3- List three disability categories related to needs that you think have important implications for school functioning. Briefly indicate why you think each is important.
- Specific Learning Disability (SLD). It comprises a specified group of learning challenges that give rise to several conditions that affect a child’s reading comprehension, writing expression, listening, speaking, reasoning, attentiveness in class, and difficulty solving simple mathematical problems (Teachings in Education, 2021).
- Visual impairment, inclusive of blindness. Inability to visually perceive information not only affects a child’s ability to participate in the class equally but also affects their self morale and self-esteem, limitations that they substitute by developing negative remorseful behaviors such as being arrogant, abusive in speech, and overly exhibiting rude interpersonal relations with their peers (Teachings in Education, 2021).
- Hearing impairment including deafness. A child whose hearing sensors are affected is unable to process class lessons at an equal pace with other normal students since the inability to hear automatically translates to an inability to comprehend thus, affecting their overall school functioning (Teachings in Education, 2021).
2- List two interventions that you think are important for the designated disability category. Briefly indicate why you think each is important.
- a) Keeping instructions, rules, and expectations as simple and clear as possible for easier comprehension, in addition to recognizing that each student is unique (Teachings in Education, 2021). Students with SLD conditions need the services of an instructor that recognizes that each student learns differently and thus, should be accorded with simpler and manageable bits of tasks that allow them to feel they are making some daily strides.
- b) Allowing a circle-time mode of sitting arrangement and giving ample time for visually impaired students to interact and fully explore the teaching objects allows for personalized learning (Teachings in Education, 2021). Circle time gives students more proximity to instructional materials and actions, and when coupled with prior interaction time with these materials, visually impaired students develop a higher level of comfort and familiarity with these objects of learning.
- c) Motivating students with hearing difficulties to sit in front of class forms part of planning for their up-close engagement and using assistive listening aids such as induction loops (Teachings in Education, 2021). A student in the front seat can enhance his or her hearing range even with the assistance of hearing aids in the lecture rooms.
1-List one ‘bottom line’ idea regarding the designated disability category that you think is most important for you to remember for your work as an educator.
SLD embodies a disability category critical to my work as an educator. The composition of disorders in this category motivates me to recognize the uniqueness and specific needs of different students hence, challenging me to incorporate teaching strategies such as calmness and authentic praise that will see this special group of students have a smooth transition from elementary to higher-learning levels (Teachings in Education, 2021).
Reference
Teachings in Education. (2021, May 17). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfOYlqlEgP4
