Yes !! It is Special !!!! (All about Special Education)

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Many must have wondered, “What is special education??… Why one needs it??…. And what really makes it different???” Let me help you overcome your confusions and fathom the meaning, depth and form of the ‘SPECIAL’ concept of EDUCATION.

Special education is a different and broader face of teaching, which enables exploration of diverse abilities your kid has. The professionals in this field come up with the right methods that can enhance your kid’s learning abilities in all areas. This approach helps in your child’s holistic development in the most suited way. If you go by the theories we can explain it as,

“Special Education programs are designed for those students who are mentally, physically, socially and/or emotionally delayed. This aspect of “delay” broadly categorized as a developmental delay, signify an aspect of the child’s overall development (physical, cognitive, scholastic skills) which place them behind their peers. Due to these special requirements, students’ needs cannot be met within the traditional classroom environment. Special Education programs and services adapt content, teaching methodology and delivery instruction to meet the appropriate needs of each child.”

special-education

We, educators, act as mentors and work with children and youths who are differently abled. It is indeed important to ensure that each child is given appropriate training to overcome developmental delays and improve his/her abilities to achieve success. We, the professionals, set the right program and follow the right methods that will help each child achieve his/her maximum thus enabling a better living.

As specialized educators, we deal with kids who have mild to severe cognitive, emotional, or physical issues. Here, we primarily teach them life skills and basic literacy. For children with mild to moderate disabilities, we modify the general education curriculum to meet the child’s individual needs and provide each one with tailor-made instruction to enhance their performance. Special education caters to children of all age groups including infants and toddlers, besides those kids at preschool, elementary, middle, and secondary school level. The educator focuses on all facets of development – Academic, Social and Behavioral developments of the child.

Special Education
Special Education

We develop Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for each student after detailed assessment. The Individualized Education Program is designed to develop individual goals for the student and is modified to the student’s abilities and needs; and we go over the IEP with the child’s parents, general education teachers, social workers, school psychologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech therapists and school administrators. Essentially, we work very closely with parents to keep them updated on progress and make recommendations to promote learning at home.

I hope, now you know, how special and important Special education is, in the life of many!!

Written by
Mangala Muraleedharan
Special Educator
Prayatna, Centre for Child Development
Ernakulam

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