Empowers educators to help neurodivergent students thrive!Neurodiversity-Affirming Schools is a guide for K-12 educators to better understand neurodivergence and help neurodivergent students thrive. Inside, you'll find the background information and concrete practices you need to create a school or classroom culture where neurodivergent students feel safe, valued, and understood. You'll also find clear explanations of behaviors common in neurodivergent learners, such as masking, rejection sensitivity, and novelty seeking. Then, discover specific practices that you can use right away.This accessible book is designed to help you take action. By the end of each chapter, you'll understand how the key takeaways apply to your particular situation and how you can meet neurodivergent students' needs in ways appropriate to their unique cognition. Written by two experts on neurodiversity education, this book teaches you how to:Use established practices like strengths-based instruction in neurodiversity-affirming waysPrevent neurodivergent students from checking out and becoming burnt outIdentify the unique ways that neurodivergent children express their needs and difficultiesEmphasize and model emotional regulation skills at the classroom levelCreate more effective, strengths-based IEPs and 504 PlansThis book also provides real-world examples in the form of vignettes of neurodivergent students and the educators that support them. These features contextualize what you've learned to help you feel confident as you implement change.  Neurodiversity-Affirming Schools is your practical and comprehensive guide to creating opportunities for neurodivergent learners to succeed.

Recognize and support twice-exceptional (2e) learners to help them succeed in school—and beyond. Twice-exceptional (2e) learners have often been misunderstood, disciplined, unchallenged, and left behind. Even as awareness of 2e learners has grown, educators are still in need of practical tools to recognize and support their twice-exceptional students. This book answers that need, providing teachers with accessible information about twice-exceptional diagnoses and suggested accommodations, modifications, and collaboration with other educational professionals.  Dedicated to the needs of all 2e learners, the first part of the book covers identifying and understanding 2e students, strength-based instruction, motivation and self-regulation, and executive functioning skills. The second part details how gifted students are affected by another diagnosis, including: Specific learning disabilitiesADHDAutism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)Processing difficultiesAnxiety-based diagnosesDepression and other mood disorders This book equips educators with information that will make it easier for them to advocate for their 2e students, including what they need to know about the individualized education plan (IEP) and Section 504 plan process. Special topics, such as gifted students with physical disabilities, students experiencing trauma, and gifted learners from diverse backgrounds, are also included. With Teaching Twice-Exceptional Learners in Today’s Classroom, educators can better identify, support, and meet the needs of their 2e students.