A guide to children's ministry that serves families with special needs Jesus set a high standard when He said "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven." The call is not limited to children who will sit quietly at His feet and listen, who color between the lines, who raise their hands and wait to be called upon, and who work at grade level. Children's ministries are responsible to be ready to bring children with disabilities to Jesus' feet too. Every Child Welcome is the guide for leaders and volunteers to assist in purposeful planning and skill development for a ministry inclusive of children with unique needs. Experienced children's ministry leaders, and parents of special-needs children themselves, the authors are superbly equipped to offer a thoughtful, thorough approach to creating a positive environment for children--one where all children will be able to digest the important concepts being taught. For leaders and volunteers, Every Child Welcome will provide the knowledge and tools to * create a welcoming environment before kids arrive * help children learn more effectively by connecting new information to what they already know * reinforce the main idea of a lesson, building background knowledge and reviewing important concepts * supplement instruction with hands-on activities to increase attention and participation * reinforce and wrap up an activity effectively

'Beautifully written and produced' 'Packed full of thought-provoking truths' 'A good devotional read or for anyone with a busy schedule' Part-serialised in Quiet Spaces, the prayer and spirituality journal from BRF. Jesus said, 'I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children ... 'These are radical words; potentially life-changing words. Yet how many of us truly believe that we need to become like little children? What might be the implications for our life and faith? As a Child is an exploration of this call to childlikeness, this call to littleness - a call made not to children, but to adults - not to those who are naturally childlike, but to those who have grown out of their childlike nature. It is a book for all who desire to grow in their faith, to enter into all that God has for us, to live the life God wants us to live and to be the people God wants us to be. For all are willing to respond to Jesus' call, and become like a little child.

This course book is for all degree students who are support staff, particularly teaching assistants (TAs), working in educational settings. It focuses on professional, academic and vocational issues that are common to support workers across the school sectors, and provides essential guidance on the increasingly complex role of all those involved in teaching and supporting learning. The reader is supported throughout by learning objectives, practical and reflective tasks, relevant case studies and chapter summaries. This new edition has been extensively revised to reflect recent changes in legislation, policy and the curriculum. It includes new or significantly amended chapters; on the development of support staff; supporting pupils in crisis; learning in the early years; inclusion, SEN and phonics. New to this edition: New legislation and policy changes mean updates required. Development of a new curriculum has brought changes.

Helping Every Child to Thrive in the Early Years shows how a personalised and relationship-based approach to education and care can help overcome the ‘disadvantage gap’ in the early years. It examines the challenges that children from disadvantaged backgrounds face and looks at what settings and practitioners can do to enable every child to succeed. Drawing on the latest research and using the insight gained from many years of working in early education the book considers the impact that disadvantage can have on children’s development and argues that building strong relationships with children and families is key to closing the gap. Chapters cover: The different kinds and effects of disadvantage The importance of having a clear vision and shared values The culture of early years and how it has shaped practice Developing strong parent partnerships Supporting children with additional needs Smooth transitions Full of practical advice and supporting anecdotes and case studies, this is essential reading for early years practitioners, setting managers and teachers working with children in Reception and KS1.

Raising a child with a disability can often be more isolating and frustrating than any parent ever imagines. Finally, here is a book that honestly describes the inner needs and range of issues parents with disabled children face. Changed by a Child invites parents to take a moment for themselves. Each of the brief readings offers comfort and hope as they capture the unique challenges and joys of raising a disabled child.

In her introduction to this collection of English and American poetry, the editor argues that learning a poem is a very desirable task for a child since it develops memory skills and a love of literature. There are many well-known poems in this collection that children have loved through the ages.