Students at Risk: Solutions to Classroom Challenges

Dave Hutchinson is assistant superintendent of the School District of
Mystery Lake in Thompson, Manitoba.

With the move toward more inclusive schooling for special-needs
students, teachers are faced with accommodating a broad range of
abilities within the classroom. In recognition of this, Students at Risk
provides substantial support to the regular classroom teacher (both
elementary and secondary) in the areas of special-needs assessment and
instructional programming. The text is organized into two parts. Part 1
focuses on the identification of special needs (diagnostic assessment)
and the development of appropriate programming, and includes case
studies as well as a number of recommended assessment and instruction
strategies (evaluation templates and other reproducible blackline
masters are available in the appendixes). Part 2 centres on descriptions
of the disabilities and includes observational checklists for teachers
to use as an identification aid.

With the advent of such descriptors as attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD), emotionally behaviorally disturbed (EBD), and fetal
alcohol syndrome/effect (FAS/E), the author cautions teachers to beware
of the pitfalls of misidentification. At all times, the reader is
reminded that accuracy and the dignity of the student are of paramount
importance in the identification process. Both regular classroom and
special-needs teachers will find this text very helpful.