Including Children with Special Needs in

the Regular Class

Teacher Krystel Tolentino

Overview• special education • concepts of inclusion• different ways of learning

"What is taught isn't the same as how it is taught."Howell, Fox, Moorehead

"If a child can't learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn"

Ignacio Estrada

Special Education Definition

Specially designed instruction, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability, including instruction conducted in the classroom, in the home, in hospitals and institutions, and in other settings.

Special Education

“…the integration or mainstreaming of learners with special needs into the regular school system and eventually in the community” - DepEd, 1997

Function of Special Education

• Assessment• Placement• Modifications• Individualized educational program• Collaboration with IEP team

Inclusion• The practice of

providing a child with disabilities with his or her education within the general education classroom, with the support and accommodations needed by that student

Mainstream and Inclusion

http://www.isec2000.org.uk/abstracts/papers_c/correia_1.htm

Inclusion is…• Embracing and respecting differences• Expanding choice for CSN• Promoting unconditional acceptance• Creating a welcoming and inviting

environment• Involving age-appropriate peers• Creating connections in the

community• Respecting the entire family

Inclusion is NOT• Mainstreaming• Segregated Programs• Physical Placement• Placement with Younger• Peers• Part-time• A Program• A Privilege

Barriers to Inclusion• Negative attitudes and/or stereotypes• Fear• Lack of understanding of educational

responsibility• Lack of training• Inadequate ratios of adults to children• Lack of support from leadership• Lack of a plan to implement and

sustain inclusion practices

Myths about Inclusion• Every child with a disability needs a

one-on-one aide.• You have to know everything about a

child’s disability in order to support that child.

• Including children with disabilities will compromise the quality of the program for the other children.

Parent’s Perspective on Inclusion

How to Foster Inclusion?

CSN in the Classroom

Different Ways of Learning• Learning preferences– VAKT (visual, auditory, kinesthetic &

tactile)–Multi-sensory teaching & learning

Different Ways of Learning• Learning styles (McCarthy, 1987)– Dynamic, innovative, analytic & procedural

Different Ways of Learning• Nature of Intelligence• Multiple Intelligences– 8 Smarts: word (verbal/linguistic), number

(logical/mathematical), picture (visual/spatial), body (body/kinesthetic), music (musical/rhythmic), people (interpersonal), self (intrapersonal) and nature (naturalistic)

Different Ways of LearningStrategy MI’s Learning

Preference

Learning Style

Story Maps Verbal/linguisticLogical/mathematicalVisual/spatial

VisualAuditory

ProceduralAnalytic

Dance/performance

Body/kinestheticMusical/rhythmic

KinestheticAuditory

DynamicInnovative

Graphing plant growth

NaturalistLogical/mathematicalInterpersonal

KinestheticTactile

ProceduralDynamic

Experiments IntrapersonalBody/kinestheticLogical/mathematical

KinestheticTactileVisual

InnovativeProceduralDynamic

Journal Sharing

IntrapersonalInterpersonalVerbal/linguistic

AuditoryKinesthetic

AnalyticInnovative

Adjustments

Teaching Strategies• Use the strengths and interests of the

learner• Reward learner efforts• Focus on assessment of concepts rather

than conventions• Break instructions into chunks• Provide clear instructions in sequence• Teach prerequisites beforehand• Build in practice opportunities for new

skills• Use multi sensory approaches• Teach new concepts explicitly

Teaching Strategies• Review info on previous topics and

describe current lessons.• Summarizing various activities planned.• Set learning expectation• Set behavioral expectation in classroom• Identify material need for lessons• Refer resources that will help master

the lesson• Simplify the instruction and expectation

Behavioral Intervention• Praise when positive behavior is

displayed immediately.• Be consistent to avoid confusion.• Ignore unintentional behavior• Encouragement from the teacher can

help prevent students from becoming frustrated with an assignment.

When teachers are more aware of the struggles of CSN, they can better help the students in the classroom and establish a calm structured learning environment.

ReferencesStevens,S.H. (1997) Classroom success for the LD and AHDH

child.Winston-Salem,NC :John F. Blair.

Kochhar, C., West, L., & Taymans, J. (2000). Successful Inclusion: Practical strategies for a shared responsibility. Prentice Hall: New Jersey