Most Common Disabilities Special Education Needs Teachers Deal With

As a teacher or a special education needs teacher, you will come across children with a range of learning disabilities and difficulties. These children deserve an education, but they can make teaching them a frustrating and challenging experience. Children vary in how severe their learning issues are, some will have mild problems which can be monitored, enabling them to go to mainstream classes and then you have those that are severe and require special education so they don't slow down the classes at the school. There are some disabilities which are more common than others. There are seven common disabilities you will experience as a special education needs teacher in the United Kingdom and these include:

ADD or ADHD

ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) or ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is exceptional common affecting around two children per class or five percent of school going children. This particular disability makes it very hard for children to pay attention and sit still, they struggle to concentrate and as a result they find themselves falling behind their peers. The problem is when dealing with children with ADD or ADHD is that they tend to become disruptive in the class room and they provide some interesting and rather challenging behaviours that teachers need to deal with. This is because they get frustrated, they are not interested in the teaching because they lost concentration ages ago. Children with this disability can be taught coping skills and as a special education needs teacher you will want to focus on quality over quantity. Rather give the child smaller projects to complete and have them done well than larger projects, which they are going to stop working on. Provide them with simple work sheets and provide them with the support and understanding they need to reduce the risk of bad behaviour and disruption in the classroom.

Dysphasia

Dysophasia is a common language disability where children will vary in how bad their condition is. Some children will have no speech, while others will only have issues with certain languages, such as naming things. Dysphasia is very common in people who have suffered a stroke, but it is seen in children. The child may be able to sing but not speak or they may be able to read but not write. In many instances with this particular disorder the child is unable to perceive the sound of the words, as a result they have issues talking, understanding and listening. It is important that you are aware these children are often highly intelligent and the disability they have only affects their language and communications, which can lead to frustration.

Autism

Autism is more common than you may think. ASD or autism spectrum disorder can be a verbal or non verbal issue. The children often has social problems and they have issues when it comes to communicating their needs. Children with autism vary from mild problems to severe issues where they cannot look or communicate, even with their own parents. You will find that when working with children with autism in the class room they have problems understanding instruction and they relate better when there is a set routine and structure in the room. If you have a child with autism in the class, then make the process of the class the same every day on how the children enter the class, how they are greeted and how the entire lesson plays out. These children relate better when they understand what is going on and what to expect.

Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy children may find themselves faced with problems when it comes to physical, but they are mentally the same as all the other children in the school. These children require the same education as the mainstream classes. They have a very high IQ. When working with cerebral palsy children, you need to focus on ways of modifying their worksheets, projects and tests so that they can take part and complete their education. Equipment needs to be modified, classrooms need to be able to accommodate a wheelchair and you have to come up with innovative ways to modify their tests and worksheets, such as a computer version, so the children can use a keyboard rather than writing.

Down Syndrome

Down syndrome is very common in the United Kingdom and affects one in nine hundred births. Children with down syndrome have distinct physical characteristics, some of them will also have visual and auditory problems as well. The degree of the disorder can vary from mild to moderate mental retardation, which means the children can still take part in a mainstream class and be part of the normal school and education experience. Down syndrome children thrive in a normal school environment with extra speech therapy. You will have to make modifications to their worksheets and projects, making it easier for them to manage.

Dyslexia

Dyslexia is a very common learning difficulty that is experienced in children and into adulthood. This alters the way the brain processes written materials from writing to numbers. It is very challenging for these children to learn how to read, write and spell. Most children with dyslexia are highly intelligent, it is only their reading and writing that is the issue. Dyslexia can result in low self-esteem and leave the child frustrated. As a teacher you can make use of index card, provide verbal explanations and break larger tasks into smaller ones to make it easier for the child to complete. You may also want to consider games to teach spelling.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a difficulty in paying attention. Children with this particular condition find it hard to learn, their memory is bad and they have problem solving issues. The condition is caused by the mother drinking alcohol during pregnancy which can lead to physical, mental and behavioural problems in the child and result in developmental delays. Children with fetal alcohol syndrome tend to have a normal IQ, but they may suffer from hyperactivity or immature behaviour. As a teacher you will want to identify their strengths and review their assessments. Work on lesson plans and rewards to help these children blossom and grow and be the best they can be.