Susan R. Sandall

Prepare early childhood educators to teach all children in inclusive settings with the fourth edition of this bestselling guidebook--enhanced with new content, new topics, and more tools for planning effective instruction. Like the groundbreaking previous editions, this updated Building Blocks guide gives pre- and inservice teachers three types of practical, evidence-based inclusion strategies: curriculum modifications, embedded learning opportunities, and child-focused instructional strategies. Educators will learn how to apply these three strategies for the benefit of all children; review the latest research that supports the Building Blocks model; and find ready-to-use tips and guidance on key topics, from fostering friendships to promoting positive behavior. New reproducible forms support planning and assessment, and seven training modules make it easy to teach the Building Blocks framework in college courses and professional development sessions. Equally useful as a student-friendly textbook and a go-to guide for practicing educators, this is a resource readers will return to again and again for proven, easy-to-use strategies that support all young learners. What's NewAll chapters updatedNew chapter on Ongoing Assessment and Instructional Decision-MakingNew chapter on Implementing the Building Blocks Framework8 new checklists and planning forms to support implementationNew section on the impact of implicit bias on teachers’ perception of challenging behaviorExpanded content on key topics such as collaboration, curriculum modifications, friendships and social relationshipsUpdated vignettes, terms, resources, and referencesWith 7 Training Modules: Using the Building Blocks framework; Conducting ongoing child assessment; Planning for the individual child; Using visuals to support learning; Applying the Building Blocks framework to math and science; Applying the framework to challenging classroom behavior; Extending the framework to infants and toddlers

During the first years of life, before a child’s first words, preverbal communication and engagement between children and their caregivers build an essential foundation for language and learning across domains. Many children with disabilities and their families struggle to connect early in life and need support developing early communication skills—and now there’s a comprehensive resource to help birth-to-three practitioners deliver that critical support to young children with disabilities and their families. The product of more than three decades of research and clinical work, this accessible guidebook will help professionals harness the power of Triadic Gaze Intervention (TGI), an evidence-based strategy that supports the development of early communication behaviors—gaze, gestures, and vocalizations—in young children with disabilities. Through a straightforward protocol, practitioners will learn powerful techniques for helping caregivers engage young children during everyday routines and build their preverbal communication skills. In-depth practical guidance—enhanced with tip sheets, case examples, photos, and demonstration videos—make the protocol easy to learn and put into action with families and children. A must for early interventionists, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and other practitioners, this book is the key to helping young children with disabilities learn to successfully communicate, bond with their families, and engage with their world. READERS WILL:Learn about the six elements of the authors’ PoWRRS-Connect protocol for implementing TGI: providing opportunity, waiting, recognizing, responding, shaping, and connectingUse the protocol to help children make progress toward IFSP goals related to communication and engagementTailor the protocol for individual children with a range of disabilities and needs, including motor, sensory, or social impairmentsEmbed opportunities for communication and engagement into each family’s authentic routines and activitiesFacilitate stronger collaborative partnerships with caregiversDiscover how to monitor small measures of progress in engagement and communication through the lens of TGILearn from four parents of children with complex communication needs, who share their success stories with TGI and describe their children’s current communication methods and abilitiesPRACTICAL MATERIALS: Easily implement the PoWRRS-Connect protocol in families’ daily routines with the downloads available online, including handouts for caregivers (available in English and Spanish), a communication checklist for assessment, and 19 brief demonstration videos.

The third edition of Building Blocks provides readers with a framework for successful and meaningful inclusion of preschoolers with special needs. Like the first two editions, the third edition offers teachers effective, research-based instructional practices to promote learning in inclusive classrooms. The authors have updated existing content and added new content to reflect current thinking in the field.