Special Education
When working with students who have special needs, It Is imperative that they are given the proper resources, support and placed In the most beneficial learning environment. Included In this paper Is a reflection and analysis of a 5th grader named Jacob. Jacob has ADD as well as emotional and behavioral disorders. HIS academic skills are below his grade level, he does not Like school and he also Is very confrontational.
The analysis includes the various learning environments, how they can improve and/or hinder Jacobs learning, the types of services he should receive, he various technological tools that could be beneficial for him as well as the collaboration models that should be used amongst his teachers. Inclusion Inclusion would work well for Jacob in a variety of ways. Jacob would receive a lot of extra support that the Inclusion classroom provides.
He would be able to have access to classroom aides who could provide a more on one Instruction but more importantly Jacob would have other peers who are not necessarily deemed as being disabled. This Is an extremely Important benefit. By Jacob having other students rounding him who are not special needs, he Is able to have the chance to create friendships that he normally wouldn’t be exposed to in a self-contained classroom.
These other students, having been in a class with Jacob, are likely to be more accepting of Jacob.
Jacob can also learn from his peers and grow emotionally and behaviorally by seeing how they interact with each other. The down side to inclusion is that it might be too overwhelming for Jacob and could contribute to his emotional outbursts. His emotional outbursts could also hinder the learning ability of the other dents around him. If Jacob is frequently having temper tantrums and emotional outbursts, than this can cause disruptions that could lead to the others students learning to suffer. While In an inclusion classroom, Jacob can receive a variety of related services.
If he Is pulled out of class to receive such services, It could greatly Impact his ability to learn as well as affect how others perceive him and his self- esteem. However Jacob could greatly benefit from the following related services: psychological services to help him with his anger and aggression, counseling revise, recreational therapy as well as a designated social worker to help with school and home. Resource Room A resource room is a room where students with disabilities can go for a portion of the day to receive a small group or individualized instruction.
These students are still able to be in a regular classroom setting, in most cases, however, for certain periods of time, the student is able to go to the resource room that is staffed by special education teachers and paraprofessionals. The benefit of this would be that It could be a nice break for Jacob.
If a larger classroom Is stressful or overwhelming for him, It could be the break that he needs to collect himself and receive a more Individualized Instruction.
The downside to Jacob going to the resource room Is that other students would notice that Jacob leaves at certain times during the day to go there. This could self-esteem issue in Jacob and cause further complications with his emotional and behavior problems. While in a resource room, Jacob could receive related services such as psychological services, counseling services, recreational therapy and a designated social worker. Self-contained Classroom A self-contained classrooms is a more restricted learning environment.
A self- contained classroom is for children who generally suffer from more severe disabilities.
A self-contained classroom may have students from other grades and various academic levels but generally, a self-contained classroom will have children with the same learning ability. A self-contained classroom is staffed by special education individuals and aides to help assist in the care of these children depending on the child’s individual abilities. Jacob, while suffering from emotional outbursts and tantrums, does not pose enough of a danger to himself or to others to be in a self-contained classroom.
The only benefit that a self-contained classroom might provide for him is a lower key atmosphere that might not be as overwhelming for him. However, it could pose a problem if the other children’s disabilities are severe enough to make him feel scared or anxious.
While in a self-contained classroom, Jacob could benefit from the following related services: psychological services, counseling services, recreational therapy and a designated social worker. Assisted Technology There are a variety of technological tools that could benefit Jacob in each of the educational environments.
The best technological tool that can be used for assessment, planning and delivery is the Universal Design for Learning (LID) is ” a framework for designing curricula developed by the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) that connects principles of universal design to principles of learning support by brain research” (Assisted Technology, 2008) LID is an important framework to follow while developing curriculum as it really encompasses all areas ND is backed up by research that proves it is relevant and effective. The LID is really reliant on media and technology as well.
The JODI offers teachers the tools for providing various materials and resources.
One important technological tool would be the computer. The computer can really help a student in Jojoba’s case as it can be a fun, different way of learning. Computers can be manipulated in different ways to better suit the child in need of help. For instance, it can be used to change the style and size of text, the background color to make things more enticing, texts can be read loud, it can be used for students who cannot write and need a large keyboard to help express themselves.
Or in Jojoba’s case, a computer could really Just help calm him down and make things less complicated for him. It could be used as a learning tool as well as a reward.
Other tools that can be used include various instructional materials. Special books that can be put together for him that focus on emotions to help him and other children in the class understand what his disorder is about. Another great tool for a childlike Jacob would be something like the live scribe smart pen. Children with Jacobs disorder have a hard time sitting still and listening to someone teach a long lesson, even if there are activity breaks in between.
This pen helps by recording things so that Jacob, his teachers and/or parents can go back to review. In the event that Jacob has an emotional outburst, he can be redirected and another great tool.
It allows teachers to digitally share lessons and notes with students and parents on devices so that students can be more organized and stay on task. Collaboration Models There are two collaboration models that I feel, would benefit Jacob the best; the first nee being the alternative teaching model. In this model, one teacher manages the majority of the class while the other teach may lead a small group inside or outside of the classroom.
The advantage to this would be that Jacob would have less distraction and fewer obstacles to overcome with a smaller group size. The disadvantage to this would be that the other students might deem this as the trouble’ group so it is imperative that no distinctions are made.
(Friend & Cook, 1996) Another collaboration model that would benefit Jacob would be station teaching. This s when various stations are set up and teachers take turns at the stations. This could really help Jacob become more interested in learning by being more active and engaged.
However, it could also provide more distractions and increase his frustration. Placement Even with Jacobs outbursts, I feel that the best place to start Jacob out in would be in an inclusive setting. Prior to this happening, the school needs to gather as much information as they can from other teachers and the parents.
Information that could help them know what triggers Jacob, what helps calm him down and how they can direct his attention. All of his related services should also be already scheduled and in place.
The fact that Jacob has been known to get in other children’s faces is of concern, however, by trying to minimize the actions that set this off, it can really help in his overall success. If this were to happen, Jacob could visit the resource room for some additional one on one behavioral and emotional support. If Jacobs behavior does not improve or if he possess a threat to other children, then a self-contained classroom would be best. This is of course a last resort and it really depends on how ell Jacob handles himself in the classroom.
It is important to allow Jacob to have the best chance at a great education but at the same time, it cannot take away from other children’s ability to learn as well. Jacob should be closely monitored to try and pick up on cues and events that set him off as well as things that he likes so that this way, he may have a chance of staying in an inclusive setting. The inclusive setting would be extremely beneficial as it would give him the chance to see how his peers engage, they could be role-models for him and set an example. It could also give him the ability to create friendships that may help with his anger and frustration issues.
Standards CE Standard 1: Learner Development and Individual Learning Differences -“Beginning special education professionals understand how exceptionalness may interact with development and learning and use this knowledge to provide meaningful and challenging learning experiences for individuals with exceptionalness” In any classroom, it is important to be aware of any and all differences.
It is also important to make sure to create a nurturing and understanding environment so that all students feel loved and appreciated.
With this understanding, any teacher needs to make sure to teach to all learning styles; ensuring that all students will have an equal ability to learn and be successful. Should stand true. CE Standard 4: Assessment -“Beginning special education professionals use multiple methods of assessment and data sources in making educational decisions”. In any classroom environment it is important to collect various forms of data from students through assessments.
Being that there are various learning styles, it is important to administer these assessments in different styles to make sure all learning styles are being accommodated to.
In OTOH an inclusive classroom and self-contained, assessments are given frequently to ensure that the child is benefiting from his/her PEP. Regardless of which learning environment Jacob is placed into, it is important that teachers are aware of and follow the standards that are in place to ensure all students, have a fair and equal opportunity to learn. Jacobs case is not an easy one, however, with much patience and guidance, Jacob can thrive if given the opportunity to. He will need constant redirection, verbal praise and a discipline structure that focuses on catching him doing something good instead of focusing on the bad.
This can greatly increase his chance of becoming less frustrated and aggressive.
