What is Different About Educating Children with Special Needs?
According to the most recent NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) information, there are 7.3 million special ed students in the United States, representing 15% of enrolled public-school students. While this figure does not include children who are educated in other ways (privately or at home), the number has still doubled from 3.6 million in 1976. It seems safe to say, therefore, that learning disabilities are on the rise.
In this article we explore how to go about educating a special-needs child. What interventions (if any) are required, and how do we maximize the abilities they have?
Below are some strategies to consider based on the disability involved, the age of the child in question, and the family’s goals for the student.
1. Extra Time and the Importance of Routine
Much more often than not, special-needs students require extra time to learn. They may need it over the course of an entire instructional program or on a minute-to-minute basis in order to process information. In practice, this could mean moderated or shortened assignments, one-to-one support with the generous use of manipulatives, a slower, more deliberate pace, or longer breaks between activities.
In the case of some disabilities, such as autism, a schedule of activities may be helpful, also. Setting up either a daily or weekly schedule and reviewing details with the child ahead of time can work wonders for success, a strategy that often benefits younger learners as well.
2. Customized Learning Strategies
Every special-needs student is different, as parents and teachers can attest. Whether it is autism, Down’s Syndrome, intellectual disability, or any variation thereof, having a plan that suits the needs of that particular child is ideal. For example, if a student is more productive in the morning, plan your most intensive activity then. If much repetition is needed, condense skills into smaller groups to reteach on a regular schedule. In the case of multiple learning styles, teach the skill in different ways according to a student’s strengths: visual (seeing), auditory (hearing), tactile (touching), spatial (diagramming) and kinesthetic (with movement). Generally speaking, shorter tasks with greater frequency (for example, 4 math problems with a 5-minute break between sets, or reading 1 paragraph at a time) can usually be retained more effectively.
Knowing the characteristics of your child’s specific disability can help you design interventions as well. If your child has autism, know what behaviors, strengths, and limitations generally apply and plan activities accordingly. These will vary within diagnoses, so look to idiosyncrasies first.
3. Concrete vs. Abstract Learning
Concrete learning has been established as a superior method for teaching the young, but it can be highly effective for special-needs students as well. A concrete strategy refers to techniques that require a hands-on approach vs. those that are inferential or more abstract. For example, a concrete approach to teaching addition might include the use of Touchdots, Counters, or Place Value Blocks rather than adding the numbers in your head. Generally speaking, when planning for special needs or children in any other group, it is ideal to begin in the concrete phase and move to the abstract only after the skill has been mastered at its basic level.
4. Repetition
And last but not least, repetition is a hallmark for students with special needs. While the use of drilling and repetitive strategies isn’t desirable all the time, it can serve an undeniable function in helping retain information. This may apply to skills across the curriculum including skip counting, multiplication facts, addition/subtraction facts, sight words, vocabulary, counting money, and so on.
Other, more tactile strategies that can assist with the memorization process include clapping, stamping, tapping dots, figures, or the use of visual aids, rhymes, and songs.
On the whole, it is wise to remember that similarities between special learners and neurotypical children can be strong in many areas. Given the overlap, it becomes clear that all students can benefit at one time or another from the techniques outlined above. If a child should struggle to grasp a concept, any and all available strategies should automatically be used.