Teaching Children with Special Needs
What is special education?
Special education is also referred to as special Ed. This entails teaching challenged students
who have special needs in a way which addresses all their needs individually. It involves
teaching procedures that are individually planned and systematically monitored (Ainscow, 2006,
p.29).These interventions are designed in a way that they help individuals who have special
needs to achieve personal self-sufficiency and success in school activities as well as community
activities which would not be achieved if the students were only able to access learning in
typical ways.
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Defining Special needs
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A special need is a term used to refer to a wide array of diagnoses. Individuals with special
needs may have mild learning disabilities or cognitive impairment which is profound; others are
born with a syndrome or a terminal illness. Special needs are also manifested in individuals who
have delays in development, food allergies, and pain attacks.
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When people say “children with special needs” it refers to children who are faced with more
severe challenges which have the risk of lasting a lifetime. These children require more support
and extra services. People with special needs require being guided throughout their life and
also to be supported in dealing with issues like housing and finances (Ainscow, 2006, p.33).
Early intervention in children with special needs is important because it helps a child to fulfill
their potential in education as well as social potential. Early intervention is a process involving
evaluation of the developmental abilities of a child. At times programs which contain services
meant to enhance the development skills of a child while encouraging development growth are
developed, although these depend on necessity (Campbell, 2003, p.59)
A special education teacher is a person who works with children with various disabilities. Such
children need unique instructions from professionals who are professionally trained. Teachers
trained to handle children with special needs are patient and understanding. They are dedicated
to giving each student the tools and guidance that they need to maximize their success (DfE,
2014, p.22). A special education teacher creates and applies a curriculum that is specific to the
needs and abilities of each student (Cook, 2002, p.144). They also get involved in the social
and behavioral development of their students.
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Special needs teachers help in developing Individual Education Programs also known as IEPs
for each student. An Individual Education Program is designed with the individual development
goals of a child in mind; it is modified to the abilities and needs of a child. The teacher goes over
the program with the parents of the child and also the school administrators. Special school
teachers work closely with the parents of these special kids to keep them up to date on the
progress of their children as well as making recommendations to promote home learning
(Ainscow, 2006, p.42). A large part of the job of special education teachers involves
communicating and coordinating with people involved in the development of the child including
social workers, school administrators as well as other teachers.
Complex learning needs of Special Children
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It is crucial to have several functional strategies which could help children who are extremely
challenged in communicating. For example, an autistic child may need visual schedules and
strategies to learn, a girl with a hearing impairment may need to use signs and facial
expressions, on the other hand, a boy with learning difficulty may have to use communication
devices or objects (University of Cambridge, 2013, p.2). Each child is unique, and the teacher
needs to have strategies to deal with them individually.
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Children who are severely affected by communication difficulties or needs which are complex
face a challenge when communicating. However, it is possible for these kids to access
communication and there are ways in which a teacher can help them do so. Developing such a
communication system consumes time, and the tutor may have to communicate using only a
few keywords (Campbell, 2003, p.63). Tutors find it very difficult to deal with children who
cannot speak and those with severe autism. They are unable to understand, and they cannot
express their needs and feelings. Severely autistic refers to non-verbal and at times being in
their world. These individuals find it difficult to follow instructions and May also express behavior
that is challenging when they are approached or when someone encourages them to do
something (Ainscow, 2006, p.52).
One approach that teachers use to deal with students with complex needs is intensive
interaction. This method creates an enjoyable and non-threatening environment for the autistic
student or one who has learning difficulties that are severe. This approach is based on the way
parents communicate with infants, such interactions are short, and they involve short noises
which involve the autistic child and touch (Hornby, 2012, p.134). From the start, these
interactions are brief, but they grow with time. The child is motivated to participate in the
communication actively, and they try to control the communicative situation. This approach
enables parents, teachers, and caretakers to connect with an individual and they create an
exchange which is enjoyable and reduces challenges and helps to develop communication skills
(Campbell, 2003, p.69)
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However, regardless of the method being used, it is important for time to be spent observing
children with complex communication delay. There have been attempts at communing which
are unnoticed. It is important to pick these attempts and to understand their meaning. It is true
that these communication attempts are at times unnoticed and this may make the child lose
their resolve in learning (Campbell, 2003, p.74). With children who cannot talk, focusing on body
movements and making notes of vocalizations is important. A teacher can video a child and
then watch it back, most of the time they will notice something different they had not seen
before (Ainscow, 2006, p.59). Looking at what triggers moving and being vocal is very crucial.
Through keeping running records, teachers can note that there are some things which elicit a
special reaction in children. A teacher can ask, what was the reaction of the kid when he/she
was angry? How did the child act when they wanted more? This can be a special place to start
communication. By learning the responses of the child teachers can learn the Children’s
system of communication.
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Supporting needs of children practically
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Teaching children with special needs requires a planned strategy and consistent efforts. Good
care should be taken to make them feel comfortable during the learning process. Apart from
classroom lessons, emphasis should be made on practical lessons. This is because, by
practical experience, it is possible for them to understand the concepts well. Practical teaching
is an integral part of imparting knowledge to special kids. Use of virtual learning tools is the first
step in making special children understand issues that they might otherwise find hard to
comprehend (Frederickson, 2009, p.204). Additionally, integrated learning where Special needs
children attend lessons with normal kids is helpful because repeated interaction makes them
learn issues that they may not have understood during classroom interaction (Ainscow, 2006,
p.63). Interaction through games and other social activities opens up the mind of special needs
children and makes them more comfortable around members of the society.
Planning and delivering inclusive practice
Certain steps need to be followed in planning and delivering inclusive practice.
Current Practices
It is important to determine what a school has. A starting point is necessary to move forward.
Data collected at this point serves as the baseline for measuring success during the school
year. It is important to determine the inclusive practices that are already in use. To achieve this,
the following data should be collected. It is important to know the number of students who
already have disabilities and those who are currently in the general education classes. Data
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should also be collected on the number of special education teachers who are co-teaching, if
there are any, what are the approaches that they are using? (Campbell, 2003, p.76) It is also
important to take an inventory of staff to find out what they know about inclusive practices and
how ready they are for implementation (Ainscow, 2006, p.65). The information from staff
inventory identifies the members of staff who need to be developed professionally. It also
identifies the members of staff who may serve as mentors to other staff members. Additionally,
if the co-teaching model has just been introduced in a school, then a staff inventory helps to
identify the members of staff who are willing to teach. When a needs assessment and staff
inventory are conducted, they highlight what is going on in the school during the present time.
This information helps in directing future actions.
Leadership team
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The leadership of inclusive practices should address the overall implementation of inclusive
practices throughout the school. Individuals who are within the school make up this team, and
they function as leaders. This team does not need to be made up of new people, a leadership
team that exists can take on the function of an inclusive practices leadership team. It is the
responsibility of this team to identify a set of principles which will be used to govern a schoolwide focus (Campbell, 2003, p.83). Monthly meetings should be convened by the leadership
team to review data implementation and revise data implementation as needed. This team is
mainly tasked with fostering the implementation of inclusive school-wide practices. The
leadership team also has the responsibility of establishing policy in regards to inclusive
practices and identification, actions that should be taken by the entire staff to ensure that policy
implementation is effective (Ainscow, 2006, p.66).
Action Planning
The leadership team creates an action plan which addresses the long-term and short-term
goals. It is the work of the leadership team to identify activities which are reasonably initiated
within a specified period. An attempt to implement too much in a short time mostly leads to
failure. The action plan identifies possible challenges and how they will be tackled. Every goal of
the action plan should be addressed through specific actions. A plan which has concrete and
specific goals is more easily implemented by the staff (Campbell, 2003, p.83). After the
development of the plan it should be presented to the entire staff, the plan should be open for
criticism although changes should only be made if the suggestions presented do not jeopardize
the effective implementation of the plan (Ainscow, 2006, p.67). Additionally, the plan should be
reviewed continually. Revisions should be made as the activities are conducted and goals
achieved. The leadership should help in updating the plan regularly. If the plan is reasonable
and can be easily implemented, then it is easier for the goals to be achieved.
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Implementation
This entails implementation of the action plan. For the plan to be effectively implemented certain
decisions have to be made regarding some parameters and logistical areas which are related to
inclusive practices. These include issues such as identification of student support needs,
incorporating SWD into general education, lesson and time planning (Ainscow, 2006, p.68). If
these are not addressed adequately focusing on procedures for each, then it will be impossible
to effectively implement the plan.
Professional Development
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Just as is common with any educational practice, meaningful professional development is
critical because it ensures that all members of staff have the required knowledge and skills for
effective implementation (Cook, 2002, p.134). Additionally, it is important to create an
environment where all staff members are supported in their efforts in implementing inclusive
practices. It is important that staff members receive professional development on the models of
inclusive practices if they are to be implemented effectively.
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Furthermore, engaging the family ensures that inclusive practices are supported and better
promoted. Implementation measures should also be set. Identifying what indicates effective
practices provides staff with an explicit excellence model which serves as a monitoring tool to
gauge how successful implementation is. Additionally, the process needs to be monitored to
ensure that inclusive practices are effectively implemented (Ainscow, 2006, p.69). An effective
plan needs to be revised as needs change. If an implementation plan is successful, then it
should be expected that the student’s outcome will improve, this plan needs to change so that it
reflects higher expectations. Celebrating success is an essential part of an effective
implementation of inclusive practices.
Developing a realistic and appropriate learning outcome
Creating learning outcomes gives a tutor a tool to use in tailoring the assessment of the
students and also measuring the aptitude against the main purpose of the course. Teaching
requires assessment this means an evaluation of student understanding considering the goals
of a lesson. There are several types of assessment which involve student work (Ainscow, 2006,
p.79). An assessment can take a few minutes, or at times it can take weeks. An assessment
can ask students to demonstrate how they understand issues or how they have acquired skills
through writing.
Additionally, an assessment may seek the ability of a student to create a product or
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presentation. An assessment can also ask students to demonstrate how much they understand
individually or as a group. A successful student learning outcome expresses how much a
student should know and what they should be able to achieve after they complete their course
(Campbell, 2003, p.85). Assessment the student learning outcome may provide information
which makes it possible to put the learning of students in front of all academic planning
processes. An assessment program should show and be determined by the learning goals
which a lesson brings forward. However, linking goals to assessment are at times difficult. If the
goals set are for the student to learn a concept, does it mean that they should understand facts
or summarize information? A tutor should know if the assessment is related to the goals of the
lesson (Frederickson, 2009, p.212). An assessment is a multi-step process where a teacher
formulates clear learning goals for all students. A successful assessment should also articulate
the learning goals of the students.
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Furthermore, a successful assessment can describe what the students should be able to do if
they have met their learning goals (Cook, 2002, p.126). An assessment should develop a
scoring rubric. Evaluation of students’ performance on the assessment instrument is essential.
An assessment should be able to reflect why students were not able to master the learning
goals. It should be able to develop strategies which assist in future success. Furthermore, an
assessment can be able to help a student in understanding certain topics; students are also
able to think about their learning through assessments (Ainscow, 2006, p.84). Assessments can
help students to know what they have been able to learn in class or previously in other courses.
An effective learning outcome should be created in line with the goals, objectives, and divisions
of the school. An Effective learning outcome focuses on learning which results from an activity
and not from the activity itself. Additionally, an effective learning system should be studentcentered.
Successful Learning outcome
The success of a learning outcome can only be determined by demonstration of how much the
children have learned. After completing a successful learning programme, a child should be
able to demonstrate that they have learned something new. For example, children should be
able to learn basic calculation and be able to express themselves (Norwich, 2007, p.92) Special
children should also be able to interact with their peers in school in instances where they use
the same facilities in the school. A successful program also increases the self-confidence of a
child, and such children can personally express themselves (Ainscow, 2006, p.86). Additionally,
a successful program makes it possible for parents of special children to better cope with them.
The most successful programs are those where educators work together to share resources
and expertise in meeting all student needs in various ways.
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What is successful?
The goal for all students is to get the highest levels of success in classes which are taught by
teachers who provide all the tools to overcome obstacles and to learn to their greatest potential.
However, success has different meanings to different people although there are some common
components of success which include academic success, satisfaction at the workplace and the
sense that one’s life is meaningful. Studies relating to students suffering from special needs
children in the past 20 years reveals that there are several attributes with the end results being
successful outcomes (Ainscow, 2006, p.89). They include a self-concept which is positive,
perseverance and an approach to life which is proactive. However, not every student who has
attained success had all these attributes, studies reveal that their presence predicted success
more than variables such as school grades and IQ.
Measuring success of progress for students with needs
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What is measured to determine success varies among different people. The public is eager to
understand simple ways to know the strength and effectiveness of schools. Goals are set for
measuring and reporting things. There are many themes around measuring success in school
levels. Determining what to measure is the first step. It is the responsibility of schools to track
interim progress and outcomes which relate to the school environment and the performance of
students (Ainscow, 2006, p.104). Stakeholders emphasize that the only way a turnaround can
be referred to as successful if it gets gains with the same number of students. A school which is
undergoing a turnaround needs to be accessed on time. It is possible to collect timely feedback
through classroom observation and using tools. Nontraditional methods at times are used in
turnarounds to re-engage students in learning and addressing long-standing deficits (Hornby,
2012, p.114).
Success, however, is not easy to define. Students who have special needs grow up to be adults
with special needs. This means that many of the difficulties which are experienced in childhood
continue when that child becomes an adult. However, some individuals who are challenged in
learning follow a life path which results in success and they eventually become productive in the
society leading satisfying lives (Cook, 2002, p.104). Successful people with disabilities know the
problems that they have, and this includes academic problems like reading and math. They do
not keep their disabilities a secret, and they know how their disabilities affect their lives. These
individuals are conversant with their talents and accept their limitations. This is particularly
displayed by a person who says, “We learn differently and we all have strengths and
weaknesses.
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