T.1.

INTRODUCTION TO SPECIFIC
NEEDS FOR EDUCATIONAL
SUPPORT
Developmental disorders and learning difficulties
Degree in Psychology
Carmen Berenguer PhD
Department of Evolutionary Psychology and Education
University of Valencia
 Index

1. ATTENTION TO DIVERSITY

2. LABELING PROBLEMS AND ALTERNATIVES

3. CONCEPT OF SPECIFIC NEEDS OF EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT IN SPAIN

4. MEASURES OF ATTENTION TO DIVERSITY IN EDUCATIONAL CONTEXT

5. CURRICULAR ADAPTATIONS

6. INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL SUPPORTS TO THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

 “Lorenzo’s saucepan”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEAfL8hHBP8
The saucepan is still, but is
more discret

Now, others will find a lot of

qualities, but Lorenzo remains
the same

What does this story suggest to you?

 Everyone has limitations
IN THE WORLD THERE IS DIVERSITY
 Do not label people

IT WOULD BE BETTER TO FOCUS ON THE QUALITIES OF EACH PERSON

 1. ATTENTION TO DIVERSITY

• There is a tendency to dichotomize Normal distribution

reality

• However, the reality is much more

complex

• The focus of this subject are children

with special needs, children who are
different

• It is more suitable to talk about

individual diversity and individualized
support
“normal vs no normal ” DIVERSITY
“Integration vs. Inclusion”
 2. LABELING PROBLEMS AND ALTERNATIVES
• We should not label, because children are
characterized by

1. Biological immaturity

2. Accelerated changes during development

3. High dependence on adults (stimulant

environment)

4. Some people to compensate for their

limitations exceed the normal population in
other domains (VIDEO)

• It is better to focus on strengths than deficits

Design individualized support programs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yM3lw1Ijrs
3. CONCEPT OF SPECIFIC NEEDS OF EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT
IN SPAIN
N.E.E.
• The LOGSE (Organic Law 1/1990, of October 3, General
physical or
Regulation of the Educational System) adopted the term motor
disability,
"Special Educational Needs” NEE
high
– LOGSE includes needs derived from the physical or motor disability, intellectual
abilities
high intellectual abilities and special family/ personal conditions
special family
or personal
conditions
 3. CONCEPT OF SPECIFIC NEEDS OF EDUCATIONAL
SUPPORT IN SPAIN
Special educational
needs: disability and
behavioral disorders
• The LOE (Organic Law of Education, 2006)
introduces the concept of "Specific Needs for Learning difficulties

N.E.S.E.
Educational Support” N.E.S.E
ADHD

• The LOMCE (Organic Law 8/2013, of December 9, High intellectual skills

Law for the improvement of the educational Late incorporation

education system
quality) maintains in its entirety the concept special family or personal
conditions
"N.E.S.E."
4. MEASURES OF ATTENTION TO DIVERSITY IN EDUCATIONAL
CONTEXT
1. Ordinary measures to address diversity

to guarantee the acquisition of the essential learning to continue the educational

process:

• Support in ordinary group within the classroom (through a second teacher)

• Flexible groupings

• Non-significant adjustments/adaptations to the curriculum

• Measures of support but not during school hours

 4. MEASURES OF ATTENTION TO DIVERSITY IN
EDUCATIONAL CONTEXT
2. Specific measures:

• -Students with NESE can make significant curricular adaptations, stay

one more year in school, etc ...

• -Students with high intellectual abilities can accelerate a course

• -Students who join the school later have continuous support, reduced
content etc ...
 5. CURRICULAR ADAPTATIONS
Modification or provision of special,
personal, material or
General curricular communication resources so that
students with educational needs
adaptations (motor, sensory or psychic
disabilities) can access the ordinary
curriculum

Modifications / adaptations in the

Specific individual objectives, contents, methodology,
activities, criteria and evaluation
adaptations procedures to address the individual
differences of the students
5.1. GENERAL CURRICULAR ADAPTATIONS
classroom space
modifications

Communication Personal
system resources

specific material
materials adaptation
 A. classroom space
modifications
aimed at offering more autonomy to students

1. Lighting adaptations

2. Elimination of architectural barriers

3. Location of materials and furniture

4. Student location in the classroom

 B. Personal resources

The school center should have the following professionals:

• Teacher of therapeutic pedagogy: support or rehabilitation of basic learning

• Hearing and language teacher: develop oral and written language

• Physiotherapist: physical and motor rehabilitation sessions

 C. Material adaptation

• Adaptation of common classroom materials to the specific educational

needs of students
 D. Specific materials

Deaf or hard-of-
Visual DEFICIT hearing children Motor difficulties
 E. Communication system

• Augmentative and alternative communication system:

Ø Bliss characters

Ø Pictograms

Ø Sign language phonology

Ø Complementary oral: bimodal system (combines oral language

and gestural signs)
 5.2. Specific individual adaptations

non-
significant Adaptations Significant Adaptations High intellectual skills
adaptations
 A. Non-significant Adaptations

• These adaptations do not change the academic objectives of the course or the
evaluation criteria

• Change in the methodology (for exemple; give more time to take the exam ...)

• These adaptations can be:

• group or individual adaptation

 B. Significant Adaptations
(ACIS)

Significant curricular adaptations consist of:

• Methodology and educational activities: alternative teaching-learning methods

• Educational objectives: Eliminate objectives of the corresponding level or course

• Evaluation criteria: partial removal or modification of the promotion criteria

• Timing: opportunity to achieve the objectives and / or contents of the cycle/course

in which it is in a later one
 6. INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL SUPPORTS TO THE
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

INTERNAL SUPPORTS EXTERNAL SUPPORTS

1. Teacher in therapeutic pedagogy 1. Psychopedagogical Services-SPE

2. Teacher in hearing and language 2. Psychopedagogical Departments in

Secondary Education
3. Special education teacher
3. Other specialized services
 6.1. INTERNAL SUPORTS

Teacher in therapeutic pedagogy

develops the following functions: to determine

work program, select appropriate material, adapt
didactic materials, guide families, evaluate...
 6.1. INTERNAL SUPORTS

Teacher in hearing and language

supports students with communication
deficits

Special education teacher

Develops personal autonomy, hygiene
habits or social relationships
 6.2. EXTERNAL SUPORTS

Psychopedagogical Services-SPE
External counseling educational teams that develop, evaluate and review
curricular projects, detect learning difficulties, carry out psycho-pedagogical
assessments, guide families and teaching teams
6.2. EXTERNAL SUPORTS

Psychopedagogical Departments in
Secondary Education
elaborate the action tutorial plan , detect
problems of learning, elaborate curricular
adaptations, promote the educational
research, realize the psychological and
pedagogical evaluation
 Activity 1
1) Read Pellicano et al. (2018) & watch videos. Make a critical
comment