Is Every Teacher a Special Needs Teacher?

I am fortunate that I have had some experience in dealing with students with special needs. While I was studying for my Bachelor of Arts degree at Mary Immaculate College, I partook in an off campus programme during the third year of my degree. This was a programme where students were offered a wide range of work experience opportunities to broaden and enrich the academic content of their degree. I spent part of my off campus year at St. Goban’s College, Bantry where I was working in their School’s Completion Programme. The School Completion Programme (SCP) is a Department of Education and Science programme that aims to have a significant positive impact on levels of young people's retention in primary and second level schools and on numbers of pupils who successfully complete the Senior Cycle, or equivalent. During my time there, I was working one-to-one with students who were thought to be at risk of educational disadvantage, leaving school early and not reaching the significant educational milestone of school completion. Statistically, early school leavers are more likely to experience social exclusion and unemployment or underemployment. Many of the students I was working with were either from a different cultural background or had special educational needs. I worked with children who had either moderate or specific learning difficulties, such as dyslexia. Some students had acute emotional and behavioural difficulties. These students were most in need of extra tutoring as their symptoms frequently resulted in their absence from school. Some students were experiencing difficulties at home and therefore were not able to keep up with classwork at the same rate as other children. It was important for me to try and build positive relationships with these children and for them to have both their emotional and educational needs understood.

During my time in Bantry, I spent one day a week in the school’s special needs class. This class was set up for children with severe learning disabilities. I loved working with this class, as there was real sense of fulfilment in helping them to learn. By assisting the other special needs assistants I was able to learn more about how to cater for children with special educational needs. I learned that having a disability should not be an obstacle for children attaining an education. It was not the fault of the child. The teacher’s role was about making the way clear so that children could realise their own abilities. The teacher should facilitate this by placing the student at the centre of the education experience and endeavouring to highlight their strengths instead of their areas of challenge. What I learned in Bantry has really stood to me this year.

The experience was also important for another reason. When I was attending secondary school myself, there was a streaming procedure in place where classes were grouped according to ability. There were five higher band classes and two lower band classes. As far as I can recall, there were very few students in my class with special educational needs. However, most people knew that there were two classes in the year with students who were ordinary or foundation level candidates. Policies of inclusion were far from the minds of the school management. A definite policy of exclusion prevailed, probably unbeknownst to those who were implementing it. As a result, I feel that I would have found it very difficult to deal with concept of inclusion had I not had the experience of working with special needs children in Bantry.

My teaching practice school this year promotes an ethos of inclusion. Within the context of the Department of Education and Science regulations and programmes, the school supports the following principles: Inclusiveness, particularly with reference to the enrolment of students with a disability or other special needs and equality with respect to maximum access and participation in school. It promotes collaboration and collegiality with the learning support teachers and members of staff. The school in general is characterised by diversity. As well as having many extremely capable and bright students there are also students with general and specific learning difficulties and some with physical impairments. There are learning support classes for English, Irish and Maths but outside of these disciplines, all classes are mixed ability. Teaching religion and history meant that all my classes this year have been mixed ability classes. From the outset I have needed to cater for a variety of educational needs.

At the beginning of the year, when I was making out my initial seating plan for my 1A religion class, it never occurred to me to take into consideration those who may have a visual and hearing impairment. I placed a girl called Carolyn in the back row of the class and thought nothing more of it until she came up to me at the end of class and told me that she was deaf in her left ear (see appendix 1). I immediately asked her did she want to move but she said that she would be ok. I got the impression that she wanted to be treated like any other student and did not wish for any special attention. I felt sorry for her and therefore agreed to let her stay in the back row and made sure again that she was comfortable with the decision.  

I spoke to both Carolyn’s class teacher and the learning support teacher in the school. They were both aware of the situation but said that as far as they were concerned Carolyn was to be treated no differently from other students in the class. They advised me to sit her at the front of the class. This was a problem as I had already given permission for Carolyn to sit in the back row and felt I couldn’t go back on my word. I was in a bit of a predicament. I thought about the situation and decided to do some research of my own. I started to read about the impact a hearing impairment could have on a child and learned some basic strategies that would possibly help both Carolyn and myself through the year.

The first thing that I learned was that the effects of hearing loss could be considerable. An inability to hear may place the young child at risk of delay in many areas, including the acquisition of spoken language, literacy skills and social development. The first thing the literature recommended was that children with a hearing impairment should normally position themselves in the class where they can hear best. This worried me as I had allowed Carolyn to remain seated at the back of the class. I tried not to think about this and instead decided to focus on what I, as the teacher could do to help Carolyn. In a classroom situation, a child may not hear instructions and may not have heard important points made during the class. What children need though is for the teacher to speak clearly, and to point or use their name when asking a question. I always make sure that Carolyn sees my mouth to help her understand what I say. I generally try to face the class and not stand with my back to a window or with a light source shining behind me when I speak. It is important not to isolate Carolyn by speaking to her in a particularly loud voice or with exaggerated mouth movements. Instead I move around the class and try to stand as close to her as possible when asking her a question. I do this to other students as well so as not to make an example of her.

During the year, it was important for me to use clear and simple language when explaining new concepts. I wrote new vocabulary on the blackboard and where possible, wrote instructions for class activities in short statements on the board also.  As often as I could I would ensure that Carolyn heard, saw and verbally expressed the new concepts we were covering. I quickly realised that Carolyn was an extremely bright and able child and I became very conscious to help her develop her very obvious potential (see appendix 2, 3, 4). I made greater use of visual methods of presenting information whenever possible (see appendix 5, 6). Since the beginning of the year, I have been consistently making handouts and worksheets, not just for Carolyn's class but also for all my other class groups. They have been an invaluable resource. I was happy therefore when I learned that it was important to provide printed notes for students with a hearing impairment to ensure that key lesson content is available to them in case it may not have been picked up during the lesson (see appendix 7, 8). I have endeavoured to include Carolyn as much as possible in lessons and always ensure that she has a partner for group or pair work activities.

I was very conscious not to make it obvious that I was implementing these strategies. It cannot be overemphasised that the teacher must be careful in using the many checklists of indicators that have been laid out in various guidelines. I did not want Carolyn to feel like I was singling her out, especially as she was demonstrating such apparent aptitude. After a while I didn’t realise that that I was differentiating; it just came naturally. Apart from our conversation at the beginning of the year, I have never spoken to Carolyn, or she to me about the issue. From assessing Carolyn’s work and seeing her active participation in class, I felt that there was no need to bring it up as she appeared to be doing very well. It was only at the recent first year parent teacher meeting where the issue came to the fore once more. Carolyn’s mother was one of the first parents who came to see me. She told me how much Carolyn was enjoying my religion classes. She mentioned that Carolyn was delighted to be in the back row for religion class as she was in the front row for most other subjects. Carolyn’s mother admitted that she was initially a bit worried when she heard that she was sitting at the back of the class but Carolyn had assured her that she was fine and that she was getting on very well in my class. It made my day to hear this feedback from her mother and I was really delighted that I had gone to the effort of making amendments for her. She felt included and was not experiencing unnecessary difficulty because of her impairment. That was all I needed to hear.  

During the past year I have endeavoured to create an inclusive classroom environment. Seeing the individual in every pupil has been the key. By not seeing and treating all pupils the same, it allows each student to realise their own potential. It has been important however to do this in a very discreet way which has not at all times been possible. I have tried to vary my methodologies in a way that enhances student learning. This has not always been easy but has most definitely been worthwhile. Carolyn’s story is successful and inspiring and I am grateful to her for what I have learned. While each student is different, I believe that in the future I may be able to expand on and adapt some of the strategies and approaches that I have employed with Carolyn. I will continue to research, reflect and engage in dialogue with my peers. I will also continue to develop my teaching skills in order that I might foster a classroom climate where each student can feel they ‘belong’.