Supporting Exceptional Students in an Inclusive Class - Term Paper Example

Supporting Exceptional in an Inclusive “That which we persist in doing becomes easier – not that the nature of the task has changed, but our ability to do has increased” -Emerson Being a teacher is truly a challenge. To help a young learner reach his potentials and make something out of it is the fulfillment one derives from such hard work. Such challenge and feeling of fulfillment are felt more when a teacher is tasked with helping students in an inclusive classroom. As if handling a class full of normal children is not difficult enough, how much more an inclusive class of 25 children, 9 of whom have special needs? This paper aims to highlight ways to support exceptional children (i.e. those with learning and physical disabilities) in an inclusive class so that teachers may be able to optimize their potentials in spite of their disabilities. It also touches on specific legislation that support children with special needs as well as support from the family, the school, and special devices that can help exceptional children cope better in an inclusive environment. It would be fitting to begin the discussion with a definition of terms that may be confusing to a reader who is not familiar with special education concepts since some terms may be easily misinterpreted. A disorder is a general disturbance in mental, physical, or psychological functioning (Hardman, Clifford & Egan, 2008). More specifically, “LD is more than a difference or difficulty with learning — it is a neurological disorder that affects the brains ability to receive, process, store, and respond to information” (The National Center for Learning Disabilities, 2010). A disability is more specific than a disorder and results from a loss of physical functioning (such as a loss of sight, hearing, or mobility) or from difficulty in learning and social adjustment that significantly interferes with typical growth and development. A handicap is a is a limitation imposed on the individual by the demands in the environment and is related to the individual ability (Hardman, Clifford and Egan, 2008). Exceptional Students may fall under two general categories. One is the category of Giftedness while the other category is of Learning Disabilities. The definition of giftedness in the Marland report was stated as : "Gifted and talented are those ... with demonstrated achievement and/or potential ability in ... (a) general intellectual ability, (b) specific academic aptitude, (c) creative or productive thinking, (d) leadership ability, (e) visual and performing arts, and (f) psychomotor ability." (Cooper, 1995). This definition now included skills which are not easily manifest, and to successfully and credibly label someone as “gifted” many processes are necessary than mere parental observation. On the other hand, “Learning Disabilities are neurobiological disorders that interfere with a person’s ability to store, process and retrieve information. Most often, these disabilities affect children’s reading and language skills (including writing and speaking). They can also impair math computation skills and social skills.” (Shalaway, 1998). Since people with special needs are protected by law, there are specific legislation that support these exceptional students. The lndividuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) has five major provisions that consists of the following: after diagnosis, children with exceptional needs are labeled and placed in educational programs which require the use of non-discriminatory and multidisciplinary assessment. Parents of these children are asked for their consent regarding students’ testing and placement and their active participation in the student’s individualized educational plan (IEP). The children’s families are provided with procedural safeguards to protect their rights and from decisions made by outsiders that could adversely affect them. IDEA also gives the mandate to provide every child with exceptional needs with free and appropriate public education that integrates their IEP. All children have the right to education in a conducive learning environment supportive of their academic, social and physical needs. Even children with disabilities and exceptional needs receive their education with their peers who are normal, to the maximum extent possible (Hardman, Clifford and Egan, 2008). The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) is another law that has been passed to support exceptional children. In response to the call for higher expectations for all students, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) promotes a standards-based approach setting high standards for schools and how student performance should be measured. It advocates four principles in monitoring accountability of schools. One is to focus on student achievement as the primary measure of school success. Another principle is to emphasize challenging academic standards specifying the knowledge and skills that students should learn and the particular level at which they should demonstrate mastery for such. The third principle is to promote a desire to extend the standards to all students, including those who were previously expected to perform poorly. Finally, NCLB relies on achievement testing from which to base educational reforms (U.S. Department of Education, 2003). Supporting Exceptional Students As professionals have come to know that learning disabilities constitute specific individual needs rather than a singular labeled category of symptoms, services and supports for learners with special needs such as those with cognitive learning problems, attention deficit and hyperactivity, social and emotional difficulties and problems with spoken language, reading, writing spelling and mathematics have become more customized (Jenkins, 2002). Instead of a general prescription to treat learning disabilities, more and more attention is given to individual needs, specifically, to develop social skills. Inclusive classrooms have children of different backgrounds and ability levels together regardless of the condition or experience of a child. Inclusion is a term that expresses commitment to educate each child, to the maximum extent appropriate, in the school and classroom he or she would otherwise attend (Booth & Ainscow, 2000). Collaboration is essential in such classrooms, as students work together and support each other. Likewise, teachers work together with other professionals, educators and parents to meet the needs of all the children (Disability, Literacy & Inclusive Education for Young Children, n.d.) Supports and services now include focus on strategic instruction like teaching children how to learn better, counseling, peer and family support in a more unstructured educational environment (Kgare, 2000). Parents have access to training and specialized courses to support their exceptional children (Elloker, 1999). They can also partner with schools to strengthen the support circle. If schools are really serious in helping students with special needs benefit from their inclusive programs, then they would do everything possible to provide the services these children need. Weiner (2003) suggests inclusive schools try out various strategies. Relying on teamwork and collaboration, Weiner states that the “major changes in the culture of a school would result from a common focus and shared responsibility for student learning outcomes” (p. 18). Individual needs need to be addressed even if these students belong to inclusive classrooms if the goal is to optimize the potentials of each student. Designing an inclusive environment to accommodate exceptional children would involve specialized features such as ramps and assistive technology (Salend, 2001). Some equipment have been designed to support learners with exceptional needs. The wheelchair has become an integral assistive equipment to help handicapped students move around the school premises to participate in the learning activities. Due to the lack or loss of leg use, wheel-chair bound students may have developed stronger arm muscles to maneuver them around (Salend, 2001). In classroom-based activities the student is at ease with everyone else who are mostly sitting on their desks, but when they stand up to move to another area, the wheel-chair bound student can likewise come along instead of being left only in his seat (Harwell, 2001). Other support materials are alternative and augmentative communication devices. Much of these equipment are modified or adapted for students with minimal fine motor skills. It gives them opportunities to be more communicative and participative in the class activities. However, these must be used under the recommendation and supervision of therapists and must be regularly checked with them if the equipment is used correctly by the student. Teachers should accord these learners special consideration, as they are communicating in an alternative manner, so timetables could be adjusted for them. On the other hand, they may be able to work faster and more effectively with such devices. In any case, teachers must plan well in maximizing the participation of the student using the equipment within the time frame given (Elloker, 1999). Other assistive technology are also designed for communicative needs.. Having these devices now empowers the learner to communicate his thoughts and feelings and allows him to participate in social interactions. In class, the learner can now be more productive as he actively contributes his ideas to the discussions (AAC Communication Devices, 2010). Kapusnick and Hauslein (2001) identified various differentiation approaches that would benefit children with special education needs who are included in regular classes. These are as follows: Acceleration: Students who learn faster than others should not be held back. They are given free rein to progress to the next levels of the curriculum. Curriculum Compacting: Advanced students are allowed to finish one unit of a curriculum and delve in depth on some topics not readily available within the classroom. It is one form of specializing in a particular topic in application to real world situations. Independent Study: This is an individual project initiated by a self-motivated student collaborated with a teacher who mentors him or her throughout the process. Flexible Grouping: Students have the opportunity to interact with others in groups. Several groupings may be formed based on “task, outcome, interest level, background knowledge or social readiness” Kaputnick & Hauslein, 2001, p. 158). Teachers are on hand to remind group members of intragroup dynamics, outcome products and time frames. Independent Learning Centers: Inspired by Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence theory, various learning centers are set up offering different activities on a particular unit lesson. Students may choose the learning center they want to work in and accomplish the necessary tasks provided there. Complex Questions: In differentiated classrooms, open-ended discussions of topics triggered by complex questions are common. Teacher asks questions that stimulate higher order thinking and brainstorming sessions that call upon students’ communication skills. Tiered Activities: Teachers present options of activity levels that students can choose from and work on their individual goals. One student may choose the goal of completing 4 tasks another may choose the goal of completing just 3. these goals have corresponding rewards that the students work towards for. Contracts: Teachers and Students agree on the pursuit of individual student goals in certain tasks and teachers make sure their students meet their end of the deal. Teachers guide them accordingly based on their differentiated levels and competencies in the selection of their goals. In outlining these interventions, exceptional children are hoped to be eased from the physical and learning difficulties they have in trying to learn in inclusive classrooms the best way they can. Of course, the rewards are great for the patient and persevering teacher. "We must view young people not as empty bottles to be filled, but as candles to be lit" -Robert Schaffer References AAC Communication Devices (2010) Retrieved on September 10, 2010 from https://store.prentrom.com/ Booth, T. and Ainscow. M. (2000). Index on Inclusion. Bristol: Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education Cooper, C.R. (1995) Integrating gifted education into the total school curriculum. School Administrator. Volume: 52. Issue: 4 Disability, Literacy & Inclusive Education for Young Children (n.d.) Retrieved on September 15, 2010 from http://www.uni.edu/inclusion/benefits_of_inclusion.htm Elloker, S. (1999). Inclusive education as a strategy to develop effective schools: A case study of a primary school in a socio-economic disadvantaged environment. Unpublished master’s thesis, University of the Western Cape Hardman, M., L., Clifford, D., J., Egan, M. W. (2008). Human exceptionality: School, community, and family, (9th edtion). Boston, MA: Hougton Mifflin Company Harwell, J.M. (2001) “A History of the Field of Learning Disabilities” in Kim, H.H. (ed) (2004) Learning Disabilities. MI: Greenhaven Press Jenkins, H.J. (2002). A continuum-based approach to inclusive policy and practice in regular schools. Special Education Perspectives Vol 11, # 2 Kapusnick, R.A. & Hauslein, C.M. (2001) The “silver cup” of differentiated instruction. Kappa Delti Pi Record, Summer 2001 Kgare, G.D. (2000). The role of education support services in the implementation of inclusive education. Unpublished master’s dissertation, Rand Afrikaans University. Salend, S. J. (2001). Creating Inclusive Classrooms: Effective and reflective practices (4th ed.).Upper Saddler River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall. Shalaway, L. (1998) Learning to Teach. New York: Scholastic Professional Books The National Center for Learning Disabilities (2010) LD Basics. Retrieved on September 16, 2010 from http://www.ncld.org/ld-basics Weiner, H.M. (2003) Effective inclusion: Professional development in the context of the classroom. Teaching Exceptional Children, Vol. 35, # 6 Read More