Assisting special needs students in a Japanese EFL Classroom

Detection stage 🔥

Signs ⚠

Unusual student behavior

No particpation

Distracted student

Moving away from classmates

Leaving room

Presence of a special needs teacher

Ignoring instructions

Not paying attention

Playing with something in the room

Strategies ⭐

Direct

Asking student to join

Indirect

Delegating care to the special needs teacher

Asking other students to help the student

Start a simple activity whereby teacher can assist or check on the student

Care for the student ❤

Talk gently to the student during class and outside of the class

Build trust by spending some personalized time with the student

Create a buddy system

Encourage the student with reassuring words

Create a non-threatening environment

Check with teachers and administrators as to effective teaching and care strategies for the student

Understanding one's own limits ⛔

As best as possible avoid negative messages to the student

Respect the student's comfort zone allowing physical distance

Talk with specialists

School nurse

School psychologist if present

Homeroom teacher/vice-principal

Delegate care to

Parents

Special needs teacher

Friends of the student

Pray for the child

Vice-principal/principal

Homeroom teacher

Sleeping in class

Aggressive behavior

Fighting with other students

Verbally or physically aggressive with the teacher

Creating a teaching strategy with the help of the homeroom teacher/psychologist/spec. ed. teacher/principal