As a special education teacher, it can be hard to find books geared to my niche. After researching and asking other special education teachers, I’ve cultivated a list of books to help you tackle some of the diverse areas we encounter in this field. Look below for great recommendations and affiliate links!
Curriculum for Moderate-Severe Special Needs
This was one of the biggest areas of my challenge when I started teaching in the classroom. I struggled to find information on the curriculum for this population. Once I enrolled in a graduate program for adapted curriculum, I was introduced to a great wealth of information. These are my top two picks.
Aligning IEPS to State Standards
If you teach in a district that requires you to align your IEP goals with state standards, this is a must-read book. It is easy to skim through and gives you a great basis of knowledge. Many visuals are included in the book and it is chunked into a format that makes it much easier to read. It is one of my favorite books of all time!
More Language Arts, Math, and Science for Students with Severe Disabilities
This is a great book to help you start to introduce academic concepts into your severe disabilities classroom. This book is denser and takes longer to work through, but it is worth the time. It is filled with nuggets of information that will help you tackle academics in your classroom.
Sensory Needs
Both of these books came from recommendations from people I know. Sensory processing issues pop up frequently in my classroom for students with autism and I enjoy having resources on hand to help me.
The Special Needs SCHOOL Survival Guide
This book is by Cara Koscinski, also known as The Pocket OT. This recommendation came from Stephanie at Mrs. D’s Corner‘s list, available here. This book covers Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, Learning Disabilities, ADHD and more. The layout of this book makes it an easy read. If you want to know a lot but don’t have the time to read extensive books, this is the book for you.
This was the number one recommendation from the Occupational Therapist at my school. It is a wealth of information regarding what sensory processing disorder is and how you can help a child experiencing it.
Behavioral Needs
Behavioral needs can be rooted in a variety of issues and manifest themselves differently in children. While it’s hard to find a book that will cover all your needs, I have two great recommendations from Allie at Miss Behavior , below.
This book takes a deep look at students with behavioral challenges and what happens in the school setting. Although this book is long, it is written well and is full of valuable information.
This book has a great layout. It is broken into chunks and it has visuals. It is easy to skim but provides a lot of great information on building a positive classroom environment that benefits everybody.
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Books
As many of you know, I have a graduate certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). ABA has taught me a lot about my classroom and has given me a great foundation to teach my class. Here are two top picks for ABA books.
If you don’t know anything about ABA and you want to learn the basics, this is a great choice. It covers a lot of terminologies and gives great explanations. It is the fastest “crash course” I have found. The book is a bit dense, but worth the time it takes to read.
This is another meaty, but great, book. It comes with checklists and visuals you can use to help yourself support students with challenging needs. Each chapter targets a different overall behavioral challenge and is loaded with tips to try.
Autism Classroom Supports
I teach a class for students with Autism, grades 3-5. That is where most of my expertise lies, and it is the area I crave the most information from. Both books featured in this category come from the amazing Christine Reeve from Autism Classroom News.
Setting up Classroom Spaces That Support Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders
This is a must-have book for setting up a self-contained space. Full-color pictures really help you visualize what a successful classroom looks like. If you are starting in a self-contained classroom or looking to change up the structure, this book will help you.
Have you found yourself wondering what kind of datasheet you need to use? Not sure how to analyze the data, or what to do with it once you analyze it? This is the book for you. There are visuals, examples, and tips to make data easier to collect, more streamlined, and more productive in your classroom.
IEP/Legal Books
The law is one of the most intimidating parts of teaching special education, but it does not have to be. With the right resources and knowledge, you can feel more confident in your classroom.
This book is geared toward parents and advocates, but it is such an important read for special education teachers as well. You will learn a lot about writing strong IEP goals, using test data to guide the IEP, and how to deal with parent-school conflicts. This will help answer some of the questions you might have as you move through the IEP process.
This is another book geared toward parents, but it is one of the most valuable books I have read. If you are a brand new special education teacher or unsure about IEPS, this is a must-read. It has an easy to digest format and is perfect for skimming for information.
General Books
Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew
This is an easy-read book that breaks down some of the overarching themes found in the Autism community. With chapters on concrete thinkers, struggles with communication, social interactions, and more, this book highlights some of the common difficulties an individual with Autism may face. It will help you be more prepared moving into the classroom
This book is denser than the other one, but still filled with great information. This book takes the approach that “Autism Is Not An Illness” and helps the reader understand it is a different way of seeing the world.
What other books do you recommend? Drop them in the comments and I’ll be sure to look at them!