Selective mutism is a relatively uncommon, yet significantly impairing anxiety disorder that causes difficulties in young children when communicating in social situations (such as school) even though they speak normally when they are comfortable (such as at home). Early childhood educators play a unique role in helping to identify selective…

Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are often challenged by social interaction and may require substantial support to interact with peers even in inclusive settings. Having adults support students with ASD during peer interactions, however, may ostracize the student from peers without disabilities. Peer-mediated strategies are needed so…

Surrounding students with messages that they have the ability to learn and teaching them how is at the core of closing the achievement gap. Teachers can engage in verbal behaviors that counteract the negative messages that children of color receive outside the classroom. Those verbal behaviors can embed these messages for students: What we're…

From an educational perspective, self-determination is the way that individuals act according to their own decisions. It is characterized by knowing where and when a person should do a certain action without intervention from others. To be self-determined, it is necessary to develop self-regulation skills. Therefore, teaching the…

This article challenges coaches to address the more personal, human elements of coaching--the HEART of coaching. While there is much research on numerous aspects of coaching, this article provides ideas that make a lasting impact on the hearts of athletes. Using HEART as an acronym, five elements of effective coaching are presented: Humility,…

This appendix provides additional characteristics of the studies of "Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT)" that meet What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) single-case design standards, including six studies that contribute to the findings in the "CW-FIT" intervention report and six studies that do not contribute to…

Food selectivity is the most commonly reported feeding problem in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD.) Schreck et al. (2004) surveyed 472 caregivers of children between 5 and 12 years of age. They found that 72% of those children diagnosed with ASD had feeding difficulties, significantly higher than same-age peers without ASD.…

Elopement occurs when an individual runs away from or leaves a supervised area. Elopement is a dangerous behavior that requires diligence from school personnel in order to effectively reduce its occurrence. Using a step-by-step process to identify the reasons goal-directed elopement occurs and then implementing an intervention to effectively teach…

There is substantial empirical evidence that the Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) process is an effective means to reduce student problem behavior and increase desirable behaviors (e.g., What Works Clearinghouse, 2016). The use of an FBA as the basis for a behavior intervention plan (BIP) has been a requirement for certain disciplinary…

Group contingencies are effective classroom-based interventions that can be used to increase the academic engagement of students with disabilities. This article defines and outlines examples of dependent, independent, and interdependent group contingencies. In addition, tips for success, including making reinforcement accessible to students,…

While teachers continue to learn and grow as they gain experience, the foundation for their skills is provided by their initial teacher education program. And of all the parts of teacher education, none is more important than clinical practice. In general, the field of education has long recognized and championed the importance of practice. A 2010…

To encourage males to enter the teaching field, specifically in family and consumer sciences (FCS), FCS professionals should participate in recruitment initiatives aimed at males. Administrators, teacher educators, career counselors, and FCS teachers can play a significant role in this comprehensive and systematic effort. This paper adopts the…

Developing character strengths such as kindness and perseverance are just as crucial as academics for today's learners. This article describes how the author and the classroom teacher worked one-on-one with a third grade class to teach such attributes. Approximately once a month the classroom teacher and the author taught lessons on kindness,…

While we are seeking new ways to ensure students' academic success, we must ensure that we are not neglecting their need for physical activity. As we innovate to improve academic success, we can also seek ways to overcome the challenges of space, time, and behavior management to reap the benefits of movement, which include increased student…

In this white paper, Diane Reinhold, Tracy Patterson, and Peter Hegel assert that there is no magic bullet to ensure people apply what they learn. There are, however, steps that can be taken to create leadership programs, experiences, and supports that improve the likelihood that lessons will be learned and applied. Over time, new skills,…