Final Reflection

What makes the inclusion of children with exceptionalities successful?
Younger children are more acceptable of others. They may see a difference but they do not focus on the differences of others. They may ask questions which is a natural for children, showing curiosity. Children are also more likely to assist other children with special needs. Young children will also take up for their friends. Young children ability to accommodate and accept of others who are different makes inclusion of young children with special needs a success.  

What are some barriers to successful inclusion?

• The lack of training and support of the general education teacher for students with special needs.
• The experience and understanding of disabilities by the general education teacher.
• The teachers understanding of curriculum integration
•  The relation between the special education teacher and the general education teacher 

Who should be included in the general classroom?
I feel that any student that is not severe and/or profoundly disable should be in an inclusion classroom. I also believe that children with aggressive behavior problems should not be in an inclusion classroom. As children grow and change anything is possible and if their condition change then I think their status should be reevaluated to determine what would be in the best interest of the child.

How can you determine if inclusion is appropriate for a child?
To determine if inclusion is appropriate for a child the teacher should talk with the special education teacher. Gather and read all relavent information concering the child (IEP).      

Inclusion

I believe inclusion in some cases benefit the student. Inclusion allows student's the opportunity to engage with their peers. This is especially important for students with special needs for social/emotional development skills. Inclusion also allow regular students to develop empathy for others and to appreciate the differences of others.

I don't think that inclusion is beneficial to those student that have sever and/or profound disabilities. Yes, I believe all students should be provided the same opportunity for a quality education. I just don't think that a student that requires special assistance would benefit from an inclusion classroom. I would not want to walk into a classroom and see a student sitting in a corner or off to the side somewhere, in the classroom, not being engaged. That would break my heart. First for the student but also for the teacher who has 20 other students with needs. As it stands with our school system at present without funds, personnel, and resources I don't see how inclusion would work for all students with special needs.        

Assistive Technology

I have not had the opportunity to use assistive technology. From the video and others I have seen it really does improve the quality of life for those that have the privilege to use them. I can see how important it is when you have a child with a disability to have a plan, information, and equipment that will assist the child by giving him or her the best opportunity to be successful in school, with the use of assistive technology. I think my approach to using assistive technology in the classroom has changed since seeing the video. The teacher really gave some awesome examples in how to use assistive technology in the classroom. Now, I have a better understanding of the hows and whys of using assistive technology I will be able now to use it when planning my lessons. I also think this will help me to help all my students with or without a disability because I can now see how assistive technology can be used in all disciplines.

Task Analysis

My task analysis for my focus child will be going to blow his nose without being told. I think all child should be taught personal hygiene. I think when a child learns self-help skills it gives them a sense of accomplishment and independents. The steps I use and the visual aid that reinforces this task will not only benefit my focus child but most of the child in the class that have not honed this particular skill.

Communication Strategies

How you will use the communication stratiegies as a professional

My first year in a kindergarten classroom I had a student who chose not to speak, they called this selective mutism. Throughout that school year people would say, "she doesn't talk" and I would say, "what are you talking about, this girl talks all the time. Sometimes she talk so much I have to walk away." Actually, she didn't talk. Not to me or anyone else in the school, but I never stopped saying how much she talked. even though she did not talk to me I continued to talked to her. I would even have other students engaged in conversation around her. Every day I made it a point to engage her in conversation. I asked her about her family. I talked with her about the class assignments. I talked and waited. Nothing happened that year. So the next year I was placed in her 1st grade classroom. I started the same routine all over again, talking and waiting. I even gave her my phone number. And one day to my surprise she called me. She said, "Ms. Albritton" and started laughing. This was an example of what I knew about communications in the classroom.
I will use communication strategies in my classroom to do the following:
                      a. to encourage language learnig through social interactions
                      b. to deminstate how to make verbal choices and to initiate and interact in conversation
                      c. to increase students vocabulary
                      d.to listen to and respond to students conversation.
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Focus Child's Motor and Self Help Skills

My focus child gross and fine motor skills were in developmental range. What he did need help in was remembering to wash his hands after using the bathroom without being asked, told, or prompt. To assist him in this self help task. I placed a poster, inside the bathroom door and on the closet door in front of the bathroom, to remind him to wash his hands when he finish using the bathroom. I monitored his progress by observing how many times he used the bathroom and washed his hands without being prompt. He knew the steps to washing his hands he just was always in a hurry to find out what the class was doing (when he finished using the bathroom) that I think he just forgot to wash his hands. After the posting of the posters he would come out to check to see what we were doing then he would go and wash his hands. I had to remember not to say anything to the child before he had time to follow through, giving him a chance to remeber to wash his hands. Sanitation is an important part of staying health. I sent home a copy of, "I Wash Our Hands After.." to his mother. I hope see will post it in the bathroom for my focus child as a reminder for him, when he gets in a hurry.

SOCIAL STORY

My social story is based on my focus child IEP, to identify his feelings. My focus child has problems with communication. He is in speech. To help him express his feeling I have created a book for him that expresses different feelings, and what to do when he has these feelings. He can use the book anytime to show a picture of how he is feeling to the teachers in the classroom. The child will have a book to take home to share with his mother. What I observed during the session with the book when I asked the child to show me what it looks like to be angry he was unable to demonstrate it even after I had modeled it and show him a picture. I will continue to use the pictures and help him to identify his feelings as he exhibits  them.