Journal Entry I
What are Exceptional children and what place do they have in our schools?
Exceptional children are children who are either exceptionally gifted or children with exceptional learning disabilities. These are children whose performances are way above the average child or way below the average child. When they perform way above the average child, they are called gifted. When they perform way below the average, we say they are children with learning disabilities.
Like any other child, these children with exceptionalities are also a part of our society. Therefore it is important that they get the same opportunities as other children. Sometimes these children are clled Special and are placed in a special education
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This is stereotyping and it harms children when a teacher rationalize low achievement by citing characteristics of the label. Example: We do not expect John to remember all his spellings vecause he is intellectually disabled.
7. Diagnostic labels are unreliable. Educational evaluation is filled with quirks. /the governments use different description criteria for the same categories; many evaluation instruments have questionable validity and reliability; specific labels go through trends.
8. Labels often put the blame (and the guilt) for a student’s learning problem squarely on the parents’ shoulders. In many cases, this is unjustified because students may be mislabeled or teachers many not fully understand the many different cases for learning disability.
More disadvantages
Labeling a child with Learning Disabilities may:
1. Cause stigmatization from teacher, peers and parents
2. May lower expectations placed on them
3. Have teachers treat them differently
4. Students may make fun of them
5. Students may have difficulty of being alienated or bullied by the general school body
6. They are unable to participate in school functions or attend different school from their siblings, which can lead to isolation
Conclusion
The advantages of labeling were more obvious in the formative years of special education (mid 1940s to early 1970s) then they are now without the category
The teaching philosophy of exceptional children: My teaching career has been spent learning how to provide appropriate support, guidance, patience, & understanding, as well as to enhance academic growth & success, for all students. My purpose as a teacher is to enrich and inspire the lives of young students with moderate/intensive needs by providing access to information instead of functioning as the primary source of information for students to flourish. My teaching methods will be to create an environment ripe with opportunities for discovery and exploration which will allow the student to learn at his/her own pace, generate questions and construct knowledge, while providing hands-on practice of skills in authentic situations as well
We must not label children due to their disability. It is important we look at their individual need first without focusing on their impairment. We should be realistic about their expectations and modify the curriculum to suit, give them extra support or their own SEN, depending on needs but also encouraging independence as much as possible.
Evaluation: In early 1970, children with learning disabilities were treated much differently than the peers that were at appropriate grade level. In this student’s case, the school system segregated the special needs students placing them in special classroom and labeled them as “slow learners”. With the teachers and school administration lack of knowledge on helping students with disabilities, students were at a disadvantage in receiving a fair education. Children felt as
the student exhibits social, emotional or behavioral functioning that so departs from generally accepted, age appropriate ethnic or cultural norms that it adversely affects a child 's academic progress, social relationships, personal adjustment, classroom adjustment, self-care or vocational skills; (2) the behaviors are severe, chronic, and frequent, occur at school and at
They have difficulty interacting with their peers, which can lead to them feeling isolated or left out.
Labeling Children With Disabilities. The answer on whether or not to label children with disabilities still goes unanswered. There are many pro’s and con’s to each side of the spectrum. Both sides of the debate have extremely valid points that need to be taken into consideration when attempting to label children with disabilities.
Both children with and without exceptionalities learn with and from each other. Also, since both children with and without exceptionalities are expected to learn to write, read, and do math; higher expectations can be set and with good instruction children with exceptionalities can excel in these academic skills.
Although in many cases teachers have the students’ best interest at heart and hope to benefit them from a referral for an evaluation, inappropriate labeling can bring serious consequences for pupils. As noted on Truth in labeling: disproportionality in special education (2007), once admitted into the special needs program, students tend to remain in special education classes, they are more likely to encounter less rigorous curriculum and lower expectations, they often face social stigma, and have less contact with academically able peers.
Special Education is a topic of controversy with many advocates fighting for the justice children and adults with special needs so rightfully deserve. With laws being passed and modified so frequently, it is important that the educators being brought into the world have an extensive knowledge of the developmental needs of many different types of children. With this knowledge and their constant measures to keep up to date with the fast-moving world of education, they will be able to deliver an appropriate atmosphere that is in accordance with the law that ensures ethical practices and guidelines are always being followed.
The theoretical framework of the following sources focus on best practice teaching strategies concerning twice-exceptional students to help meet their full potential. O'Sullivan, Robb, Howell, Marshall, and Goodman theoretical focus is providing implement learning environments for teacher to use with twice-exceptional students. The authors argue there needs to be a special setting for twice-gifted students, which help them excel. Firstly, it is important to provide freedom and variety to 2e students, by
“An exceptional child is a child who is different in some way from the average typical child. This could include a gifted child, handicapped, or a learning disability.” (HDFS 641 Parenting Exceptional Children) An exceptional child needs a lot more care and nurture then a child who does not have a disability. I mentioned earlier that I plan to focus on the independent model of parenting. For a child with a disability this is unrealistic. They need their parent to constantly be there every step of the way. The parent-child bond may be affected such as having a child that is very hard to care for or having a child that provides few social cues. Roles that a parent needs to take on with an exceptional child are added on to the roles they normally have to take on. If my child happen to have an exceptionality I would take on the role of being my child’s advocate for their entire
In 1993 the report of the Special Education Review Committee (SERC) was published. This report dealt comprehensively with the educational implications of special needs. It provided a definition of special needs which included those with severe and profound difficulties through to those who were exceptionally able and included both physical and mental disabilities. It recognized that the desire of the majority of parents of children with
When children are put into educational facilities, they get a chance to connect and surround themselves with others of the same age group. Schools can also have significant influence on a person’s individuality as well as peer groups, which influence a student’s academic integrity greatly. A student will not perform well no matter what the case is, if there is negative influence from his peers and their school environment. They affect a person’s attitude, personality in a positive or negative manner.
Students with learning disabilities struggling with so many things and in so many ways. Problems with listening, reasoning, memory, attention, selecting and focusing on relevant stimuli, and the perception and processing of visual and/or auditory information are experienced by students with learning disabilities (Heward, 2010). These difficulties and struggles with learning may grow more apparent by middle school and will often continue for a life time. Not learning to read,
The importance of education for all children, especially for those with disability and with limited social and economic opportunities, is indisputable. Indeed, the special education system allowed children with disability increased access to public education. Apart from that, the special education system has provided for them an effective framework for their education, and for the institutions involved to identify children with disability sooner. In turn, this promotes greater inclusion of children with disability alongside their nondisabled peers. In spite of these advances however, many obstacles remain, including delays in providing services for children with disability, as well as regulatory and