| Special education has been put in place to provide | | | | they are going to school, start teaching them how to |
| services, programs and environments, to ensure that | | | | share, take turns and stand in a line. This is very |
| the educational needs of special needs children are | | | | important for special needs children, especially if they |
| provided for. | | | | have a learning disability. You may have to repeat and |
| Special education is provided to qualifying students, at | | | | enforce this behaviour for quite a while before they go |
| no greater cost, than to any other student, and the | | | | to school, for it to become a habit to them and they |
| varying special learning of needs of student's are | | | | fully understand what it means. |
| addressed through special education. Some children | | | | - Know your child's timetable |
| may need wheelchair accessibility, adaptive bathrooms, | | | | Ask your child's special needs educator for a weekly |
| physio therapy,occupational therapy,or speech therapy, | | | | schedule of what your child will be doing. This way you |
| as part of their daily school routine, thus the need for | | | | can prepare your child for what is happening daily, and |
| special education school's came about when student's | | | | you can ask more specific questions about happened |
| required support that goes beyond that which is | | | | at school that day. |
| normally offered or received in the regular school and | | | | - Go on family outings |
| classroom setting. | | | | Special education needs to be continued by you, during |
| There are many schools educating specific special | | | | school holidays and over weekends. This will help your |
| needs such as: | | | | child to go back to school after a weekend or a |
| - Autism | | | | holiday with fewer problems. Take them to museums |
| - Down's syndrome | | | | and the library, show and explain things to them, and |
| - Deaf or blindness | | | | later on ask them questions. This will keep their minds |
| - Developmental delays | | | | occupied and interested in the world around them. |
| - Emotional disturbances | | | | - Play board games |
| - Hearing Impairment | | | | Board games are fun, but can be very educational for |
| - Mental Retardation | | | | a special needs child. It will get them use to following |
| - Multiple disabilities | | | | specific rules. Start by reading the rules out loud at the |
| - Orthopaedic Impairments | | | | beginning of the game, and ask your child to repeat |
| - Specific Learning Disabilities | | | | them. If they are not sure wether something is allowed, |
| - Speech and Language Impairment | | | | let your child know that they must ask you, then go |
| - Traumatic Brain Injury | | | | back to the rules and double-check. |
| - Visual Impairment | | | | - Get organised |
| To find out more about Special Education, you can | | | | Find a specific place for all your child’s supplies like |
| check with local school board or Education | | | | paper, scissors, crayons etc. and help them get into the |
| department. They will be able to provide you with a list | | | | habit of putting them back where they belong, the way |
| of special needs schools in your area, which will qualify | | | | they do at school. This also goes for shoes, jackets |
| for the needs of your child. | | | | and school bags; when you cannot find these things in |
| STRATEGIES TO BOOST SUCCESS AT | | | | the morning the day gets off to a bad start, and for a |
| SCHOOL. | | | | special needs child, this can lead to the rest of the day |
| Wether your child is starting nursery, primary or high | | | | also not going well. |
| school, these little strategies can make a huge | | | | - Talk to other parents |
| difference in your Childs enjoyment and progress | | | | Your child’s perception of what's happening in the |
| during his schooling years: | | | | classroom may not always be accurate, so keep |
| - A good nights sleep | | | | intouch with other parents whom you can call to touch |
| If your child has been staying up late during the | | | | base with. |
| holidays, start enforcing an earlier bedtime about a | | | | - Practise at home |
| week before they go back to school. Get them back | | | | Your child may find it difficult to certain activities at |
| into a set routine, as children need there rest to | | | | school, practise them at home with him until he feels |
| concentrate and follow what is going on in class. | | | | comfortable, and this will make it easier for him to |
| - Check the school bag dailymake sure you check | | | | perform these tasks at school. |
| your child’s school bag daily, for notes and | | | | - Volunteer at school |
| permission slips from the teacher, rather than relying on | | | | Be a special education volunteer at your child's school. |
| your child to give them to you. It can be unpleasant for | | | | Go on class outings and help with parties or school |
| your little one to be the only student that didn't wear | | | | concerts. With special needs children an extra set of |
| the right clothes for an outing or forgot to bring a | | | | hands is always welcome and your presence and |
| snack or money for a Cake n' Candy sale. | | | | involvement at your child’s school will be a comfort |
| - Teach your child to ask for what he needs | | | | to them. |
| It is especially important for a special needs child to tell | | | | - Reading routine |
| a teacher that he doesn't understand what she might | | | | Your child can benefit enormously from you reading |
| be explaining, or if they need specific help. One way to | | | | out aloud to them, at home everyday. Also, read the |
| teach your child this is to throw in some words during | | | | books with them that they are reading in school. Let |
| reading time that you know he will not understand. Let | | | | them know, when they are reading a good book to let |
| your child know that you are going to do this and, | | | | you know, as you would like to read it to. |
| explain to them that need to stop you when they don't | | | | - Show you care |
| understand the word and ask you to explain. Make | | | | Always let your child know that you are interested in |
| sure he knows that teachers like it when children ask | | | | what they are learning and doing at school, no matter |
| them questions, about new words or anything they | | | | how busy you are. |
| don't understand. | | | | TIPS FROM A TEACER. |
| - Always go to parents evening | | | | Tips from a special education teacher: |
| Even if you know the teacher and speak to them | | | | - Always check your child’s homework, everyday |
| when you pick your child up from school, make the | | | | and ask them to explain to you what they did. This will |
| effort to attend parent evenings in any case. You may | | | | help to reinforce the concepts they have learnt. |
| miss out on key information that the special education | | | | - Give your child age appropriate books about |
| teacher may not want to discuss in front of your child. | | | | subjects and topics they are most interested in. |
| Your child may also be upset or disappointed that you | | | | - Celebrate your child's successes. This will give them |
| skipped. | | | | a personal feeling of accomplishment, and they will |
| - Teach social skills and manners | | | | want to learn and progress further. Children thrive on |
| Teach your child to be expected to say "please", | | | | positive reinforcement. |
| "thankyou" and "excuse me!". If this is the first time | | | | |