Teachers, at all levels, refer to special needs students as those with
exceptionalities. In general, exceptionalities fall in five broad categories:
Behaviour
Communication
• Learning
Disabled
• Autistic
• Language
Impairment
• Speech
Impairment
• Hard
of Hearing
Intellectual
• Gifted
• Mild
Intellectual Disability
• Developmental
Disability
Physical
• Blind-Low
Vision
• Physical
Disability
Multiple (These students
have a combination of conditions)
Although statistics are difficult to obtain, it has been estimated that
between 10-13% of the student population has exceptionalities. Some students
and teachers may view the extra attention given to special needs students as
unfair. It is quite likely that you will have a diversity of students in your
classroom—representing a variety of talents and abilities. With this in mind,
some generalized strategies can be used as you work with all special needs
students:
·
Be aware that special needs students may not want to be
singled out for any special treatment. This may identify their disability for
other students and cause them to receive some form of attention they may not be
able to handle.
·
Ensure that your attitude and responses to special needs students are
identical to those to other students. View all students as contributing
students.
·
Consider learning over a long period of time. Special needs students may
require extended periods of time to master a concept or learn a specific skill.
You may need to repeat information several times and reinforce it in many ways.
·
It is quite easy to fall into the trap of focusing on the weaknesses of
special needs students. Yet it is vitally important to identify the individual
strengths of each and every student in your classroom.
·
Help students understand that grading, evaluation,
and assessment is based on identifiable objectives in accordance with
individual potential. Evaluation should not be coupled with the limitations of
students, but rather to their expectations.
·
Provide significant opportunities for students of all abilities to learn
from each other. Structure a variety of lessons and learning activities to
promote collaborative learning.
·
Do not make inappropriate assumptions based on students'
exceptionalities. For example, don't assume that a student who is confined
to a wheelchair is an unhappy child. Don't assume that a learning disabled
student is not gifted in the visual arts. Likewise, don't assume that
children with disabilities are disabled in all areas.
Source and Resources:
Categories of Exceptionality and Definitions – Peel District School
Board
Exceptionalities Determined by Identification Placement and Review
Committee (IPRC) - OTF
Inclusive Teaching Strategies - Cornell University: Center
for Teaching Excellence (CTE)
Learning How to Learn: Leveraging the Power of Learning Skills and Work
Habits, Grades 1-12 -The International Symposium on Classroom Assessment
and Assessment for Learning (AfL)
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