Focus on Special Educational Needs

Book excerpt: Focus on Special Educational Needs explores the characteristics of effective classroom instruction for language learners aged 5–18 with special educational needs. It guides teachers and other educational practitioners to combine their perspectives in providing balanced, coordinated, cohesive, and comprehensive approaches. The authors present a framework for developing inclusive learning environments which are culturally and linguistically responsive, based on strengths-based perspectives. Research studies and examples from the classroom illustrate collaborative practice in action. Additional online resources at www.oup.com/elt/teacher/fosen Cristina Sánchez-López is a teacher educator in Chicago at the Illinois Resource Center, Multilingual Cultural Classroom, and Paridad Education Consulting. Theresa Young is a speech-language pathologist and educator in private practice in Parry Sound, Ontario. ‘This excellent book provides detailed guidance for educating language learners with special educational needs, based on a thorough review of classroom research. The authors advocate approaches which build upon all the assets learners bring to the classroom, and integrate these with decades of best practices in second language development and special education. This will be a welcome resource to graduate students and practicing teachers alike.’ Dr Nadeen T. Ruiz, School of Education, University of California at Davis