Meet Me in the Middle: Becoming an Accomplished Middle-Level Teacher

Remember the kids who just didn’t fit in? Maybe they stood too close, or talked too loud. Whatever the reason, we called them hurtful names, and they never understood why. Now, clinical psychologists Duke and Nowicki call these children “dyssemic,” and offer some ideas of how to help them. Dyssemic children cannot readily comprehend nonverbal messages, much as dyslexics do not correctly process the written word. Yet nonverbal communication plays a vital role in our communication with others, and children who misunderstand or misuse it may face painful social rejection. In Helping the Child Who Doesn’t Fit In, Duke and Nowicki show parents and teachers how to assess the extent of a child’s problem, as well as how to help the dyssemic child.

This practical guidebook shows elementary school teachers how to make this systematic instruction part of their classroom. Educators will find a wide range of specific strategies.

This is a unique handbook that teaches parents how to work with schools to achieve optimal learning situations and accommodations for their child’s needs. From IEPs and 504 Plans, to IDEA and NCLB, navigating today’s school system can be difficult for even the most up-to-date, education savvy parent. Special needs advocates Rich Weinfeld and Michelle Davis provide parents and professional advocates with concise, easy-to-understand definitions and descriptions of legal terms and school regulations, along with checklists, tips, questionnaires, and other tools.

This book is an engaging, reader-friendly work which guides parents through the formative years of a child’s life. This well-regarded book is now available in paperback, newly revised to reflect the most recent studies. The new edition features information from the latest research, including traumatic events in the news, television and learning skills, physical activity, and temperament.

With a specific focus on the brain, the book takes the reader through specific phases of child development beginning with Life in the Womb an going through the first six years of life. Each chapter ends with a section “To Think About,” addressing such practical matters as good-night rituals, reading books together and coping with conflict.

Hallahan and Kauffman continue their tradition of presenting the latest trends and issues in this edition with over 400 new reference citations dated 2000 and after. Theory and research is presented in clear and concise language, and practical teaching suggestions are based on sound research. There are good reasons why Hallahan and Kauffman has been the best-selling introductory book in special education for generations of general education and special education teachers. Depth, lucidity, clarity, and coherence combine to make a text appropriate for readers at all levels: graduate and undergraduate, from introductory to advanced. Hallahan and Kauffman bring readers information they can trust. For anyone interested in education, specifically special education and human exceptionality.

Phonemic awareness—the understanding that words are made up of sounds—is essential to a child’s early reading success. With this book, children gain this awareness through engaging, easy to teach activities.