POSSIBLE EDUCATIONAL ACTIONS TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS LEARNING
Pupils with special educational needs show difficulty in learning and social participation, which requires an educational intervention that should be targeted, individualised and personalised.
Consequently, the teachers are called to make some strategic and operational key decisions:
- understanding in time the difficulties of all pupils
-Addressing difficulties in an inclusive, effective and efficient way
-dealing effectively and efficiently with all pupils with difficulties in educational operation through inclusive, individualised and personalised teaching.
In this article, I will talk about 7 strategic key points that teachers can use to encourage the learning and participation of all students in a classroom context.
1: CLASSMATES AS A RESOURCE
It is necessary to stimulate and work on a collaboration, cooperation and class climate.
Strategies: Collaborative work in pairs, cooperative teaching in small groups, laboratory teaching.
2: ADAPTATION OF MATERIALS
Depending on the different levels of skill of the students and the different cognitive styles, the teachers need to adapt the materials.
It is useful to simplify vocabulary, syntax and requests for the execution of the activity.
3: VISUAL MAPS, DIAGRAMS AND NOTES
Thanks to the use of mental and conceptual maps, it is essential to enhance logical-visual strategies such as conceptual maps, diagrams, timelines, meaningful illustrations and flashcards.
4: COGNITIVE PROCESSES AND STYLES
Particular emphasis should be put on problem-solving work that allows pupils to develop psychological, behavioural and operational skills.
5: METACOGNITION AND METHOD OF STUDY
Every pupil needs to develop an awareness of their cognitive processes.
The teacher must develop strategies of self-regulation, cognitive and emotional mediation. She should structure a personalized method of study for each pupil.
6: EMOTIONS
Emotions play a fundamental role in learning as much as in participation. The teacher should develop in the students a good level of self-esteem and consequently motivate them to learn. A KEY POINT OF THIS PROCESS IS TO MAKE THE PUPIL feel like belonging to a peer group and class group.
7: VERIFICATION AND FEEDBACK
It is necessary to adapt the forms of verification to the students' needs. The teacher must take into account the compensatory and dispensative measures provided for by the standard.
Feedback should be continuous, formative and motivating and not punitive or censorial.
The main aim of inclusive teaching is to enhance the differences in a class context as of the class group. It is fundamental to make pupils collaborate, let them participate. So that they can express all their potential in comparison with others and not isolate themselves in individual work.
Written by
Roberta Muratore - JUMP Team
