What issues are raised for children with learning difficulties into mainstream school
... provide set policies and plans (See Annex A for example) which follow certain rules and regulations and subsequently, each school has an obligation to customise and implement their own policy for those children with special educational needs (See Annex B for example). It was recognised that albeit the 1981 Education Act was ‘one of the most important landmarks of education legislation this century’ , it left far too much to the goodwill of the local authorities. Subsequently, the 1993 Education Act introduced a ‘Code of Practice’ to assist schools and local authorities in the regulation of provision for special educational needs (Meighan et al 2003, 371). The main issues that are subsequently posed by the inclusion of children with learning difficulties are: • Physical Environment • Communication • Integration • Teacher Training • Teaching Assistants Physical Environment. To include children with learning difficulties effectively then the design and maintenance of the establishment needs to be taken into consideration also. The basic adaptions such as ramps and wider doors are just that, basic. Consideration needs to be taken for the environment in which these children learn and it is essential, that they are helped move around the school, have cues for daily routines if necessary and full support for their learning. Adapting an establishment to accommodate special needs requirements can be both a costly and never ending job. Everything from the classroom to the dining room needs to be considered. Communication/Working with Others. Communication and working with others is vital amongst a pupil with special needs and takes both commitment and loyalty from all involved. Take the case of Sasha: ‘Sasha is 13 and has complex needs. She has moderate learning difficulties that are compounded by hearing impairment and language delay. All the following people are connected with her care and education: • Family • Form Tutor • Subject Teachers • SENCO • Heads of Dept • TA’s • Specialist Teacher for Hearing Impairment • Educational Audiologist • Consultant Audiologist • Speech and Language Therapist • Paediatrician • Family Doctor Sasha’s parents are coordinators of her care and education and encourage all involved to keep them informed. Sasha’s Form Tutor coordinates what happens at school (Tilstone et al 2000, 64). In Sasha’s case, those involved are pro-active and the communication channel is wide open ensuring that Sasha receives the best possible education. Unfortunately, for many reasons, this is not always the case and the onus then falls on the school to ‘cultivate and atmosphere of non-judgement of families whilst keeping communication channels open’ (Tilstone et al 2000, 65). Inclusion of a child with learning difficulties into mainstream school is no easy task and subsequently with it comes extra work for all those involved. Integration. Pupils with learning difficulties involvement in both the educational and social life of primary and secondary schools as well as further education colleges, is an integral part of integration. To ‘fit in’ amongst their peers is crucial and lays down solid foundations for the future. Equal opportunity is something that children with learning difficulties and their families expect, both in their school days and into adultness. The aims and objectives of those children with learning difficulties are no different than those of more able children, the only difference is the method taken to achieve those aims and objectives. If pupils are not integrated effectively, they are destined to be restricted in the same way as someone serving a prison sentence, for committing no crime and without remission. There is a real possibility that they could drop out of society, in effect becoming the underclass. Teachers. The different courses of study that are taught in a school (the curriculum) are what teachers follow. Adaptions however need to be made for those pupils with learning difficulties to ensure that the information is getting across effectively and that there is consistency. The traditional teaching method adopted by many teachers, standing at the front of the class and talking for an hour with no pupil participation, will not be effective to most pupils let alone a pupil with learning difficulties and subsequently, adaptions should be made to accommodate those pupils. Simplified text, differentiated work sheets and graduated pathways through topics are all effective approaches. With the help and support of a Teaching Assistant, this adaption becomes a working reality. There are 3 principles for a more inclusive curriculum: • Setting suitable learning challenges • Responding to pupils’ diverse learning needs • Overcoming potential barriers to learning These principles are translated into a schematic way of thinking about differentiation (See Annex C for example). Teaching Assistants. Teaching Assistants (TA’s) play a vital role in supporting both the teacher and the children with learning difficulties in mainstream school. Whilst they are not ‘professionals’, they have considerable day-to-day responsibilities for the education of the children they support. Whilst it is imperative they are fully involved in the child’s learning, it is equally important that they are not exploited. A fine balance between the teacher and the TA needs to be met in order for the pupil to gain maximum benefit. TA’s are employed in a variety of ways and it is usual for each school to have their own criteria (See Annex D for example). For TA’s to be fully effective, they need maximum support and aid in their role. Adequate time needs to be set aside to enable teachers and support staff to confer together about an individual pupils needs; they should not be expected to devise work o...