1st Edition

Fostering Independent Learning Practical Strategies to Promote Student Success

    Accessible, practical, and empowering, this book gives school professionals the tools to put students in charge of their own learning. Going beyond traditional "study skills" guides that focus on the mechanics of homework completion and test taking, the authors address the underlying psychological factors that influence academic success and lifelong learning. They provide step-by-step guidance and data-based interventions for helping each student develop a repertoire of problem-solving strategies in the areas of motivation, emotional responses to learning, behavior, time management, organization, memory, reading, writing, math, and more. In a large-size format to facilitate photocopying, the volume includes dozens of reproducible handouts and forms.

    This book is in The Guilford Practical Intervention in the Schools Series, edited by Sandra M. Chafouleas.

    1. Working with Students to Promote Independent Learning
    2. Working with Families and Friends to Promote Independent Learning
    3. General Classroom Considerations
    4. Empowering Students to Self-Regulate Motivation to Study and Learn
    5. Empowering Students to Self-Regulate Emotional Reactions to Learning
    6. Empowering Students to Self-Regulate Behavior
    7. Empowering Students to Manage Time and Organization
    8. Helping Students Self-Regulate Cognition, Metacognition, and Executive Functions
    9. Empowering Students to Self-Regulate Reading
    10. Empowering Students to Self-Regulate Writing
    11. Empowering Students to Master Math, Science, and Technology
    12. Empowering Students to Successfully Take Tests and Improve Performance

    Biography

    Virginia Smith Harvey, PhD, is a professor and director of the School Psychology Program at the University of Massachusetts Boston, and was a school psychologist and supervisor in Indiana and New Hampshire for 18 years. Her research interests include study skills, increasing student resilience, and issues relating to the professional development of school psychologists. Dr. Harvey received her doctorate in educational/school psychology from Indiana University, is past president of the New Hampshire Association of School Psychologists, and is a fellow in Division 16 of the American Psychological Association. She frequently gives presentations and workshops at national conferences, is the author of numerous articles and book chapters, and is coauthor with J. A. Struzziero of Effective Supervision in School Psychology.

    Louise A. Chickie-Wolfe, PhD, is currently a teacher of fifth-grade general education, special education, and gifted/talented students in Munster, Indiana. She was an educational/behavioral consultant, coordinator, and special education teacher of children with learning disabilities and/or emotional-behavioral disorders for 27 years, and twice was named Outstanding Teacher of the Year. Dr. Chickie-Wolfe has been cited as a Professionally Recognized Special Educator for Special Education Teaching by the Council for Exceptional Children. She received her doctorate in education and human development from Vanderbilt University and is the author of educational books and materials for teachers, administrators, and parents, including Cognitive Nourishment: Life-Changing Affirmations for the Savvy Teacher. For 30 years Dr. Chickie-Wolfe has been an adjunct faculty member at Purdue University Calumet, teaching graduate-level special education and general education courses. She is a private-practice consultant and has presented numerous workshops and seminars throughout the United States and in England.

    "This is a 'must-have' text for university trainers, students, and practitioners who work in classrooms or collaborate on teams to enhance learning and academic achievement for all students. The book provides a concise theoretical framework, a review of associated educational psychology research, and specific recommendations for practice. Readers learn evidence-based instructional strategies that are easily embedded into classroom, small group, or individual instruction across the curriculum. Real-life vignettes and case studies are employed strategically throughout the text to demonstrate how the ideas apply to all types of learners. I will definitely adopt this book as a required text in my graduate Academic Intervention course. This is a core course for all students in our school psychology program and is also taken by students preparing to be school counselors or special educators. The text is ideal for guiding class discussions, helping students design and deliver individual or small group instruction, and teaching them how to formulate successful classroom and home-based learning recommendations for teachers and parents."--Gloria Miller, PhD, Child, Family, and School Psychology Program, College of Education, University of Denver
    "An essential resource for anyone who works with struggling students. This book offers practical strategies for addressing specific academic skill deficits and teaching general study skills that can be applied across academic domains--but it also goes much further. Readers, whether seasoned professionals or graduate students, will acquire a rich understanding of the underlying psychological factors that influence learning, and ways to translate that understanding into day-to-day practice."--Peg Dawson, EdD, Center for Learning and Attention Disorders, Portsmouth, New Hampshire
    "It is rare to find a resource that addresses so many different elements involved in promoting independent learning. As I read the book, I often found myself thinking, 'I never thought about that,' or 'I’ve got to try that!' Any content area teacher could implement these techniques with students. It is also an excellent resource for Study Skills classes. I really appreciate the ready-made forms at the end of each chapter for implementing the techniques discussed."--Clover Noack, MEd, Reading Specialist/Curriculum Coordinator, Fort Zumwalt School District, O’Fallon, Missouri
    "This book helped me to create more specific goals with my students, and to help them develop a real-world, problem-solving mindset. Our teaching lives are revitalized when we are surrounded by a class of motivated, problem-solving, self-reflective students. The authors of this practical book present ways to get students to 'buy in' to learning. The concrete steps presented for each academic subject area, and the wide assortment of charts and checklists to use with students, are a goldmine. I used the lists, charts, and rubrics right away in my private practice."--Kendra Wagner, MAT, MS, reading and writing consultant and tutor, Seattle, Washington
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    Harvey and Chickie-Wolfe....provide detailed strategies that empower students to self-regulate in several areas including motivation to study and learn, emotional reactions to learning, behavior, time management and organization, cognition, metacognition, executive functions, academic abilities, and how to successfully take tests. The book also includes extensive checklists, worksheets, and handouts that have been created to teach and facilitate this program....The focus of the authors is very much on target as they address the difficulties that regularly occur in today's classroom....This book makes worthwhile reading by professionals and the strategies certainly could be incorporated into general education settings, especially for older students. More likely, special education teachers and those providing academic intervention services will embrace these methods.
    --NASP Communiqué, 3/4/2007