UNIT IV - Learners with Exceptionalities

LESSON 7 - Society’s Perspective

Learning Objectives:
After successful completion of this instructional material, the student should be able to:
1. Understand the society’s perspective on person with disabilities;
2. Create a change on the society’s perspective towards person with disabilities;
3. Create a movie analysis.

Introduction:
Over the years, perceptions towards disability have varied significantly from one
community to another. Limited literature in disability history, however, continues to pose a great
challenge to students of disability studies in their endeavor to trace the development and
formation of perceptions towards persons with disabilities. It is towards this end that this article
seeks to present a coherent literature review on cross-cultural factors that influence perceptions
towards children and adults with disabilities from a historical perspective. The final section
provides a few examples that illustrate positive steps taken by the international community, and
several countries, to improve disability perception.

Prior to the twentieth century, social attitudes reflected the view that persons with disabilities
were unhealthy, defective and deviant. For centuries, society as a whole treated these people
as objects of fear and pity. The prevailing attitude was that such individuals were incapable of
participating in or contributing to society and that they must rely on welfare or charitable
organizations.
Generally speaking, prior to the late 1800’s, people with mental retardation, cerebral palsy,
autism, and/or epilepsy resided at home and were cared for by their families. Life expectancy for
severely and profoundly disabled individuals was not as long as it is today.
Beginning in the late 1800’s, institutions were built by state and local administrative agencies to
house people with developmental disabilities. These institutions were usually built on the
outskirts of town. Societal attitudes fostered this segregating style of management.
Unfortunately, segregating from society further stigmatizes people.

Changing Attitudes
The terminology used to describe people with disabilities has been changing along with
changes in society’s attitudes. Very old terms include; idiot, imbecile and moron. These terms
were replaced with “mentally retarded” and “disabled”. In recent years, it has become important
to emphasize the individual, not the person’s disability; e.g., “individuals with mental retardation”
rather than “mentally retarded people.” People with disabilities want to be recognized for their
abilities, not their disabilities. Some individuals prefer the term “differently abled” rather than
disabled.

Current Status
The numbers are dramatic, approximately 52 million Americans have some type of disabling
condition such as cerebral palsy, mental retardation, depression, spinal cord injury, visual
impairment, arthritis, and muscular dystrophy; to name a few.
Some of the issues that affect the daily lives of people with severe disabilities are:
• community living: is there housing available that accommodates their disabilities? is
financial help available?
• transportation: is transportation available? is it convenient? who will pay for it?
• education: is special education available? will it result in marketable job skills?
 • employment:
will employers hire a person with a disability? are employers willing to make necessary
accommodations? is reliable and affordable transportation available?
• health care: is medical and dental treatment available in the community? does the
public health department provide care? is financial assistance available? is
transportation available?

We might see some changes in the law and legislation supporting the persons with disabilities
in the community, but did the society really change the way they look at them? According to the
study of Scope Policy Team (2018), The Disability Perception Gap, reveals the extent of the
negative attitudes that are held towards disabled people – and how many non-disabled people
don’t realize the scale of the problem. An occasional moment of rudeness or being ignored may
be a minor inconvenience or annoyance. But the more it happens, the more the impact adds up.
For many disabled people, this will sound all too familiar. Whether it’s outright hostility, or
seemingly minor incidents that add up to a hostile atmosphere, prejudice remains a common
occurrence. Negative attitudes from others can be one of the biggest barriers to disabled people
living life the way they want, and more needs to be done to tackle them.
According to the new research released by Scope by the National Centre for Social Research
(2018), one in three disabled people still feel that there’s a lot of prejudice against disabled
people. But only one in five non-disabled people think the same. This is what we’re calling the
disability perception gap. It may seem self-evident that disabled people face prejudice, but many
non-disabled people do not understand the scale of the negative attitudes towards disability.
Some difference wouldn’t be surprising – disabled people have to live with this prejudice every
day, whereas non-disabled people may only ever know about it second hand. But this gap is
growing. In 2000, there was only a slight difference between the views of disabled and non-
disabled people when it came to disability prejudice. Over the last 20 years, however, the gap
has trebled.
There is now a real danger that many non-disabled people think that disability prejudice has
been tackled long before it has been, which could block further attempts to improve the
situation. Instead of this complacency, we need to make sure that the experiences of disabled
people are listened to and put at the heart of any programme designed to address negative and
harmful attitudes.

Being close to disability can help

When it comes to improving understanding, it seems that nothing beats personal contact with a
disabled person. Whether it’s a colleague, a friend or a family member, having a relationship
with a disabled person makes a real difference to non-disabled people’s attitudes.
For example, 10 percent of people who claim not to know any disabled people think of disabled
people as ‘getting in the way’ some of the time – an opinion held by only 3 percent of people
with a disabled colleague.
However, a third of the population claim not to know a single disabled person. This means that
their views on disability are far more likely to be based on stereotypes than any knowledge of
what life is like for a disabled person.
Any attempt to improve attitudes will have to increase people’s understanding of what it means
to be disabled, and the challenges that disabled people face on a daily basis.
Treat them Equally with Respect
We shouldn’t ever look at someone with a disability and be rude to them just because of that.
They are humans just as you are, the only thing that is different is that you were lucky enough to
be born in a healthy body. The saddest part is when young people are affected by disabilities,
they often get depressed just because the way people look at them on the streets.

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They realize that everyone is watching them because they are different. Well, there is
something really important that you have to learn from this and that is they are not different, they
would do all the same things as you if they could. One of the things that people, especially
young people with disability needs is to get respect from others and that can only be achieved if
we as a society change a little and start treating them as regular people.
WATCH: DISABILITY | How You See Me
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwW6mYdJ7Xc
How to Treat a Person with Disabilities, According to People with Disabilities
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6c6JLbczC8

Assessments:
1. Create a poster in MS Word advocating a positive attitude towards person with
disabilities.

LESSON 9 – Classroom Management

In this unit, we will discuss the tips on how to handle classroom management effectively.

Learning Objectives:
After successful completion of this instructional material, the student should be able to:
1. Understand the different tips on managing a classroom with students with special needs;
2. Effectively manage a classroom with students with special needs;
3. Write a critical movie analysis.

Introduction:
Inclusion is a great thing. Children with special needs are no longer isolated in “Special
Ed” classrooms and only seen on the playground or in the lunchroom. Kids with special needs
thrive in the presence of their peers. There are so many lessons that children with special needs
can learn from other kids, and so many friendships to be formed.
Experienced teachers end each year troubleshooting their classroom management
strategies from the previous school year. While not a comprehensive guide, here are seven tips
that can make classroom management a little less challenging and help you fulfill your goal of
keeping all students safe, engaged, learning and on task.
Establish Relationships
As a teacher, your relationship with a student starts the moment you meet them. No matter how
difficult a student may be, you need to embrace the challenge of getting to know him or her.
Every child deserves love. Life has enough hard knocks in store for a child who struggles
socially, and you may be one of the few people that child believes cares about him or her. This
could make a difference in his or her life choices, or at least in his or her decision not to disrupt
your class.
Many teachers naturally form relationships with children. They enjoy their presence, listen to
them and respond appropriately, look with interest at what children show them—from a rock
star’s picture in a notebook to a squishy worm—and ask questions about it. They learn their
students’ names and greet them at the door. When a dispute arises, they listen and try to be
fair. They don’t play favorites. Teaching is a very active job, especially in higher grade levels, in
which teachers have less than two minutes per child per class period to establish a relationship.
Create a Positive Learning Climate

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One of the most important things you can do to proactively manage your class is to establish a
climate that encourages learning. Teachers need to be aware of students’ intellectual,
emotional, physical and social needs and establish rules and procedures to meet them.
Students should be recognized as individuals, each of whom has something to offer.
Arrange student seating strategically, grouping students by skill level or arranging them in a
manner that’s conducive to group work or sharing in pairs. Also, plan for patterns
of movement within the classroom and have your students practice until it’s second nature;
moving students in a structured, timed way can enliven your classroom, while maintaining
control and adding focus. Nothing is as impressive and cohesive as a class moving into
prearranged groups for an activity in 30 seconds. This also allows for more variety in your
lessons; for instance, you could teach a 15-minute lesson to students at their desks, then move
the class to a different setting and teach a different, but related 20-minute lesson.
Establishing student expectations is also an important part of establishing a positive learning
climate. Make sure that every student is welcomed in a group and expected to participate. Also,
practice good time management and plan to teach from the first day of school.
Encourage Helpful Hands
Letting students take part in the classroom helps them feel invested—and it can be a help to
you as well! Some experienced teachers use task cards on which students’ names rotate
weekly. Strategies such as this provide fair ways to distribute classroom jobs. It can also be
helpful to post a sign that tells how to do a job. For instance, if you assign students to straighten
and clean a bookshelf, you might place a list of steps to follow on the bookshelf.
You might also allow students to help in more casual ways, such as assigning group runners for
supplies or allowing students to pass out papers or straighten the room. These tasks can serve
as helpful self-esteem builders for a child who often feels left out; however, you should note how
many times a student helps to avoid favoritism.
Teach Needed Skills
You should teach students the skills needed for success in your classroom. Often, teachers
think about teaching content, without realizing how important it is to teach other skills, such as
social skills, thinking skills, study skills, test-taking skills, problem-solving skills, memory skills
and self-regulation.
Many school issues disappear after a few lessons in anger management or another needed
skill. Students can benefit greatly if you find small segments of time to teach and model a skill;
however, you may need to be creative, since not all students need instruction in the same skill.
However, if students are struggling to get along with peers, be organized or be on time, which is
better: to discipline them for what they lack or to teach them what they need to know?
Set Up Structure and Procedures
Structure and procedures are vital parts of classroom management. Every part of the day needs
to be thought through and brought into alignment with what works best for your teaching style,
your students’ personalities, the age group and any special challenges that could cause a
distraction.
Start planning as soon as you see the classroom. Envision each class; ask yourself what you
will do and how it can be done easily. When your students arrive, get them on board by teaching
classroom procedures, along with your content, during the first week of class. For example,
explain how to enter, how get the needed supplies and start the warm-up exercise during the
first few minutes of class, how to turn in and pass out work, how to work in a group, how to
move between activities and how to exit the classroom. Also, be sure to cover
your expectations, including how to behave in class and the consequences of misbehavior.

Organize the Lesson

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A lesson that engages all students, moves forward smoothly and allows the teacher to talk to
every child can only be accomplished through preparation. You need to design your lesson with
classroom management in mind.
First, build as many teaching strategies and interventions as possible into the lesson. Use time
management techniques (like setting a timer to help the class transition through a series of
activities), and implement quick feedback techniques, such as a checklist to keep up with
student progress.
Next, plan one-on-one and small group strategies, design appropriate movement and allow time
for social interaction and reflection time. For instance, you could ask students to write in their
journals at the end of an activity to give them time to think about what they just learned.
Organization also involves spending time after school arranging handouts, preparing supplies,
writing on the board and taking care of other tasks. In doing so, you can prevent pauses during
the lesson and better manage your classroom.
Use Effective Discipline
Classroom management can help you avoid most discipline problems. At the beginning of
the school year, be sure to explain and post your discipline plan, establishing that no one will be
put down, bullied or made fun of in class because it is a “safe zone” where everyone, including
the teacher, is allowed to make mistakes and learn from them.
Usually, this forms a cohesive learning environment, where students trust you to take care of
their needs and where they respect one another. Much can be said about positive (or negative)
peer pressure in a class. If there are students who want to learn and they act accordingly, the
dynamic of the class will likely remain fairly stable; however, if students who don’t want to learn
disrupt and influence their peers, you may need stronger discipline skills or even an
administrator to fall back on.
Even if you are diligent in setting up your discipline plan and have developed signals to warn
students that they are about to be disciplined, not every student will comply. When that
happens, follow the steps of your discipline plan. If that doesn’t work, you may spend time
researching other available discipline plans for ideas. Whatever, you do, don’t give up, the
students who are not disrupting – and even those who are – need you.
WATCH: Special Education Classroom Management Tips | Collab Video!
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfuuBxxUDXg
Special Education Teaching Strategies
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nK2PDKPKd7k

Assessments:
1. Research more about special classroom management strategies

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 2. LESSON 10 - Individual Learning Differences

Characteristics of Children with Learning Disabilities

Learning Objectives:
After successful completion of this instructional material, the student should be able to:
1. Identify the characteristics of children with learning disabilities;
2. Understand the different characteristics of children with learning disabilities;
3. Create personal and social awareness about these characteristics.

Introduction:
Children with learning disabilities are a heterogeneous group. These children are a
diverse group of individuals, exhibiting potential difficulties in many different areas. For example,
one child with a learning disability may experience significant reading problems, while another
may experience no reading problems whatsoever, but has significant difficulties with written
expression.
Over the years, parents, educators, and other professionals have identified a wide variety of
characteristics associated with learning disabilities (Gargiulo, 2004). One of the earliest profiles,
developed by Clements (1966), includes the following ten frequently cited attributes:
 Hyperactivity
• Impulsivity
• Perceptual-motor impairments
• Disorders of memory and thinking
• Emotional labiality
• Academic difficulties
• Coordination problems
• Language deficits
• Disorders of attention
• Equivocal neurological signs

Almost 35 years later, Lerner (2000) identified nine learning and behavioral characteristics of
individuals with learning disabilities:
• Disorders of attention
• Reading difficulties
• Poor motor abilities
• Written language difficulties
• Oral language difficulties
• Social skills deficits
• Psychological process deficits
• Quantitative disorders
• Information processing problems
According to Gargiulo (2004), not all students with learning disabilities will exhibit these
characteristics, and many pupils who demonstrate these same behaviors are quite successful in
the classroom. As Smith (1979) observes, it is the quantity, intensity, and duration of the
behaviors that lead to the problems in school and elsewhere.
Academic Achievement Deficits
Children with learning disabilities often struggle with various areas of academic performance.
During the elementary school years, a discrepancy between ability and achievement begins to
emerge in students with learning disabilities. Often puzzling to teachers, these students seem to
have strengths similar to their peers in several areas, but their rate of learning is unexpectedly
slower (Smith et al., 2004). These problems usually persist from the primary grades through the
end of formal schooling, including college (Bradshaw, 2001).
Academic deficits for children with learning disabilities normally fall into the following areas:
reading, mathematics, and written expression. Some children have problems in only one select
academic area, while others may experience difficulties in all three.