Willows & Wings
A Guide to Inclusion
Inclusion
Book Recommendations for Inclusion
Explore our curated list of books that promote inclusive practices and enrich understanding.
Believe that all can achieve:
Increasing classroom participation in learners with special support needs
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by J. Bornman (Author), J. Rose (Author)
Believe That All Can Achieve has deeply shaped my philosophy as an educator and inclusion leader.
It reinforces a powerful truth: every child can learn when we remove barriers and truly believe in their potential.
This book goes beyond theory — it challenges mindsets and reminds us that inclusion begins with belief, not strategy. It continues to guide my work with students, families, and teachers every day.
An essential read for anyone committed to inclusive education.
SEND Strategies for the Secondary Years:
Practical ideas and expert advice to support and understand young people
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by Georgina Durrant (Author)
SEND Strategies for the Secondary Years is a highly practical guide that has strengthened my approach to supporting students with additional learning needs in mainstream classrooms.
What stands out is its clarity and usability — offering real, actionable strategies that teachers can implement immediately, without overwhelming them.
It reinforces the importance of high-quality, inclusive teaching at the classroom level, ensuring that support is not something separate, but embedded in everyday practice.
A must-read for secondary educators committed to making inclusion work in real classrooms.
Lost at School:
Why Our Kids with Behavioral Challenges are Falling Through the Cracks and How We Can Help Them​
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by Ross W. Greene (Author)
Lost at School is one of the most useful books I would recommend to anyone supporting children with behavioural, emotional, or social difficulties in school.
What makes this book so powerful is that it completely reframes the way we understand challenging behaviour. Rather than viewing a child as defiant, unmotivated, manipulative, or simply choosing not to comply, Greene encourages us to look beneath the behaviour and identify the lagging skills and unsolved problems contributing to it.
The central idea — that “kids do well if they can” — shifts the conversation from punishment and compliance to understanding, problem-solving, and skill development.
A particular strength of the book is that it does not stop at theory. Greene's Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS) model provides practical conversation structures and ready-to-use language that teachers, LSAs, inclusion staff, counsellors, and school leaders can apply when working with students. It helps adults have productive conversations with children, understand their concerns, and work collaboratively towards realistic solutions.
It is also incredibly valuable when speaking with parents. Instead of focusing conversations on what a child has “done wrong,” it provides a framework for discussing what the child may be finding difficult and what skills or supports need to be developed.
Why I recommend it:
Completely reframes behaviour as lagging skills rather than defiance
Provides practical, ready-to-use scripts through the CPS model
Moves schools away from reactive discipline towards proactive problem-solving
Helps adults identify the reason behind recurring behaviour
Highly practical for teachers, LSAs, inclusion teams, counsellors, and school leaders
Provides an excellent framework for more constructive parent conversations
Best for: Behaviour support, SEMH, inclusion, student regulation, restorative conversations, parent meetings, and whole-school approaches to behaviour.
For anyone working with children who are frequently described as “challenging,” Lost at School can fundamentally change the question from “How do we make this child behave?” to “What is getting in the way, and how can we help?”
Enablers, Barriers, and Challenges for Inclusive Curriculum
by Erasmos Charamba (Editor), Shalom Nokuthula Ndhlovana (Editor)
Enablers, Barriers, and Challenges for Inclusive Curriculum is a valuable read for educators, school leaders, researchers, and anyone committed to making education genuinely inclusive.
The book explores the real-world factors that can either support or hinder inclusive education, examining how curriculum, teaching practices, school systems, culture, access, and learning environments influence participation and success for diverse learners. Importantly, it moves beyond the idea of inclusion as simply placing students in mainstream classrooms and considers what needs to change within educational systems for learners to meaningfully access and engage with the curriculum.
With perspectives covering face-to-face, online, and blended learning environments, the book offers useful insight into both the challenges schools face and the practical conditions that can enable more equitable education.
This publication is also particularly special to me, as I had the privilege of contributing a chapter to the book. It reflects an area I care deeply about: creating educational environments where inclusion is embedded in curriculum, leadership, teaching, and everyday practice rather than treated as an additional provision.
