies

III. Four Important Topics

8. Independent Classroom Behavior
   
   
9. Developmentally Appropriate Classroom Behavior
   
   
10. Emergent Literacy in the Early Childhood Classroom
    
    
11. Friendships and Social Relationships
    
    
12. Concluding Thoughts

References
Appendix A: Blank Forms
Appendix B: Additional Readings
Index