Criteria and Characteristics of Children with Special Needs

Categories of Disability Characteristics Teaching and Learning

Requirements

● Attention problem. BBB:

● Problems in
processing
information and lack
of psychological
processes.
● Provide appropriate
response
● Difficulty in
questioning
● Speech difficulty
● Following oral
instructions
● Understanding
humour and body
language
● Lack of social skill
● Writing problem
(written language)
● Quantitative disorder.
● Reading difficulty
● Limited vocabulary
● Grammatical and
sentence errors
● Excessive repetition Task/activity/Worksheet:
● Understanding
compound sentences
Learning disabilities (overall)
● Utilize Assistive
Technology (AT) such
as large calculators,
task analysis,
communication cards
(Augmentative
Alternative
Communication-
AAC), software to
check spelling such
as E-Kamus
Dewan,Ginger
Software
● Use large “square
line” in Mathematics.
● Help them to organize
ideas, take notes,
write, productivity,
access to references
and modify materials
● Small number of
questions in a single
page
● Big font size

Classroom setting:

● Seating arrangement
- near to the teacher
● Include one SWSP in
each group activity
● Flexible for individual
and groups
● Collaborative learning
(mixed ability groups)

Teaching and learning

management:
● Give marks based on
the moral values of

Attention Deficits ● Hyperactive
Hyperactivity ● Aggressive
Disorder(ADHD)
Cerebral Palsy ● Weak motor capability
● Difficulty in speech
Autism Spectrum Disorder • Concentration and attention
• Anxiety disorder
• Affective Disorder
• Learning Difficulties
Visual impairment • Having troubles
seeing things on the board
without assistant tools
(Partially sighted)
each group activity
● Make vow in an
inclusive classroom
so that they help each
other and ensuring
the success of all the
friends in the group.
● Encourage pupils to
do reflections at the
end of the class
● Repetitions of
teachers’ instructions
with CWD by using
simple sentences
● Using “carta
matematik 5 minit”
strategy at the
beginning of the
lesson
● Distribute materials
(exercises or notes) to
pupils instead of
letting them to
copying notes from
the white board
Be careful about using
certain colors that disturb
students like red
● Seats and tables that
are compatible with
their physical
problems.
● Use a laptop for
assignment purposes
● Provide instructions in
simple and printed
form
Classroom physical setting:
• Make sure the
students with visual
impairment are seated in
• Hardly see things on
the board
• Unclear instruction:
have difficulty to follow the
teaching and learning
process if the instructions
given is too visual-oriented
(here, there)
• Visual learning aids
may pose challenges to
them.
• Interaction with peers
– pupils have less control on
the social circle
• Orientation & mobility
– less control on the physical
environment
• takes longer time to
do and complete the
assignments compared to
their peers
• requires assistance
during co-curricular activities
front of the classroom or in
the middle. This will enable
the students to have the best
view of the black board and
thus they are able to
participate in the T&L
• Make necessary
adjustments to the lighting to
minimize the negative impact
of the visual impairment. Put
on curtains when necessary.
Special equipment:
• Ensure that the
students with vision
impairment to get the Optical
Aid Tool that suitable for both
short-sighted and long-
sighted.
Teaching and learning
process:
• get help from the
resource teacher to prepare
the diagram, circulars/ notes,
classroom practice,
worksheets, etc., in braille or
big photocopy in advance
• ask the resource
teacher to introduce the
special symbols in braille
(basically in Mathematics:
symbols for logarithms,
angle, etc.) for students with
vision impairment
• Use a specific
language that can be shown
to the blind student.

e.g. For location, we can use

the words “at the upper left”
or “in the middle” or “almost
seven (use the clock
reference system)” to
describe it based on the
diagram given.

Elaborate on the process

specifically to avoid confusion
when there is a
demonstration (especially on
movement and process)

• Time allocation for

task and examination should
be longer because the blind
student may acquire more
time to read, write and
manage his materials.

• Ask someone (who is

responsible) to read out the
notes on the board for the
blind student and to be his
“buddy”.

Collaboration:

• get teacher’s help to

help blind / low vision pupils
during a practical session or
T&L session involving the
use of complicated teaching
aids (eg in Science, Living
Skills, Geography ...)

• get teacher’s
assistance if a new pupil is
 placed at the school; if the
activity is outside of the class,
pair the low vision pupils with
the celestial ones

• get resource teacher's

help to prepare large prints /
embossing / distributed
materials in large print or
braille

Co-curricular activities:

• Get a buddy for visual

impairment pupils to carry out
the activities

Pupils with hearing ● Difficult in hearing soft Classroom setting:

impairment sounds
● Unable to listen to any ● Sit at the front row to
sound easily see the teacher
● Facing difficulties in ● Use the mimic method
social interaction/
communication
● Facing difficulties in Teaching aid:
expressive and receptive
communication, reading ● Use pictures,
and writing multimedia and
● Difficult to involve in printed materials
group discussion in class because they learn
● Low self-esteem using their vision.
● Interpret information ● Prepare reading
given wrongly materials/ notes first
● Difficult to comprehend before the teaching
the text and learning (T&L) so
● Difficult to give that pupils will be
respond/feedback of ready.
discussion that involves
abstract thinking
compared to hands-on Support:
task.
● Classmates and
teachers could learn
sign language to help
the pupils