ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book shows that, to enhance their performance, educators could, and should, be drawing upon the best available evidence as they plan, implement and evaluate their teaching. It aims to assist classroom teachers, as an educator, to increase their effectiveness by using the best available evidence to help their students to become effective learners. The book presents the five foundations to the book: evidence-based education, neuroscience, inclusive education, an ecological approach, and a Learning and Teaching Model. Despite low academic achievement being one of the chief factors in identifying children with additional learning needs, there is surprisingly little information on their actual achievement in official educational statistics. In the UK, the 2009 Lamb Inquiry similarly reported that ‘educational achievement for children with special educational needs/disability is too low and the gap with their peers too wide’.
