Meaningful Mathematics Instruction for Students With Learning Difficulties: Solutions for Reaching Struggling Learners

Making mathematics concepts understandable is a challenge for any teacher—a challenge that's more complex when a classroom includes students with learning difficulties. With this highly practical resource, educators will have just what they need to teach mathematics with confidence: research-based strategies that really work with students who have learning disabilities, ADHD, or mild cognitive disabilities. This urgently needed guidebook helps teachers

• Understand why students struggle.
• Teachers will discover how the common learning characteristics of students with learning difficulties create barriers to understanding mathematics.
• Review the Big Ideas.
• Are teachers focusing on the right things? A helpful primer on major NCTM-endorsed mathematical concepts and processes helps them be sure.
• Directly address students' learning barriers.
• With the lesson plans, practical strategies, photocopiable information-gathering forms, and online strategies in action, teachers will have concrete ways to help students grasp mathematical concepts, improve their proficiency, and generalize knowledge in multiple contexts.
• Check their own strengths and needs.
• Educators will reflect critically on their current practices with a thought-provoking questionnaire.

With this timely book—filled with invaluable ideas and strategies adaptable for grades K–12—educators will know just what to teach and how to teach it to students with learning difficulties.

Dr. Allsopp is Assistant Dean for Education and Partnerships in addition to being the David C. Anchin Center Endowed Chair and Director of the David C. Anchin Center at the College of Education at the University of South Florida. He is also Professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning–Special Education Programs. Dr. Allsopp holds degrees from Furman University (B.A., Psychology) and the University of Florida (M.Ed., Learning Disabilities; Ph.D., Special Education). Dr. Allsopp teaches at both the undergraduate and doctoral Levels, and his scholarship revolves around effective instructional practices, with an emphasis on mathematics, for students with high-incidence disabilities (e.g., specific learning disabilities, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, Social-emotional/behavior disorders) and other struggling learners who have not been identified with disabilities. Dr. Allsopp also engages in teacher education research related to how teacher educators can most effectively prepare teachers to address the needs of students with disabilities and other struggling learners. Dr. Allsopp began his career in education as a middle school teacher for students with learning disabilities and emotional/behavioral difficulties in Ocala, Florida. After completing his doctoral studies at the University of Florida, Dr. Allsopp served on the faculty at James Madison University for 6 years. He has been a member of the faculty at University of South Florida since 2001.

Dr. Lovin began her career teaching mathematics to middle and high school students before making the transition to Pre–K through Grade 8. For over 20 years, she has worked in elementary and middle school classrooms. Then and now, Dr. Lovin engages with teachers in professional development as they implement a student-centered approach to teaching mathematics. At the time of this publication, she focused her research concerning teachers' mathematical knowledge for teaching on the developmental nature of prospective teachers' fraction knowledge. She has published articles in Teaching Children Mathematics, Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, Teaching Exceptional Children, and the Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education. She coauthored the Teaching Student-Centered Mathematics Professional Development Series with John A. van de Walle, Karen Karp, and Jenny Bay-Williams (Pearson, 2013). Dr. Lovin is an active member of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the Association of Mathematics Teacher Education, and the Virginia Council of Teachers of Mathematics.