Every child has the same right to education regardless of any physical or mental disability. Every child deserves the same school life like other students. It is seen that when parents get to know that their child requires special guidance on education they refuse because they feel reluctant to point out the disability their child is having.
In most of the cases, parents don’t even want to treat their child as special due to the societal pressures. They want their child to be treated the same way the other children are treated. But in reality, their child do require special treatment and special education.
What is Special Education
Special Education includes those academic programs that are specifically designed for the students facing physical, emotional or mental issues. These programs are designed for students with severe disabilities, mild disabilities including difficulty in speaking or any other impairment.
Who are Special Needs Children
Those who require special attention, guidance, and have special necessities unlike other kids, are children with special needs. The state gives this status to such children with the purpose of meeting their special needs. The state offers the assistance to ensure the growth and welfare of those with special needs.
The Importance of Special Guidance for Special Children
It is very essential for parents to realize that special guidance on education is a necessity for special children. The purpose of special guidance is not to restrict the child but to give him/her all the possible opportunities to grow and flourish. The law of every country ensures to provide same opportunity of success to all the children. Some children require entire special curriculum catering their special needs while some children just need the addition of some elements or dimensions in regular curriculum.
Some children do require special arrangements and extra attention for learning. So, it is not feasible to treat them like other regular students. It can bring adverse effects on child’s future and can also be detrimental for his/her mental and physical health.
The state provides the services depending on the disability of the child. Parents need to understand special education environments are set-up to benefit the child. The goal is to provide the child with such opportunities that he/she may not get otherwise.
Importance of Specialized Education Environment for Children
Such an environment is purposely created to benefit the children. For instance, there may be availability of more wheel chairs in the class room of physically impaired students. There may be special staff available to assist such students to move easily.
The teachers are also trained to meet the requirements of students. It is shown in research that a child having specialized training get more benefit as compared to children getting education in normal school with a single teacher teaching 20 plus students simultaneously.
In such an environment a child feels comfortable and gets the attention at individual level. There are also special education plans available in the institutes offering special education. Such plans are designed by trained teachers meeting the special needs of children facing different kinds of disability. These plans offer the student with best opportunities keeping in mind his/her special needs.
Training of Teachers Offering Special Education
A teacher for special education must be trained to have deep collaboration with regular school administrators, therapists, parents of special children, and general school teachers. Students having mild disability can be treated like regular students but those facing severe mental or physical impairment require special measures on the part of teacher. The teacher must communicate with the phycologists on a regular basis to have report on the child’s condition.
A teacher for special education must have the all the skills that a regular educator has plus he/she is required to have additional skills such as effective communication keeping in mind the comfortability of the child, excessive patience and self-control.
A teacher for special education is required to work closely with regular school administration. He/she must be updated about every new rule designed by the state. He/she must know the changes in education plan (if any) to keep the child updated in terms of learning. Basically, it is essential for a special education teacher to have a strong relationship with administration and regular school teachers ensuring the success and growth of special child.
The special education teacher must be trained to have strong and regular contact with the parents. Sometimes, it is very hard to communicate with the parents of a child having physical or mental ailment. It is seen that a special child relies more on parents as compared to regular children so including parents in the learning process of special child is essential for the emotional well-being of the child.
A teacher for special education must deeply collaborate with the therapists and phycologists. The therapists and phycologists can highlight the mental limitations of a special child giving teacher the guideline to follow. They all should work as a team ensuring the mental health of the child.
Conclusion
The needs of a special child are different than those of regular ones. It is their right to get special education so that they may grow up to be responsible citizens of the state. The parents need to understand the special needs of their child and must support him/her in this journey of life.
Special education require extraordinary arrangements different than those of regular educational structure. The teachers for special education must be trained enough to teach a special child effectively and efficiently.
Teacher needs to have deep collaboration with regular school administration, regular teachers, and parents of child, therapist and phycologist. The goal is to cater the special needs of the child so he/she can grow up to be no less than a regular child.
It is shown in research that it becomes very difficult to bring up a special child to grade level performance after the age of seven, so it is the responsibility of parents to analyze the needs of their special child. Parents must be open enough to cooperate with state and educators in this regard.
