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... sts many evaluators is the childs ability to identify shapes, colors, and body parts. (Lamm 45) The final part of most of the informal testing techniques is to test the childs writing abilities. First the child is asked to write simple things such as his name, address, birthday, telephone number, etc. The smallest facts that would be considered the least important usually end up determining the childs placement. If his writing is extremely large or small, it is often an indication of an emotional problem. Questions about the family and the childs background may give the evaluator a good idea of what type of environment the child is growing up in.
Often it is ascertained that ones environment has a large affect on his own performance. Lastly, the child is asked to either repeat a story that he saw on television or on the street. If the child is unable to do this it indicates to us that either the child doesnt understand what he is watching or what he understands, or that he is just unable to express his recollection and thoughts. The formal tests are more clinical. The child is asked to complete a puzzle so that the evaluator can get a sense of the childs visual-motor skills. The complexity of the puzzle used is determined by the age of the child and the reason for referral.
Then the child is usually given all sorts of visual and mathematical tests. After the testing, both formal and informal, is complete, then, depending on the childs performance, he is either continued forward or backward to assess the exact grade level of what he has accomplished. He may be lacking in some areas and ahead in others. There are often many problems in pinpointing the exact method of teaching which would best fit the childs needs.
Many schools work together to find the best methods, and they share information which they feel might help other schools to successfully teach these children. Today, throughout the educational system, there are many techniques used to teach children with learning problems. A Chinese Proverb states, I hear and I forget- I see and I remember- I do and I understand (Weiss, 110). This proverb is the basis to teaching learning disabled children.
Things cannot just be taught to them, rather they must be fully presented to them through visual materials. It is important to allow for all kinds of expression, not just the basic reading / writing techniques. There are so many ways to teach them, there is no one simple solution to the problems of the learning disabled child. The teacher is where it all begins. His / her attitude toward the children and his / her desire to teach have been proven to be the factors in the success rate of the students. The teacher must want these children to achieve their best.
If the teacher doesnt care, it is basically guaranteed that these children will be unsuccessful and develop a negative attitude toward themselves. If the teacher does not expect a lot from the student it could result in reinforcing the childs learning and behavior problems. The focus in a special classroom should be much different than the focus in a normal class. In todays school the focus is the outcome, not the effort that the child puts in.
It is said, The twelve-year-old full-time vocation of being a student is measured in impersonal letters and numbers. If we continue our bias against nonbook learning, we will turn these kids off through our unconscious attitudes and our classroom approaches (Weiss, 111). When teaching special education children we must take a different approach. We must focus on their strengths; on those areas in which they are most successful. If a child is not successful academically, however he is a good athlete, we must give him the confidence that he needs by praising his athletic abilities. Everyone needs positive feedback in order to build self confidence and in order to be successful.
Throughout the development of the educational system, children with disabilities were placed in special classrooms. However, lately, the trend has been changing and it has been moving toward integrating the children into a regular classroom. Programs that integrate children seem to eliminate the stigmatizing effects of segregated programs, and follow the least restrictive feature of the law. The immediate problem in providing an integrated setting for preschoolers is that most public schools do not offer programs for 3 - and 4 -year-olds. Therefore, preschoolers with disabilities are generally placed in segregated classrooms.
Some investigators report that integrated classrooms are effective. Others think that more research is needed to evaluate the quality of services for young children with disabilities in integrated settings. There are so many other means of teaching children with learning disorders. Programs that are home-based, where the parents become the childs primary teacher, have been suggested and have many advantages. Here the parent must be fully involved and much time must be dedicated. In center-based programs, the parent (or school-arranged transportation) brings the child to a central facility.
The services at the facility are geared specifically toward children with disabilities. Combination services are flexible programs that provide services at home and in a center. These are only a few examples of the types of services that are offered to learning disabled children. As technology advances more programs have been devised and are continuously progressing.
Overall, it may be concluded that the method of teaching and assessing a learning disabled child is determined by the capabilities of the child himself. There is a growing concern for children and youth with learning disabilities who have extreme difficulty both academically and in other areas despite their mental capability. The inquiry of the youngster who encounters extraordinary difficulty in learning, however, is not in anyway new. Throughout the years, children from all different surroundings and backgrounds have experienced difficulties in learning.
Researchers and investigators have been trying to solve this problem. However, as of now, we may only come to one conclusion, that the best way to teach these children is to bring them up in a surrounding where they learn to develop a positive attitude toward themselves. The child must want to thrive and achieve his best. Whichever teaching method is chosen, whether it be mainstreaming or home-based, the educator must have high expectations in order so that the child will gain self-confidence.
This is only a guide, for it is clearly not a solution. It is most likely that a solution will never be found but rather we must work with each child as an individual so that he / she may reach his / her potential and achieve maximum success. Bibliography:
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