Different children with different needs; can a common strategy be created?

Every educational facility has its fast learners and kids with special needs. What can be done to a curriculum to make the process easier and more effective for everyone?

Special needs are special attention given to exceptional children (children with either higher or lower Intelligent Quotient). Special needs children are children who deviate from normal children. 

Teaching strategies to use to enable to enable both fast learners and special needs children to benefit in teaching and learning. Gifted children are those with higher intelligent quotient (IQ). They have high level of curiosity, they can concentrate for a long period of time, and they can retain a great deal of information. Strategies use for both Gifted and lower achievers to benefit in teaching are as follows. Always keep them busy. When he or she complete classwork or test early then others, engage him or her in a problem solving activities such as, puzzles, tessellation, brain teaser so that don?t disturb and become bored.

Assign them leadership roles. Giving class representation or captain helps them to explain certain topics to their colleagues when a teacher is not in a class. Give them challenging project, so that they deduce their own solutions. Intellectual disability/ mental retardation. Intellectual disability is when a child learns and develop slow then normal child.

Teaching strategies which help intellectual disability.

Katsiyamis, Yell, Bradley (2011) “support for the special needs” stated in their book that the use of concrete objects to support disability children which can enable them to feel and handle rather than doing paper and pencil work. Link lesson?s to the child?s experiences and everyday life so that they can gradually grasp the concept easily.

Activities should be done one after the other and clearly state when one finish and start new one. Doing many activities together will confuse children because they are slow learners. Breaks down task into chunks. Let the child start proceeding to complex one. Go back to an easier one who the child faces challenges.

Motivate the child and encourage him or her when is successful with a task. Words such as „excellent?, „very good?, splendid and rewards such as coupons and certificates to encourage him or her. Discuss with relatives of the child to assist with home works and assignments and doing revision what has been taught in the class that day.

Pair the child with someone who can help to focus the child attention and assist with task given in the class. The child should be pair with a normal child. When the have finished their task, they can help the slower child with the work. Give them an activity that they can all contribute to their own level, and work together the given task. Assign a work for the whole group I which the other learners are depended on the contribution of the child of the intellectual disability. The child can also be helped during lunch time or break by other pupil.

Visual impairment is children who are unable to see clearly. Teaching strategies to assist them during learning are:

Consult the child, a suitable place for him or her to see the chalkboard. For instance when seated at the front of the class. The chalkboard should be position at a place where the child can see or the child shouldn?t be far from the position of the chalkboard.

David Mitchell (2008) “International Experiences in the Provision of Individual EducationBased Teaching Strategies” Use visual aids or the hands writing should be large. Colored chalk can also be used. Allow the child to come close to the board so that he or she can see clearly. Call the kids by their name during class discussion to enable the child notice who is talking.

Let children use pointer or their fingers when reading. Cover the rest of the page with paper except for the paragraph the child is reading. Pair the child with someone who can see to assist him or her to arrange their work. The partner can help find the correct page. Use verbal praises or touch to give the child encouragement, this will motivate the child. Read aloud what is written on the chalkboard so that the child can hear clearly what is been said. Prepare teaching materials that the child can read easily, such as print materials, flash cards or by magnifying or enlarging images on photocopies or use large font sizes on computer print outs. This will solve the problem with children who have reading difficulties.

Hearing impairment is a situation whereby someone has difficulties in hearing or inability to hear. Vicki Goodwin and Bonita Thomson (Open University, 2004) “Handbook of Special Education”, Strategies should be provided to help children with hearing impairments are:

Teachers should speak clearly and loudly but should not shout.

The child should wear the hearing aid. It should be switched on. The child should be paired with normal hearing child. The partners can help find the correct page repeat you instructions. Children with hearing impairment might find groups discussions more challenging because of the talking going on at the same time by different people. Teachers should give face-to-face instructions to children with hearing impairment. This will help him or her to get the concept better than group discussions. Teachers should use simple words and sentences along with gestures and pictures to assist the child understand what you are saying. Pictures and gestures give clear understanding and make the lesson more real and more lively than using abstract words.