Student engagement is fundamental to learning, yet it also constitutes a major and long-standing challenge to educators around the world. This book provides an evidence-based theorisation of features associated with schooling engagement, along with targeted strategies that underpin a continuum of pedagogical, curricular and social support during the years of young adolescent schooling. Anchored by the Young Adolescent Engagement in Learning Model, a multi-layered model which incorporates a continuum of behavioural, emotional and cognitive dimensions of engagement, the authors provide a framework to help support the engagement of young adolescents. Seamlessly integrating theory and practice, this book explores the importance of avoiding educational disengagement, particularly from those who are most vulnerable due to a range of personal factors. This volume will be of interest and value to students and scholars of educational young adolescent engagement and retention, as well as those working with young people.

Adolescenceâ€"beginning with the onset of puberty and ending in the mid-20sâ€"is a critical period of development during which key areas of the brain mature and develop. These changes in brain structure, function, and connectivity mark adolescence as a period of opportunity to discover new vistas, to form relationships with peers and adults, and to explore one's developing identity. It is also a period of resilience that can ameliorate childhood setbacks and set the stage for a thriving trajectory over the life course. Because adolescents comprise nearly one-fourth of the entire U.S. population, the nation needs policies and practices that will better leverage these developmental opportunities to harness the promise of adolescenceâ€"rather than focusing myopically on containing its risks. This report examines the neurobiological and socio-behavioral science of adolescent development and outlines how this knowledge can be applied, both to promote adolescent well-being, resilience, and development, and to rectify structural barriers and inequalities in opportunity, enabling all adolescents to flourish.

Steeped in research and chock-full of learning ideas with titles to support instruction, Engaging Adolescent Learners is a must-have for principals, teachers, and staff developers. - Cris Tovani, Author of I Read It, But I Don't Get It Engagement is the missing link to all student learning, and Releah Lent has nailed it. A compelling, moral, practical, exciting book whose ideas are immediately ready for use. Devour this book, put the ideas into effect and reap the benefits. - Michale Fullan, Author of Leading in a Culture of Change In an educational environment fraught with federal and state mandates, high-stakes testing, overcrowded classrooms, and dense curriculum, taking the time to engage every student in learning might seem impossible. Yet, not only is it possible, it's doable and in every discipline - with the right learning conditions in place. In this groundbreaking new book, Releah Lent describes these conditions and what they look like in practice. Engaging Adolescent Learners is both a practical resource and an ideal tool for professional development. Using Brian Cambourne's Conditions of Learning as her framework, Lent invites you to assess your learning, your practice, and your beliefs about key aspects of student motivation: Does the amount of responsibility you extend to students match your expectations for them? Do you offer adolescents supportive feedback? Do you give students sufficient opportunities to use their newfound knowledge and skills? Then Lent offers specific suggestions for tailoring your classroom practices to the motivational needs of each and every learner. She provides resources such as example activities for your classroom, study-group questions for ongoing professional reflection, and ideas for action research and coaching to improve your understanding of engagement. Examine what it means to engage young adults in their learning and find out what classrooms with engaged students look, sound, and feel like. Let Releah Lent help you transform your classrooms into places where students have the freedom to satisfy their natural inclination to explore. With Engaging Adolescent Learners at your side, you'll have everything you need to help even the most reluctant students find a way to learn that works for them.

Activate learning with practical techniques that put brain research and technology into practice! Translating brain research into practical classroom strategies, this valuable resource for adolescent-centered teaching provides keys to curriculum design, instruction, and assessment within the context of a developmentally appropriate, differentiated approach. This book focuses on learners’ intellectual, social, and emotional needs and equips teachers with: A six-point differentiation model Tactics tailored to English Language Learners, gifted learners, and students with special needs Ways to capitalize on technology Brain-friendly instructional practices grounded in universal design for learning (UDL) Techniques to create environments aligned with adolescents’ specific developmental needs

The Handbook of Social Influences in School Contexts draws from a growing body of research on how and why various aspects of social relationships and contexts contribute to children’s social and academic functioning within school settings. Comprised of the latest studies in developmental and educational psychology, this comprehensive volume is perfect for researchers and students of Educational Psychology. Beginning with the theoretical perspectives that guide research on social influences, this book presents foundational research before moving on to chapters on peer influence and teacher influence. Next, the book addresses ways in which the school context can influence school-related outcomes (including peer and teacher-student relationships) with specific attention to research in motivation and cognition. Within the chapters authors not only present current research but also explore best-practices, drawing in examples from the classroom. With chapters from leading experts in the field, The Handbook of Social Influences in School Contexts provides the first complete resource on this topic.

Handbook of Student Engagement Interventions: Working with Disengaged Students provides an understanding of the factors that contribute to student disengagement, methods for identifying students at risk, and intervention strategies to increase student engagement. With a focus on translating research into best practice, the book pulls together the current research on engagement in schools and empowers readers to craft and implement interventions. Users will find reviews on evidence-based academic, behavioral, social, mental health, and community-based interventions that will help increase all types of engagement. The book looks at ways of reducing suspensions through alternative disciplinary practices, the role resiliency can play in student engagement, strategies for community and school collaborations in addressing barriers to engagement, and what can be learned from students who struggled in school, but succeeded later in life. It is a hands-on resource for educators, school psychologists, researchers, and students looking to gain insight into the research on this topic and the strategies that can be deployed to promote student engagement. - Presents practical strategies for engagement intervention and assessment - Covers early warning signs of disengagement and how to use these signs to promote engagement - Reviews contextual factors (families, peers, teachers) related to engagement - Focuses on increasing engagement and school completion for all students - Emphasizes multidimensional approaches to disengagement