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Teaching Children with Special Needs

Charlie S
Teaching children with special needs requires a planned strategy and consistent efforts. Proper care should be taken to make them feel comfortable during the learning process.
Many experts say that every child is good at something, and the challenge before the parents and the teachers is to find out what that thing is. Finding out the hidden talents in children is more essential in case of those, who have some kind of disabilities.
Teaching such children can become easy, if you can identify the qualities in them at the right time. Here are some tips and guidelines that you can follow, while dealing with such children.

How to teach them?

Interacting with them

Interacting with children needing special attention is very essential in order to speed up their learning process. Lack of proper interaction can hamper their learning and progress.
So, as a teacher, you should interact with them in a friendly manner. Also it should be noted that, fulfilling their needs is possible only through planned strategies.

Encouraging them

In many cases, it has been observed that, such students are not confident enough and have an inferiority complex. At this point, it is the duty of the teachers to teach them at their level of understanding.
One should totally stop comparing them constantly with other bright students. Few words of encouragement can help in boosting their morale and confidence. Arranging for special classes is indeed a good idea. Try to make the sessions as interactive as possible.
Illustrate your point by citing examples, which are relevant and can help them to easily understand the concepts.

Giving opportunities

It is important to note that, such children get plenty of opportunities to prove themselves. You should stand by them during their failures to make them feel that, they have the ability to do better. Avoid criticizing them for their bad performances.
Whenever they do well, you should take notice of their performance, give them suitable awards, certificates, and prizes to encourage and motivate them. It is only through constant motivation that these children will succeed in future.

Teaching practical aspects

Apart from classroom teaching, you should also emphasize on practical learning sessions. This is because, by practical experience, they would be able to learn the concepts well. You can also arrange for outdoor sessions every week.
Keeping a tab on their performance, improvements shown by them, and their personal inclination is very essential. The teacher should regularly be in contact with the parents of such children to chalk out plans for their advancement.
Personal hygiene, cleanliness habits, ways of interacting with other people are some basic things, which must be a part of the program. Telling them what is right and what is wrong will make them a better person when they grow up. The values learned during childhood will always remain with them throughout their lives.
There are many examples of great people who had learning disabilities in their childhood, but have achieved great heights in their respective careers, due to proper guidance and coaching.