Joyful Learning
With Joyful Learning, co-authors and educational researchers Dr. Alice Udvari-Solner and Paula Kluth have written a classroom resource to address the diverse learning needs of students with diverse learning abilities. Udvari-Solner is a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Kluth previously authored "You're Going to Love This Kid: Educating Students with Autism in Inclusive Classrooms," and served as lead editor for "Access to Academics: Critical Approaches to Inclusive Curriculum, Instruction, and Policy." The following is a description from Joyful Learning publisher Corwin Press:
"This accessible resource for K–12 inclusive classrooms helps teachers create an environment for active and collaborative learning that encourages and supports all students, including those who may have marked differences in ability, need, language, culture and/or learning profile. Promoting the concept that learners with differing abilities can learn side-by-side, this book illustrates how to use a practical, differentiated approach to help develop every student's abilities.
"Joyful Learning presents a range of strategies that can be used at both the elementary and secondary levels to engage students in discussion, debate, creative thinking, questioning and teamwork. Providing classroom-tested examples, specific guidelines, and reproducibles, the book provides tools for teachers to:
- Promote relationship building and interdependence
- Help students teach one another as they make discoveries about course content
- Support learners in preparing for assessments
- Engage in whole-class learning while assisting students who need personalized instruction
- Assess learner understanding and celebrate growth
"This versatile book can also be used as a co-planning tool by general and special education professionals working with occupational therapists, speech clinicians, and physical therapists to effectively support all students, including English Language Learners and learners with disabilities."
