The Literacy and Learning Collection is a collection that focuses on resources for parents and educators in special circumstances and populations. Following are some books that look at education through the lens of meeting the needs of a student with autism. Summaries are from the publisher and all items are available in the Literacy and Learning Collection through the Davenport Public Library as of the publication of this post.

Bright minds, creative paths: visual learning strategies for neurodivergent homeschoolers by Sarah Evans — A resource for parents and educators seeking to create a tailored educational experience for children with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other neurodivergent profiles.

Autism & education: the way I see it : what parents and teachers need to know by Dr. Temple Grandin — Here is a concise handbook that illustrates what Temple has found to work in the field of education. Topics include: The importance of early intervention, teaching for different types of thinking, developing talent, motivating students, keeping high expectations, and much more! In these helpful pages, Dr. Grandin offers do’s and don’ts, practical strategies, and try-it-now tips, all based on her insider perspective and extensive research. Interestingly, she argues that education for kids on the autism spectrum must focus on their overlooked strengths to foster their unique contributions to the world

Gifted and distractible: understanding, supporting, and advocating for your twice exceptional child by Julie F. Skolnick — Does your child exhibit giftedness and behavioral issues like meltdowns, power struggles, and difficulty relating to their peers? Are they out-of-the-box thinkers requiring different teaching and learning methods? It’s a widely held misconception that intellectual ability and social and emotional success go hand in hand. In fact, “twice exceptional” kids — those who are gifted and have simultaneous learning differences like ADHD, high-functioning autism, or dyslexia — are often misunderstood by parents, teachers, and themselves. This much-needed and empowering guide reveals the unique challenges these remarkable kids face, and offers strength-based, hands-on strategies for understanding, supporting, and advocating for twice exceptional kids. 

Raising twice-exceptional children: a handbook for parents of neurodivergent gifted kids by Emily Kircher-Morris — Just because a child is gifted doesn’t mean they don’t have other types of neurodivergence, like ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and more. Conversely, even children with one of these diagnoses can be cognitively gifted. Raising Twice-Exceptional Children provides you with a roadmap to understand the complex makeup of your “gifted-plus,” or twice-exceptional, child or teen. The book helps you understand your child’s diagnosis, meet their social-emotional needs, build self-regulation skills and goal setting, and teach self-advocacy. It also shows you effective ways to collaborate with teachers and school staff, and it offers advice on finding strength-based strategies that support development at home. For too long, these kids have fallen through the cracks. This book provides key information on how to best support neurodivergent children by leveraging their strengths while supporting their struggles.

This is just a small sample of the education and parenting resources available in the Literacy and Learning Collection. There are also items on the topics of homeschooling, outdoor education and life skills. Check out our LibGuide or stop by any of our locations to have a look in person.