Teaching Students with Disability - Assignment Example

Commentary Paper Name: Institution: 1. Teaching Students with disability Students with disabilities experience a lot of difficulties during cognitive processes. Such disabilities can seriously impact on their Learning abilities. This disorder results into complexity in organizing information received, recollection and expression .Consequently, this affects a student’s basic function such as writing, reading, comprehension, and reasoning. As the authors maintains, these students can be taught helpful learning strategies that can assist them approach tasks more successfully. Such strategies should be tailored to match their special needs (Dowker, 2005). The individuals with disabilities act (IDEA 1997) mandated that students with disabilities access the general education curriculum. The implementation of such an approach is faced with multiple complexities, especially for students with considerable cognitive disabilities. The general curriculum incorporates so many aspects, most of which the disabled students do not require or cannot understand. As such, argument supporting teaching of Life skills instead cannot be ignored. In the general curriculum, teachers are required to teach the standard course of study (SCOS). Individuals with disabilities education improvement ACT (IDEA 2004) require the students with disability to access the general education curriculum. Such a law should be amended as special education teachers face many challenges while trying to comply with these requirements. For example, they are required to show yearly progress, while in reality; such students are not fully included in the general education classroom and they do not understand SCOS. Additionally, the students are required to participate in group settings which are not practical (Dowker, 2005). The students with disability are taught how to recognize words and understanding of the words is overlooked. To overcome such problems, several models have been suggested. According to Browder, literacy should be taught using functional sight-word instruction using time delay and other methods that current research proves to be effective. Browner et al. suggest that such individuals can be taught using a six-step approach that incorporates sight-word instruction in a program that is comprehensive. Downing (2005) proposes a 6-steps process which incorporates effective communication system which can be used to teach students which are significantly disabled. He suggests that this model can be integrated with the general education classroom. The author emphasizes creation of teams while teaching disabled students, ensuring that they are not isolated. Topics that are of interests to the students can be chosen for discussion in the groups. The team should be all encompassing to ensure its success (Dowker, 2005). 2. Synthesis of findings on students with problems learning mathematics Learning disability is a categorization which involves a number of disorders in which an individual has complexity learning in a usual manner, typically resulting from unidentified factors. The unidentified factor is the disorder that impedes the brain's capability to obtain and process information. This disorder makes it very difficult for the students who are affected to understand things as compared to students who are normal. Individuals suffering from learning disability have difficulty performing particular kinds of skills or carrying out responsibilities if left on their own or if taught in usual ways (Baker, Gerstein & Lee, 2002). Baker, Gersten, and Lee (2002) synthesized findings after carrying out an extensive research in intercession for students experiencing problems learning mathematics. The disorder that affects the brain making it difficult for the students to understand mathematics is caused by an unknown factor, and hence deserves extensive investigation. Although the inability to synthesize mathematics by some students could be incurable, appropriate academic interventions such as the ones proposed by Baker, Gersten and Lee (2002) are very practical. As the Author claims, the interventions should include providing and mentoring information to teachers and students. The information should incorporate the student’s status, such as their weakness and strengths. Availing recommendations to implement based on specific students result can achieve a lot of success; but the unwillingness and lack of skills by the teacher to undertake the monitoring can be a major impediment (Baker, Gerstein & Lee, 2002). Peer assisted learning can be very effective especially because it involves collaboration and cooperation learning. Students can assist one another in what they are strong in and be assisted where they are weak. It is however important to note that the process may not achieve much success where the teacher does not provide moral support and adequate supervision; which can perhaps make the students uncooperative (Baker, Gerstein & Lee, 2002). Providing parents with the information about their disabled children’s progress can be very useful. The parent can use the information concerning their children’s progress to assist them. For example, they can motivate and encourage them to keep on improving. Furthermore, the parents can know their children better and establish where they need intervention. Individuals with learning disabilities can experience exceptional challenges that are often all-encompassing all through the lifetime. Different intercessions may be used to assist the individual learn approaches that can promote potential achievement, depending on the severity and type of the disability. Some intercessions can are simple, while others are complicated and multifaceted. Teachers and parents should be part of the intervention, and should try their best in ensuring the disabled individuals are successfully taken through effective programs. Another party to the intervention process is School psychologists who can regularly help plan the intervention, and harmonize the implementation of the intervention with parents and teachers. Social support can be a critical constituent for students with learning disabilities in the school organizations, and should not be overlooked in the intervention plan. With the right support and intervention, people with learning disabilities can do well in school and in life in general. As it has been noted, 15 is a very small sample which makes the findings not a very good representative of the population. The possibility of significant error is very high, and hence the studies are not very reliable. However, the studies have some useful information, and hence cannot be discarded in whole (Baker, Gerstein & Lee, 2002). 3. What teachers need to know about reading and writing difficulties? The skills- based approach to teaching writing skills where topics are selected by the teacher or set within a text book could be the source of writing problems for many students. At the early years of learning how to write, the motivation that a student gets in writing really determines the interest in writing for the student even in later years. As such, students ought to be given a lee way to choose what interests them so that they can develop interests in writing. Skill-based approach is however useful where students avoid areas of their weakness and only concentrate on their strong areas. Although there is a shift of focus from skills-based focus to a student centered approach, it is recommendable that the two approaches be integrated to achieve the best results (Westwood, 2008). Enhancing student’s capability to write requires that teachers have a diverse approach and a new way of connecting to students. Effective teaching approach should incorporate both cognitive and effective scope of teaching. Attaining more effective results means being accessible to students, being pleased to assist them where necessary, sharing with them what’s interest them, and spending time to prepare meaningful writing programs. Westwood states that “explicit instruction in writing strategies must involve the teacher in giving clear demonstrations, explanations and modeling, followed by guided practice with feedback, leading eventually to students’ independent use.” (Westwood, 2008, p. 81). When the students become used to the skills they have acquired from their teachers, it becomes very easy to achieve considerable improvements on their own. An effective teacher motivates students and encourages them to recognize their weak areas. Teachers should realize that it is not what they know matters most but what they enable the student to do. The best approach should enhance student’s capacity in writing through consideration of how student can show their understanding in writing skills. Collaborative writing and teaching can an effective way of enhancing student’s writing skills. It is not only motivating but also enhances creativity among the students. The students feel more appreciated by their instructors and are also in a better position to share ideas among the peers. I agree with the author that different time should be allocated for different students depending on their capability and understanding. Students are very different, and treating them equally can really expose some to disadvantaged positions (Westwood, 2008). Whichever approach the teachers adopt, they should note that it is very important that students are personally involved so that they can make the learning experience of enduring significance. Persuading student contribution in the exercise, while at the same time expanding and refining writing skills, entails a particular practical approach. The teachers should clearly define the skills they want to develop. As the author claims, strategic approach can be used in writing just as it is used in comprehension and reading. Applying appropriate plans in writing can considerably improve the student’s ability in writing. It improves the students understanding of the subject matter, and encourages them to become more organized. Making sure that a student follows a certain sequence in writing make certain that they do not drift away from what is expected of them (Westwood, 2008). References Dowker, A. (2005). Early identification and intervention for students with mathematics difficulties. Journal of learning disabilities, 38(4), 324-332. Baker, S., Gerstein, R., & Lee, D. (2002). A synthesis of empirical research on teaching mathematics to low-achieving students. The elementary school journal, 103 (1), 51-73. Westwood, P. (2008). What teachers need to know about reading and writing difficulties. Improving writing and spelling, 6, 69-85. Read More