The Planning for Learning for Special Needs Students - Essay Example

The Planning For Learning Prepared By Submitted to Word Count 2111 (Excluding page and references) Introduction The learning process and planning for the children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), and Conduct Disorder (CD) is part of analyzing and treating their disorders. The contemporary behaviour analytic approach is necessary for planning the learning activities of children having behavioural problems. The planning for learning needs traditional and behavioural assessment of school and the subject (David Reitman et al, 2000). 1 The important aspect in ADHD students that needs attention from teachers while planning for their learning is that they face difficulties with homework due to their short attention spans and restlessness as well as impulsivity. Hence it is important to build a homework structure for them and that should find place in middle and high school. The important aspect to be observed is that the planning for learning should consider improvement but not perfection. The planning should consider recording, having the books necessary for learning, reviewing of the student's books, agreeing with the student to participate in the learning program, making them to follow assignments and study hours, keeping them honest in doing work, developing sustenance of attention to follow the planning, making the student to use a calendar to track long term assignments and periodically work on them instead of leaving them for the last minute. Another important aspect in planning a learning program is to assess the learner's needs and behavioural problems. The planning of programs for learning should be according to the assessment. The learning programs as part of the planning should follow inclusive teaching and learning strategies. The teacher should concentrate on managing the process as well as environment as the success of planning in case of ADHD students depends even on environment. At the end of the program it is necessary to assess the outcomes of learning programs. After that it is necessary for a teacher to reflect his/her performance for future practice (Arthur Robin, 2009). 2 Assessing Learners Needs Assessment can serve different purposes as it can grade the attainment of learners. In assessment teacher should consider emotional and practical needs of the student and plan accordingly. The communication that has occurred between teacher and the student helps in assessing his needs practically as well as emotionally. The important aspect in assessing is verbal questions by teacher to students and in the course trying to fulfil their emotional needs. By questioning, teacher can understand the lapses in understanding the problem by the student and that helps in developing a plan for learning for the students having behavioural problems like ADHD as they have attention deficit and, which results in lack of understanding. In addition to that practitioners found that the questioning involves the students and develops communication with teachers thus enabling them to know the points where the student lacks attention. One assessment a teacher can make by questioning is the difference between the students who know and who can understand. If a teacher can find the students who just only know, he/she can plan a program that helps them in understanding the aspect and the concept of the lesson. According to David Edward Gray et al (2000), FENTO Standards for teaching recognise the importance of professional assessment of students that underpins learning as well as achievement. The assessment needs the verification of key elements like vocational curriculum, competencies, underlying knowledge and key skills. The authors of book 'Training to Teach in Further and Adult Education' state that assessment is a process by which evidence of student achievement is obtained as well as judged. It requires evidence and a scale of standards. The assessment includes the capability of the student, performance relative to his/her group and his comparison with others in the group and previous performance. As a result the evaluation of the student depends on the explicit standards, assessment with comparison with a reference group, assessment regarding achievements (David Edward Gray, Colin Griffin, Tony Nasta, 2000). 3 Planning and Preparing Teaching and Learning Programs According to Mark Pever (2006), motivation is the prime mover in achievement for learning programs for the students suffering with ADHD as well as CD and ODD. The process of placing emotional needs of young students in the planning and programs of learning the important aspect in planning learning programs for ADHD children is a whole-school approach to mental health and it is more than a language or science curriculum. The planning of learning programs should take mental health matters seriously, and concentrate on understanding of student. In this planning all the aspects of school should stay connected and address mental health problems. This comprises of three levels; prevention and awareness, early intervention and responding swiftly to the necessities of children. The first step in the learning programs is to offset disaffection and should create power to effect change. In this stage the classroom atmosphere should be encouraging and pupils can become cheerful. By setting a clear and consistent behaviour policy in the backdrop of cheerful environment, makes the young people to know their boundaries while learning and they feel safe. (Mark Pever, 2006).4 To remove boredom as well as attention disorder, the important aspect is motivation and that encourages the ADHD behavioural disorder learners to express their opinions. The point emphasised here is that the expressions of opinions of attention deficit students can lead to the planning that can motivate them and may result in decision making by them. One can see the process of motivation as a starting point for consultation and negotiations, which eases the learning process through sharing the opinions. Even breaking ice techniques also help in motivating the students having behavioural disorders like ADHD. 5 Inclusive Teaching and Learning Strategies According to Walker, David et al (1998), the examination of inclusive teaching in a school needs ideas and rationale. The support provided by assistants and teachers in the inclusive classroom is crucial and the curriculum adapted also plays a role in enabling the inclusion. The next step in inclusive teaching is the congenial atmosphere, the school can provide and that can be reflected in classroom. The success of the inclusive teaching lies in differentiating students according to their difficulties and planning accordingly. The important aspect in inclusive teaching is integration that covers both discipline and emotional needs of children to lower stress and to mobilize them to participate in classroom activities. Hence, the planning involves assessment of needs, selection of curriculum, congenial atmosphere in school and curriculum, questioning procedure and making the children to reproduce the content taught (Walker David, 1998). 6 Learning Styles in Inclusive Teaching The inclusive teaching will be effective when it is combined with learning styles of Kolb that theorised the preferences to manage, lead and negotiate. Hence, to develop a learning style, the teachers and learners should identify the suitable model to select the learning style preferences. The learning styles depend on active experimentation, reflective observation, abstract conceptualisation, and concrete experience. 7 As different students prefer different learning style, the factors that influence the person's play an important role. As the present situation is to plan for the persons with behavioural disorders, it is better to plan from concrete experience to abstract conceptualisation as it involves both understanding as well as concentration. The next stage should be active experimentation to reflective observation. Hence, processing continuum and perception continuum are two lines of axis for learning styles and relate the modes with grasping experience. Hence, Kolb's learning styles result in diverging, assimilating, converging and accommodating (Businessballs.com, 2000). 8 Managing the Learning Process and Environment After planning the learning styles the learning process as well as environment is important. According to Phyllis Anne Teeter et al, (2000) the management of learning process depends on the teaching styles that affect the classroom behaviour of the children. The management of learning process should allow the children to move about in order to actively participate in learning tasks that produce positive outcomes. Introduction of novelty and stimulation into classroom can be effective for increasing work completion as well as reducing the negative behaviour and disorders. In addition to that, the enhancement of organizational skills as well as time management skills the teacher can manage reading capabilities of students as well as their Mathematic abilities and language skills. Consequently, the active participation of the students is possible that can be an indicator for the success of the learning process and its management. (Phyllis Anne Teeter et al, 2000). 9 Assessing the Outcomes of Learning and Learner's Achievements Despite the learning processes and their management mentioned above, many studies indicated the low academic achievement of ADHD students. Hence, it is important to assess the outcomes to enhance the learning processes for students having behaviour disorders. The assessments should keep in view the fact that the symptoms of 14 to 19 years students are different from those of in childhood. Hence, the outcomes also differ. The assessments of the outcomes revealed that the students face difficulties with problem solving activity. The problem is with cognitive development of the students and thus affecting the personal, behavioural and environmental factors. The responses for the questions of teachers, when analyzed, profiled and compared, it was observed that they are similar to the cognitive challenges and hence, there should be changes in learning process accordingly. As the processes and their outcomes are not being able to detect and remove the cognitive deficiencies the early assessment for the preparation of learning process should consider tests regarding cognitive challenges as well as the including cognition development activities in learning programs. Reflecting upon One's Own Performance and Planning Future Practice The performance of the students having ADHD and its assessment can reflect on the teacher's performance. Many studies reveal that the students with ADHD attribute success to internal causes and blame failure for the external causes. Hence the important aspect in a teacher's practice is to minimize or nullify the external problems that cause attention deficit or disturb the ADHD students. Hence the practicing teachers should consider that aspect and should take care about minimizing the external problems for ADHD students in every learning program. On important aspect about external problems is about addressing them and calling them while questioning. The way staff and co students treat the students with ADHD also affect their concentration and causes deficit in attention. As a result teacher should note down the points that disturb the attention and understanding of ADHD students and should minimize or nullify them in the next stage of learning programs or for the planning in the next batch. 10 Maslow's Triangle In reflecting the practice and guidance for future practice, the Maslow's triangle should reflect self actualization that is never ending. The theory of human needs in Maslow's triangle should fulfil physical, social esteem and self actualization needs in an orderly ascending fashion. Hence, the learning programs should meet the above mentioned needs. In addition to that, the future practice of any teacher will be successful when they take care about fourth and fifth levels that discuss self esteem and self actualization, which are crucial for the learning process of ADHD students. As Self Actualization is defined as the process of becoming it plays an important role in removing the problems of understanding and concentration in ADHD students (Joan M. Kiel, 1999). 11 Conclusion According to the discussion in this paper, early interventions with the help of assessments of the problems in ADHD students are important to understand their problems regarding study. The understanding about the problems of the students can help in planning the learning programs and their processing as well as implementation. In addition to that the whole school atmosphere and environment should support the emotional needs of students to make the learning programs planned to be effective. Hence, the positive effect of management of learning programs depends on the atmosphere of the school and congenial atmosphere in the classroom that enables the pupils to move around and interact with each other as well as with teachers. In addition to that the assessment of the outcomes can help in planning the next learning programs and for enhancement of teacher's future practice. As a result, it helps in developing school atmosphere also if the planning the learning programs can follow the three needs in Maslow's triangle that emphasizes on self actualization and self esteem. Moreover, it can help in meeting the emotional needs of the ADHD students that obstruct them from understanding and concentrating. As a result, it can be understood that the self esteem of the ADHD, CD and ODD students can be enhanced by timely interventions that are planned by the assessing the outcomes in a positive manner with an intention to change even the environment of classroom as well as school atmosphere. References: David Reitman et al, 2000, Behavioural Problems in School Setting, Springer Lind, Retrieved on 2nd February 2009 from Arthur Robin, 2009, Helping Your ADHD Adolescent to Get Home Work Done, Attention Deficit Disorder Resources, Retrieved on 2nd February 2009, Geoffrey Petty, 2004, 3rd Edition, Teaching Today, Cheltenham, UK: Nelson Thornes. Mark Pever, 2006, Mental Health in Schools: A Guide to Pastoral and Curriculum Provision, London: UK Paul Chapman Publishing. Walker, David et al, 1998, Inclusive School, I Edition, Great Britain, Routledge. Phyllis Anne Teeter et al, 2000, Interventions For ADHD, Edition I, New York, US: Guilford Press. B. 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