Introduction
Individuals with learning disabilities have varying needs – which evolve as they progress with their learning. As a teacher this process allows me to increase the knowledge and skills that I have acquired in practice and school. The primary focus while teaching students with disabilities is directed toward addressing their needs and respecting the varying abilities and learning styles displayed by each learner. As an educator, it is paramount to create an environment that motivates supports, encourages and values each learner. Moreover, it is important to recognize that students with learning disabilities acquire their skills in different ways that are not aligned with the conventional phases of development. However, through personalized teaching approaches that address their unique needs, those with a disability have an opportunity also to learn.
The only factors that differentiate special needs students to those without are the approaches that are used in teaching and learning. However, as a teacher one can create their philosophy on special education which is influenced by the experiences and research. Learners with disabilities include individuals that learn under the special education programs in private and public learning systems. It is important for teachers to understand that the disability of a student does not define their outcomes as students or individuals – hence it they must offer extra support to this group of learners. People with disabilities have the right to feel welcomed, valued and accepted at home, in school, and within the community. The conventional field of philosophy views this as an approach of promoting humanity and the ideals of development.
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Personal experiences and observations I have developed a personal philosophy for special education. By working and interacting with individuals that have special needs, I have realized that people with special needs have the fundamental right to have equal opportunities to live and engage in the same settings and programs as those without any disabilities. Having had a chance to engage with people with disabilities in different contexts has enabled me to recognize and appreciate the needs that special students have. Students with special needs are similar to those without – since both groups of students possess the ability to develop, learn, function and succeed in different areas of their lives.
Special needs education takes different facets in assisting a student to achieve their desired level of success. This ranges from direct teaching to developing supplementary learning resources to enable a student to practice and break complex tasks to suit their comprehension levels. Thus, all teachers should do what they can to ensure that a student feels accommodated and have room to prosper in their education. This approach is vital in general learning institutions where special needs children do not have access to sufficient assistance. Tentative care in special education creates equal opportunities for special education students as they feel valued and appreciate.
Irrespective of the challenging aspects of learning with a disability, disabilities do not hinder a person from acquiring knowledge and skills since a disabled learner is enabled by their disability. Thus, specific approaches in the classroom must be implemented to meet the special needs of the students. As a teacher, the curriculum and instructional teaching methods implemented must be devised to adapt to the individual needs to achieve the best learning outcomes. Therefore, it is imperative for educators to expand and improve the effectiveness of the special needs education curriculum for early identification and prevention.
Interacting with students with learning disabilities had allowed me to recognize that each learner has unique strengths and weaknesses. This made me realize that people with disabilities have the right to as much self-determination as they can achieve. Thus, as an educator, it is important to continuously engage the students by focusing on their talents and skills and provide them with adequate opportunities to grow as a student and an individual. On the other hand, recognizing a learner’s weakness is part of identifying the needs of a student and creating ways that can assist them in overcoming the challenges presented by their learning disability. This can be achieved by shifting the focus to their strengths once you have identified their weaknesses and adjusting the learner’s learning process to reflect their strength. For example, in a student has great inter-personal skills and is good with working with their hands, but is weak in reading, the student’s reading tasks should be adjusted to reflect their strengths.
As an educator being aware of the learner's weaknesses and strengths is an advantage during teaching. Recognizing the learner's shortcomings and strengths and contrasting them to their specific intelligence profile – provides the teacher and the learner with the chance to explore suitable strategies to enhance learning while addressing the challenges encountered. Therefore, as a teacher, I am obliged to continue applying this knowledge into strategies that facilitate student learning – and instruct the learners following their interests and contributions in the world. Nonetheless, awareness of intelligence among students with disabilities can assist them in discerning the variances in challenges and failure – which plays a significant role in enhancing positive self-esteem in disabled learners. For instance, learners acquire the confidence to take risks and are more eager to work outside their comfort zone. As a result, positive learning outcomes in challenging experiences nurture the desire to learn among students with disabilities.
The learning environment and collaboration are essential factors in enhancing learning among special needs students. Learning environment and collaboration are important in assisting students with disabilities to transition from school life to adulthood. The teacher should encourage collaboration between special education and general education. The collaboration will allow the teachers and students to feel comfortable when asking for assistance when they are faced with a challenging situation. This will provide a supportive learning environment that prepares students with specials needs and those without to develop health interactions with different people outside the school environment.
Special needs teachers play a critical role in the school environment – thus, they should focus on the themes of collaboration, diversity, literacy, technology, and transition. As the teacher refers to these themes while teaching students with disabilities, it creates better learning opportunities and prepares them to be exemplary people within their communities. Additionally, by focusing on literacy, the teacher facilitates the transition of the students from school life to adulthood – since learning is a lifelong process that takes place in and outside the classroom.
The work of a special education teacher is a calling and requires someone that has the passion. In order to improve the cultural competence in special education, the educators must align their skills, core-curriculum standards and expectations. Therefore, teachers and educational professionals must be involved in the process of implementing policies that will enhance the learning experiences of students and create a successful institution. Teaching special needs students requires an educator to have passion and be caring towards their students to create a learning environment that is suitable for the students and teachers.
Teachers and learners should not be forced to encounter any form of disrespect – thus designing a welcoming learning institution will ensure that the students have access to quality education. Educators and learning institutions must re-align the educational approaches to improve the learning outcomes and increase the value of individual learning among students with disabilities. For example, by introducing the differentiation of assessments and methods to enhance conventional learning in collaboration with multiple intelligence theory will increase skill development. This will allow students with learning disabilities to develop and learn at the same pace as their classmates without disabilities.
Conclusion
Special education teachers require professional and personal assistance in their field of work. Supporting educators in this field emotionally and physically will allow them to commit and offer additional support to students with disabilities. Additionally, learning institutions can improve the learning experience for both teachers and students by ensuring that it has sufficient and accessible learning resources that make the teaching and learning experience enjoyable. Furthermore, the teacher should improvise different teaching methodologies such as: demonstrating, application and practicing of skills as well as an explanation. The learning approaches implemented in the classroom should address the different learning needs of the students. Additionally, by exposing and actively involving students with learning disabilities to real-life scenarios prepares them for the transition phase from school life to adulthood.
