As a must-have reference for busy teachers with little special education training, this book supplies classroom-tested instructional strategies that address the characteristics of and challenges faced by students with special needs. Dozens of differentiated strategies target teachers' anxieties and provide responsive interventions that can be used to address specifics of IEPs and learning plans. With Building on the Strengths of Students with Special Needs,special education expert Toby Karten focuses on specific disabilities and inclusive curriculum scenarios for learners in K-12 environments. She offers valuable advice on how to prevent labels from capping student potential and encouragement to help teachers continually improve learner outcomes. By highlighting more than a dozen disability labels, this resource walks teachers through the process of reinforcing, motivating, scaffolding, and planning for instruction that targets learners of all ability levels. Included are details relevant to each disability: Possible Causes. Characteristics and Strengths. Classroom Implications. Inclusion Strategies. Typical instruction needs to match the diversity of atypical learners without viewing any disability as a barrier that impedes student achievement. Teachers must not only learn how to differentiate their approach and target specific student strengths but also maintain a positive attitude and belief that all students are capable of achieving self-efficacy.

No single method has proven effective in differentiating between English learner students who have difficulty acquiring language skills and those who have learning disabilities. As a result, schools, districts, and states struggle with this issue. Misidentified students can end up in classrooms or programs mismatched to their needs, which could hamper their educational achievement. Research describes key elements of processes that can help identify and suggest appropriate services for English learner students with learning disabilities, and some states incorporate these elements into operational procedures, guidelines, and protocols. This book describes these key elements to inform policymakers interested in developing more effective procedures for identifying, assessing, and supporting English learner students who may have learning disabilities.