RocketEd’s Best Books for Inclusive Schools
At RocketEd we prioritise the need for schools and educational settings to be inclusive, to promote equal access and opportunity and to reduce discrimination and intolerance. We are often asked by school leaders to recommend books to help, and thought it would be a great idea to publish our current top 10 list of books for inclusive schools.
Below is our collection of 10 books focusing on ways that schools can become more inclusive as well as best practice for including particular groups of learners. This includes but is not limited to those with an autism spectrum condition, with ADHD, with additional learning needs, attachment difficulties or challenging behaviour. We hope they inspire schools as much as they do us, but they are not just for schools - they can of course also be read and digested by parents, professionals and anyone else interested in the topics they address.
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‘Don’t We Already Do Inclusion?: 100 Ideas for Improving Inclusive Schools’
by Paula Kluth
This is essential reading for school leaders of all age phases, whether they consider that their school is already inclusive or are working towards it. As Kluth states, “...inclusion is not about supporting the needs of some. It is about recognizing the uniqueness in all.” Being part of an inclusive school has benefits for all members of that community, be they adult or young person, with additional needs or not. This book could be used as a tool to audit classroom effectiveness or more generally as a starting point for strategic direction, providing practical examples at classroom, school, local area and community levels. It will encourage school leaders and teachers to think, in the widest sense, about how inclusive their setting and practices actually are and what next steps to consider.
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‘How to Be an Inclusive Leader: Your Role in Creating Cultures of Belonging Where Everyone Can Thrive’
by Jennifer Brown
Right from the start of our lives, the need to belong is fundamental to the extent to which we can achieve our potential. Not educationally focused or written with schools in mind, this book is aimed at leaders of any organisation wanting to understand how to ensure that their communities are as inclusive as possible. Brown describes the move towards inclusion as a journey and shares what leaders at any level can do to initiate change. Her framework, ‘The Inclusive Leader Continuum’, provides a tool for leaders to assess their point on that journey alongside practical suggestions and concrete strategies for progression. Easy to digest, the reader will return to this again and again.
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‘Inclusive Education for Autistic Children: Helping Children and Young People to Learn and Flourish in the Classroom’
by Dr Rebecca Wood with Dr Wenn B. Lawson
The aim of this carefully researched and informative book is to ensure that educators understand what autism is and how autistic learners present, so that they can be fully included. Wood highlights the different ways that autistic learners think, learn and communicate, and offers practical advice on managing the sensory environment, ways of harnessing areas of special interest, removing barriers and adapting the curriculum, among others. We like the inclusion of adult and child voices, adding authenticity and reminding us of the importance of inclusion for individuals, communities and society.
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‘Let's Hear It from the Boys: What boys really think about school and how to help them succeed’
by Gary Wilson
This is written from a secondary school perspective but is relevant to all educational phases, particularly in light of Wilson’s assertion that we live in a sexist society and the only way to change this is to move towards ‘caring masculinity’ through education. He makes helpful suggestions and offers tangible ways to do this, including usable resources such as template letters to parents, checklists and action research suggestions as well as ‘calls to action’ at the end of each chapter. This book will really help leaders seeking to take practical steps to address the gender gap in their schools.
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‘Miss, I Don’t Give a Sh*t: Engaging with Challenging Behaviour in Schools’
by Adele Bates
Delivered with compassion, empathy and humour, this book addresses a key issue in education, one that is often cited as a key reason that teachers choose to leave the profession - challenging behaviour. Bates highlights that being excluded from school doesn't address the underlying issues leading to challenging behaviour and can significantly reduce the outcomes and life chances for the most vulnerable students in society. She argues that as educators we must look beyond the behaviour itself and focus on the reasons for it - and on the young person at its core. In this book, she offers professional advice, guidance and a range of tools for leaders to take an empathetic rather than punitive approach to managing behaviour in schools.
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‘Persuasive Scripts: How To Get People To Do What You Want’’
by Bernard Allen
This is an interesting, often humorous and (dare we say) persuasive guide to help those working in schools as well as anyone else trying to manage difficult situations with the use of scripts. It will make you stop and think before reacting and can be used by school leaders to develop a consistent and positive school-wide approach to managing day-to-day incidents of challenging attitudes or behaviour. This book is a well kept secret that we think deserves to be shared widely!
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‘Take Control of the Noisy Class: Chaos to Calm in 15 Seconds (Super-effective classroom management strategies for teachers in today's toughest classrooms)’
by Rob Plevin
This is a clearly written, practical and engaging book about far more than managing a noisy class. Filled with an abundance of practical tips and guidance, this is invaluable reading for any teacher struggling with behaviour management. The chapters are clearly defined, making it easy to navigate and to dip in and out of for reference. We especially value the useful strategies section at the end, which will help teachers to ‘think on their feet’, to reflect on their own practice and to develop new strategies alongside those which they already find effective. We also appreciate that rather than focus solely on school, Plevin emphasises the importance of a supportive home-school relationship for turning things around and making things better.
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‘The Inclusive Classroom: A New Approach to Differentiation’
by Daniel Sobel and Sara Alston
This is an ideal book for school leaders who are keen to make a difference. Sobel and Alston offer insightful advice presented in an easy-to-read format, drawing on their own professional experience to highlight some of the barriers to inclusion in the classroom and offering a range of suggestions that can be easily put in place in both primary and secondary schools. As the authors point out, these will lead to benefits for all students beyond those on the school’s SEN register. Isn’t that what inclusion is all about?
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‘Understanding ADHD in Girls and Women’
edited by Joanne Steer
It's not just autism which is misunderstood and often missed in girls and women, ADHD is too - and this book clearly and incisively describes the specific challenges they face with information from professionals with a range of experience in the field. For example, as their symptoms present differently, girls with ADHD are less likely than boys to be referred for assessment or diagnosed and more likely to end up with incorrect diagnosis of or actual mental health conditions due to their needs not being addressed. The most powerful aspect of this book for us were the female voices summarising the impact that ADHD has had on them. Essential reading for any school leaders or other staff wanting to increase awareness in this area.
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‘What About Me?: Inclusive Strategies to Support Pupils with Attachment Difficulties Make it Through the School Day’
by Louise Michelle Bombèr
Bombèr skilfully takes the reader through a typical school day and what challenges children with attachment difficulties face at each point, with examples from both primary and secondary school contexts. Key concepts and ideas are presented as threads throughout the book, which could be read either from beginning to end, or dipped in and out on a ‘need to know’ basis. This is an excellent resource for anyone leading or working in a school or with children who have attachment difficulties, who are at risk or otherwise vulnerable.
