NORMALIZATION
Dr. Edilberto I. Dizon
Normalization is a systematic process
of providing children with special needs
the needed training and opportunities
given their normal counterparts
enabling them (CSN) to maximize their
potentials, achieve some degree of
independence in leading their lives, and
access and participate in the benefits of
their communities.
Normalization is anchored in the following tenets:
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Acceptance of the child for whatever he is.
Respect for the dignity of the child.
Recognition of the child’s potential for learning in varied contexts.
Strong confidence in the ability of the child to become.
Openness to diversity and its positive implications.
Respect for the child’s unique/atypical developmental patterns.
Strong conviction that the child learns in a milieu of options,
alternatives and practical-life situations.
Firm belief that living and learning with the child draw forth joys and
goodness.
Adherence to the value of loving the child that strengthens
commitment to his welfare.
Normalization can be viewed not
only from the legal perspective
but also from the philosophical,
social, psychological and
pedagogical perspectives.
Normalization is much more
than just physical placement.
It is the provision of
education that does away
with discrimination and
labels/stigma.
Normalization teaches us
the lessons of unconditional
positive regard, genuineness
and empathy.
Normalization permeates all
the realms of life:
education, vocational
pursuits, community
affairs, etc.
INTEGRATION,
MAINSTREAMING
AND INCLUSION
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COMPONENTS OF
MAINSTREAMING/
INCLUSION
A. PREPARATION PHASE
Policies
Eligibility Guidelines
Physical Structure: Equipment,
Facilities, Lighting, Ventilation, Seating
Arrangement
Staff Preparation
Parent Preparation
Regular Children Preparation
Curricular and Instructional
Preparation
B. IMPLEMENTATION PHASE
Instructional Individualization
Collaboration with Parents
Networking with Support-Service
Givers
Materials Production/Technology
Utilization
Child-Program Management
CONTINUOUS
PROGRESSION SCHEME
AND
CRITERIONREFERENCED
TEACHING
CONTINUOUS PROGRESSION SCHEME
Continuous progression scheme (CPS)
refers to an educational perspective which
permits the child to move up the grade
ladder at his own individual rate and pace of
learning. Such perspective eliminates
comparison and competition of the CSN with
regular children. It views the child as a learner
whose developmental progress is unique. The
CPS adopts criterion-referenced teaching
which sets standards of success just for the
child based on his own potential and
achievement.
Continuous Progression Scheme believes in:
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The uniqueness of the child.
The variability of children’s learning
characteristics and styles.
The uneven patterns and varying tempos of
growth and development.
The importance of each child as a human
being and learner.
The differences among children in abilities,
capabilities and talents.
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The fact that children possess areas that
shine and those that need polishing.
Success-oriented educational perspectives
and practices which draw the best in the
child.
The adoption of a move-up program
commensurate to the child’s achievement.
The child’s ability to seek purposive learning
considering his functional level.
The truth that the BEST is relative from child
to child.
CRITERION-REFERENCED TEACHING
(CRT)
Criterion-referenced teaching is an
instructional system that views the child
as a unique learner whose
characteristics, strengths and limitations
cannot be compared or likened to those
of other children. CRT sets success
criteria exclusively for the child based on
teacher’s knowledge about the child’s
background, disability, potential and
deficit.
GRADING SYSTEM AND
PROMOTION SCHEME
A most pressing but controversial matter that
needs to be fully understood, decided on and
eventually implemented is the adoption of a grading
system and promotion scheme for special learners in
mainstream and inclusionary programs. Since an
included or mainstreamed special learner is under a
criterion-referenced mode of achievement
evaluation, move-up to a higher level becomes
attainable. Grading the child, however, has always
been a dilemma that confronts every teacher in a
mainstream or inclusionary program.
Promoting a special learner to a higher
level must be a concern of every teacher. This
is so because inclusion makes it imperative for
a special learner to be with his age/peer
group. By implications, the learner has to
move up, otherwise retention/grade repetition
draws him away from his age/peer group.
Beyond being with his age/peer group,
promoting a special learner fulfills the goals
of normalization: providing him with
needed training and opportunities given his
normal counterparts enabling him to:
Maximize his potentials,
 Achieve some degree of
independence in leading his life ,
and
 Access and participate in the
benefits of his community.

Promoting special learners to
higher levels relates to specific
placement and curricular
provisions. These are:
1. Promoting the child with credit.
With Credit means that the
learner is moved up with credit
just like his regular peers as he
able to fulfill the grade level
requirement.
2. Promoting the child without credit.
Without Credit means that the
learner is moved up without
Department of Education credit as
the child is within low functioning
level limiting him to meet minimum
requirements. He is, however,
awarded a certificate of attendance.
3. Recently, trends toward the
preparation of minimum learning
competencies for mainstreamed
special learners have been
observed. Such learning
competencies are drawn from the
regular curriculum and thereafter
modified/simplified, enabling
special learners to acquire
competencies they need and can
realistically achieve.
I have come to a frightening
conclusion
That I am the decisive element
in the classroom.
It’s my personal approach
that creates the climate.
It’s my daily mold that makes the weather.
As a teacher, I possess
a tremendous power
to make a child’s life miserable or joyous.
I can be a tool of torture
or an instrument inspiration.
I can humiliate or humor,
hurt or heal.
In all situations,
it is my response that decides
whether a crisis will be
escalated or de-escalated;
and a child
humanized or dehumanized.
- Haim Ginott
• SPED supports the special child and
ensures that he grows with his peers
and be the best that he can be in life.
• SPED facilitates:
BEING: In Celebration of Life
BELONGING: Into a Bigger World
BECOMING: Toward a Positive
Direction
• SPED: It is a Life, a Service, and a
Spiritual Commitment!