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Haes Shal Kim Identifying and Helping Students with Intellectual…
Haes Shal Kim
Identifying and Helping Students with Intellectual Disabilities
Step 1: Identify Common Signals
Trouble Understanding
Basic Social Rules
A student may have difficulty in:
Keeping hygiene - e.g. when eating.
Following basic instructions.
Understanding his/her peer's emotions.
Low Language Proficiency
Some students may have trouble with:
Expressing basic needs - e.g. going to restroom
Communicating his/her own emotion to peers or teacher.
Very low level of reading and writing compared to others at a similar age.
Memory Problem
Having difficulty with remembering basic things such as:
How to buy something at a store
Remembering his/her own age
Where to be seated in a classroom
Physical Signs
Cannot fully control body movement.
Blinks the eyes too often
Shakes his/her legs or other body parts too often
Step 2: Use Helping Strategies
Teachers
Break down activities into smaller steps
Teach social skills needed to interact with peers, and protect the students from bullying!
Communicate regularly with parents!
Parents
Provide a safe environment where a child can make mistakes, but strive towards independence!
Communicate with teachers. Provide them very specific details about their child's needs.
Study about parenting skills for children with special needs.
Environment
Quiet workplace - where a student can clearly know what to focus on without least distractions as possible.
Repeated Exercises for "Everyday Life Skill" - such as how to cross the road or how to play football.
Ideal Teacher-Student Ratio - with about 1 teacher for every 3 students with special need.
Personal Reflections as a Teacher
Priorities to Consider
Having detailed, constant communication with parents.
Do not undermine the importance of reading the emotional need of a student, rather than only focusing on providing physical/ intellectual help.
There are two things that must be balanced: the necessity to inform the students and seek for their assistance and cooperation/ to provide an environment where students with special needs can feel as equal and independent beings.
Creating Social Impact
Be active in informing about the situation regarding special education to the government, local communities, and most of all the school that you work in.
Research and write about the experiences with special education.
Look back into your own prejudices, discuss about them with others, and try to practices values that can make a difference.
Reference:
Theraphy Travelers (2018). Strategies for Teaching Students with Intellectual Disabilities. Retrieved from
https://therapytravelers.com/strategies-teaching-students-intellectual-disabilities
.