In these games, the prize is success in school—and life. Having good social skills doesn’t just affect classroom behavior—it’s the key to making learning stick. When students improve their self-regulation, social communication, and perspective-taking competencies, they are better prepared to challenge themselves academically, take on tough tasks, and collaborate with teachers and classmates to achieve real, lasting school success. And since these skills also improve life outside school, the benefits come full circle. Designed for both explicit instruction and "learning by doing," this practical guide provides hands-on activities that are easily adapted into any curriculum and can be used in general education, special education, after-school settings, and in the home. The design of each game keeps kids engaged and motivated, while educators benefit from clear, thorough explanations that unpack the complexities of social learning. Other behind-the-scenes features include: Evidence-based, teacher-tested lessons Anecdotes and real-world examples Links to relevant research Expansion ideas for applying learned skills to broader situations Templates and reproducibles for easy implementation This curated collection of activities puts social-learning theory into practice, helping even the most challenging children develop the social skills necessary for real success in school—and beyond.

In these games, the prize is success in school—and life. Having good social skills doesn’t just affect classroom behavior—it’s the key to making learning stick. When students improve their self-regulation, social communication, and perspective-taking competencies, they are better prepared to challenge themselves academically, take on tough tasks, and collaborate with teachers and classmates to achieve real, lasting school success. And since these skills also improve life outside school, the benefits come full circle. Designed for both explicit instruction and "learning by doing," this practical guide provides hands-on activities that are easily adapted into any curriculum and can be used in general education, special education, after-school settings, and in the home. The design of each game keeps kids engaged and motivated, while educators benefit from clear, thorough explanations that unpack the complexities of social learning. Other behind-the-scenes features include: Evidence-based, teacher-tested lessons Anecdotes and real-world examples Links to relevant research Expansion ideas for applying learned skills to broader situations Templates and reproducibles for easy implementation This curated collection of activities puts social-learning theory into practice, helping even the most challenging children develop the social skills necessary for real success in school—and beyond.

Learn from the Engagement Masters Education is a battle for attention. Whether you are a teacher trying to reach a classroom full of students or a parent trying to prepare your child for the world to come, getting our audience to just listen can be a real challenge. When students have access to personalized entertainment sitting in their pockets, anything that doesn't jump out and grab their attention right away is easily drowned out. But there is a place where even today all those modern distractions melt away--Disneyland. When you're there, you're not only in a different world, you're in Walt Disney's world. Whether you are Peter Pan flying over London in Fantasyland or a rebel fighter struggling against the First Order in Galaxy's Edge, you are 100% engaged. Sights, sounds and even smells ensure that your brain is locked into the experience. If we can bring those techniques into our teaching, we can create engaging experiences for our students, grab their attention, and boost their learning. You'll improve your teaching and create a place students want to visit. In this book we'll learn from the world's greatest engagement masters--the Disney Imagineers. Through narrative visits to attractions throughout Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, you'll experience a visit to the park as we share memories and see how the Imagineers make it all work. We'll be guided by Imagineering icon Marty Sklar's Mickey's 10 Commandments of Theme Park Design as we turn our classrooms into the most engaging places on Earth!

A wide range of activities put together by teachers to help teachers focus on specific skills, including listening, following directions, communication, problem-solving, interacting, using teamwork, practicing diversity, and so much more! The activities are fun and easy to understand. Sample questions provide a basis for discussion, and variations help teachers adjust skill levels.

Play is serious business. Whether it's reenacting a favorite book (comprehension and close reading), negotiating the rules for a game (speaking and listening), or collaborating over building blocks (college and career readiness and STEM), Kristi Mraz, Alison Porcelli, and Cheryl Tyler see every day how play helps students reach standards and goals in ways that in-their-seat instruction alone can't do. And not just during playtimes. "We believe there is play in work and work in play," they write. "It helps to have practical ways to carry that mindset into all aspects of the curriculum." In Purposeful Play, they share ways to: optimize and balance different types of play to deepen regular classroom learning teach into play to foster social-emotional skills and a growth mindset bring the impact of play into all your lessons across the day. "We believe that play is one type of environment where children can be rigorous in their learning," Kristi, Alison, and Cheryl write. So they provide a host of lessons, suggestions for classroom setups, helpful tools and charts, curriculum connections, teaching points, and teaching language to help you foster mature play that makes every moment in your classroom instructional. Play doesn't only happen when work is over. Children show us time and time again that play is the way they work. In Purposeful Play, you'll find research-driven methods for making play an engine for rigorous learning in your classroom.

NOTE: This storybook includes a read-aloud option which is accessible on Google and IOS devices. Catch up with Ellie, Jesse, Molly, and Evan on a field trip to a farm in storybook 2 of the We Thinkers! Vol. 1 social emotional learning curriculum for ages 4-7. What an adventure as they learn what a group plan is and why it’s important to follow the group plan instead of their own individual plans if they want to get important things done as part of a group—like picking apples, collecting fresh eggs, carrying pails of milk—as they work together with Grandma to make a delicious apple pie and fresh ice cream. These young social learners find out that it’s fun and feels good to share thoughts, follow the group plan, and think about others, which makes everyone feel calm and comfortable. Continue building on this important social concept with the fundamental concepts taught in storybooks 3-10, which align with the corresponding teaching units within the related curriculum. Best practice: teach these concepts in order, starting with storybook 1 of 10 while using the corresponding curriculum.

Employ cognitive theory in the classroom every day Research into how we learn has opened the door for utilizing cognitive theory to facilitate better student learning. But that's easier said than done. Many books about cognitive theory introduce radical but impractical theories, failing to make the connection to the classroom. In Small Teaching, James Lang presents a strategy for improving student learning with a series of modest but powerful changes that make a big difference—many of which can be put into practice in a single class period. These strategies are designed to bridge the chasm between primary research and the classroom environment in a way that can be implemented by any faculty in any discipline, and even integrated into pre-existing teaching techniques. Learn, for example: How does one become good at retrieving knowledge from memory? How does making predictions now help us learn in the future? How do instructors instill fixed or growth mindsets in their students? Each chapter introduces a basic concept in cognitive theory, explains when and how it should be employed, and provides firm examples of how the intervention has been or could be used in a variety of disciplines. Small teaching techniques include brief classroom or online learning activities, one-time interventions, and small modifications in course design or communication with students.

Technology has increasingly become utilized in classroom settings in order to allow students to enhance their experiences and understanding. Among such technologies that are being implemented into course work are game-based learning programs. Introducing game-based learning into the classroom can help to improve students’ communication and teamwork skills and build more meaningful connections to the subject matter. While this growing field has numerous benefits for education at all levels, it is important to understand and acknowledge the current best practices of gamification and game-based learning and better learn how they are correctly implemented in all areas of education. The Research Anthology on Developments in Gamification and Game-Based Learning is a comprehensive reference source that considers all aspects of gamification and game-based learning in an educational context including the benefits, difficulties, opportunities, and future directions. Covering a wide range of topics including game concepts, mobile learning, educational games, and learning processes, it is an ideal resource for academicians, researchers, curricula developers, instructional designers, technologists, IT specialists, education professionals, administrators, software designers, students, and stakeholders in all levels of education.

It’s fun to make friends and play with others, but it’s not always easy to do. You have to make an effort, and you have to know the rules—like ask before joining in, take turns, play fair, and be a good sport. This book teaches the basics of cooperation, getting along, making friends, and being a friend. Includes ideas for games adults can use with kids to reinforce the skills being taught. The Learning to Get Along® Series The Learning to Get Along series helps children learn, understand, and practice basic social and emotional skills. Real-life situations, lots of diversity, and concrete examples make these read-aloud books appropriate for home and childcare settings, schools, and special education settings. Each book ends with a section of discussion questions, games, and activities adults can use to reinforce what children have learned. All titles are available in English-Spanish bilingual editions.