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Mauritius: Children with special needs
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L'Express (Port Louis)
4 December 2007
Posted to the web 4 December 2007
Port Louis
Throughout history, societies have reacted to their members who are "different" in a variety of ways. They have been pitied, ridiculed and marked but more recently with changing public attitudes and greater knowledge, especially in more developed countries, they are beginning to receive the rights and services due to them as full members of our society.
The disabled are the "last of the minorities" and as such have yet to make the comprehensive gains in opportunities and acceptance that have been the rewards of the more visible minority groups. Special education has gained significant recognition in developed countries.
The children for whom special support is particularly appropriate are those children who vary significantly from the norm on intellectual, physical and behavioural and/or communicative dimensions. It essentially suggests that children with special needs are those for whom the regular school curriculum or environment is not appropriate without support or modification.The special needs of children exist on a continuum from severe to very mild, but in each case intervention is required.
The majority of the children with special needs will always be best catered for by minor curriculum modifications and extra support in regular schools. For example, some learners may have special educational needs because they have general learning difficulties in the intellectual domain, that is, they are well behind their chronological aged peers in all cognitive skills; on the other hand, they may be quite competent in most learning areas of the curriculum. Therefore, we need to develop a few strategies that might be effective in teaching our learners with special needs.
Learning helper: This involves pairing a child with special needs with another child in the class, so that inconspicuous individual support can be provided, without the rest of the class becoming involved. The key feature of the relationship must be compatibility. It is also important to ensure that the " mate" is a prestigious member of the class, as it can enhance general peer acceptance of the special child.
Cooperative Learning: Classroom organisation that requires cooperation between the class members is more likely to generate acceptance and support than one that fosters individual competition. Cooperative learning involves effective instructional strategies that enhance acceptance. It usually involves grouping high and low achievers together and providing group reinforcements and incentives.
Interaction with other disabled persons: Representatives of organisation and individuals with disabilities are often willing to speak to children about their lives. The children are encouraged to asked discuss the limitations and opportunities for people similarly impaired. Contact and structured interaction with children with special units is another way of enhancing understanding and contact. Modified sport activities, competitions and social outings can also be used to great effect.
Involvement of parents: Parents as volunteers in the classroom can help ease the apprehension of students about the presence of a special needs child.
Improving the social skills of children with special needs: Successful social integration is a two-way process-improving attitude and enhancing acceptance by teachers and peers and developing the social skills.
For many children with special needs, particularly those with severe disabilities, full integration is unlikely, but for all children, social acceptance into the least restrictive environment is their right and we should do everything in our power to enable them to realise that right.
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(Ref.: Casey Kevin, 1994, 1st Ed., Teaching Children With Special Needs, an Australian perspective, Australia, Social Science Press)
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