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 Sponsored Program

Teaching Special Education

 What is Special Education?
 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
o Types of Disabilities Covered in IDEA
o Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
 Become a Special Education Teacher
 Work Environments
 Student Demographics

What is Special Education?

Special education programs are designed for those students who are mentally,
physically, socially and/or emotionally delayed. This aspect of “delay,” broadly
categorized as a developmental delay, signify an aspect of the child's overall
development (physical, cognitive, scholastic skills) which place them behind their
peers. Due to these special requirements, students’ needs cannot be met within the
traditional classroom environment. Special education programs and services adapt
content, teaching methodology and delivery instruction to meet the appropriate
needs of each child. These services are of no cost to the family and are available to
children until they reach 21 years of age (states have services set in place for adults
who are in need of specialized services after age 21).

The strides made in special education advocacy and policy have come far. Primarily
established through the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (1975) External
link , the law was later amended into the Individuals with Disabilities with Education
Act of 2004 External link .

Education for All Handicapped Children Act, 1975

In 1975, Congress enacted Public Law 94-142, more commonly known as the
Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHA). The goal of EHA was to ensure
children with disabilities gained access to a free and appropriate public education.
This law provided local and statewide support and protection to children and youth
with disabilities, as well as their families.

Under EHA, all public schools were granted federal funding that provided equal
access to education for children with physical and/or mental disabilities. Schools
were required to evaluate children and create an educational plan that paralleled
the academic experience of their non-disabled peers. EHA requirements also
provided parents and families the necessary support systems to ensure their child
received appropriate and adequate services, along with the services needed to
dispute decisions made on behalf of the child.

Back to Top

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

(IDEA)
The Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHA) was amended in 1997 and is
now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The
amendments made in IDEA provide children and youth with disabilities access to a
higher quality of education-related services, ensuring all students the complete
access to the most appropriate education within the least restrictive environment.

Under IDEA’s legislation, all states receiving federal funding must:

 Provide all students with disabilities between the ages of three and 21 with
access to an appropriate and free public education
 Identify, locate and evaluate children labeled with disabilities
 Develop an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for each child
 Educate children with disabilities within their "least restrictive environment."
This environment is ideally with their typically developing peers but is
dependent on individual circumstances
 Provide those students enrolled in early-intervention (EI) programs with a
positive and effective transition into an appropriate preschool program
 Provide special education services for those children enrolled in private
schools
 Ensure teachers are adequately qualified and certified to teach special
education
 Ensure that children with disabilities are not suspended or expelled at rates
higher than their typically developing peers

Above all, these federal provisions enacted by IDEA ensure that all children with
disabilities are provided with the adequate services and resources necessary for
them to succeed within and beyond the educational system alongside their non-
disabled peers.

Back to Top

Types of Disabilities Covered in IDEA

The umbrella term of special education broadly identifies the academic, physical,
cognitive, and social-emotional instruction offered to children who are faced with
one or more disabilities. Under the IDEA, these disabilities are categorized into the
following areas:

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Autism Spectrum Disorder refers to a developmental disability that significantly
affects communication (both verbal and nonverbal) and social interaction. These
symptoms are typically evident before the age of three and adversely affect a child’s
educational performance. Other identifying characteristics of those with ASD are
engagement in repetitive activities/stereotyped movements, resistance to change in
environment and daily routine and unusual responses to sensory stimuli.

Deaf-Blindness

Deaf-blindness refers to concomitant visual and hearing impairments. This

combination causes severe communication, developmental and educational needs
that cannot be accommodated through special education programs solely for those
children with blindness or deafness.

Deafness/Hearing Impairment

Deafness means a child’s hearing impairment is so severe that it impacts the

processing of linguistic information with or without amplification and adversely
affects a child’s educational performance. Hearing impairment refers to an
impairment (fluctuating or permanent) that adversely affects a child’s educational
performance.

Developmental Delay

Developmental delay is a term designated for children birth to age nine, and is
defined as a delay in one or more of the following areas: cognitive development,
physical development, socio-emotional development, behavioral development or
communication.

Emotional Disturbance

Emotional disturbance refers to a condition that exhibits one or more of the

following characteristics both over an extended period of time and to an
exceptional degree that adversely affects a child’s educational performance:

 An inability to learn that cannot be explained by intellectual, sensory or

health factors
 An inability to build and/or maintain satisfactory interpersonal relationships
with peers and teachers
  Inappropriate types of behavior or feelings under normal circumstances
 A general pervasive mood of unhappiness/depression
 A tendency to develop physical symptoms or fears associated with personal
or school problems

Emotional disturbance does not apply to children who are socially maladjusted
unless they are determined to have an emotional disturbance as per IDEA’s
regulations.

Intellectual Disability

Intellectual disability is defined as a significantly below average functioning of

overall intelligence that exists alongside deficits in adaptive behavior and is
manifested during the child’s developmental period causing adverse affects on the
child’s educational performance.

Multiple Disabilities

Children with multiple disabilities are those with concomitant impairments such as
intellectual disability and blindness or intellectual disability and orthopedic
impairment(s). This combination causes severe educational needs that cannot be
met through programs designed for children with a single impairment. (Deaf-
blindness is not identified as a multiple disability and is outlined separately by
IDEA.)

Orthopedic Impairment

Orthopedic impairment(s) refer to severe orthopedic impairments that adversely

affect a child’s academic performance. Orthopedic impairment(s) include those
caused by congenital anomalies and diseases, as well impairments by other causes
(i.e. Cerebral Palsy).

Other Health Impairment(s)

Other health impairments refer to a limitation in strength, vitality or alertness,

resulting in limited alertness to one’s educational environment. These impairments
are often due to chronic or acute health problems — including ADD/ADHD,
epilepsy, and Tourette’s syndrome — and adversely affect the child’s educational
performance.
Specific Learning Disability

Specific learning disability refers to a range of disorders in which one or more basic
psychological processes involved in the comprehensive/usage of language — both
spoken or written — establishes an impairment in one’s ability to listen, think, read,
write, spell and/or complete mathematical calculations. Included are conditions
such as perceptual disabilities, dyslexia (also dyscalculia, dysgraphia), brain injury,
minimal brain dysfunction and developmental aphasia. Specific learning disabilities
do not include learning problems that are the result of visual, auditory or motor
disabilities, intellectual disability, emotional disturbance or those who are placed at
an environmental/economic disadvantage.

Speech/Language Impairment

Speech or language impairments refer to communications disorders such as

stuttering, impaired articulation or language/voice impairments that have an
adverse effect on a child’s educational performance.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Traumatic brain injury refers to an acquired injury to the brain caused by external
physical forces. This injury is one that results in a partial or complete functional
disability and/or psychosocial impairment and must adversely affect the child’s
educational performance. TBI does not include congenital or degenerative
conditions or those caused by birth-related trauma. TBI applies to injuries that
result in impairments in one or more of the following areas: cognition, language,
memory, attention, reasoning, abstract thinking, judgment, problem-solving,
psychosocial behavior, physical functions, information processing, and speech.

Visual Impairment (Including Blindness)

Visual impairment, which includes blindness, refers to impairment in one’s vision

that, even after correction, adversely affects a child’s educational performance. The
term “visual impairment” is inclusive of those with partial sight and blindness.

In order to be deemed eligible for state special education services, IDEA states that
a student’s disability must adversely affect his or her academic achievement and/or
overall educational performance. While defining these adverse effects are
dependent on a student’s categorical disability, eligibility is determined through a
process of evaluations by professionals such as a child’s pediatrician/specialists,
school psychologists and social workers. After a student is deemed able to receive
such services, their progress is annually reviewed.

Back to Top

Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)

An Individualized Education Program (commonly referred to as IEP) is a document,
mandated by the IDEA, which clearly defines the individual goal and objectives set
for a child with a disability. These programs are written documentation of the
special education program and academic modifications required to meet the child’s
individual needs. The two main purposes of a student’s IEP are to:

1. Set reasonable learning goals for the student, and

2. State the required services that the school district needs to provide for said
child.

IEPs are developed by a team including the child’s teacher(s), parents, and
supporting school staff. This team meets annually (at minimum) to assess the
academic and developmental progress of the student, design appropriate
educational plans, and adhere any changes if necessary. The main goal these
reviews is to ensure that the child is receiving appropriate and adequate services
within their least restrictive environment.

While each child’s IEP is unique, IDEA mandates that all IEPs must contain the
following specific information:

 Student’s present level of academic achievement and overall performance

 Annual goals and/or objectives for the child (milestones that both parents
and school staff feel is reasonably achievable within the next year.)
 Special education and related services, including supplementary services
such as adaptive communication devices, adequate transportation services,
and appropriate school personnel
 Portion of the day that the child will be educated apart from his or her
typically-developing peers
 Participation and/or modification to district-, state-, and nation-wide
assessments
 How child’s progress will be measured
For a much more detailed explanation of everything that goes into creating an IEP,
as well as an overview of the basic Special Education Process under IDEA, please
refer to the U.S. Department of Education's Guide to the Individualized Education
Program External link .

Back to Top

Become a Special Education Teacher

Just as with general education certification, becoming a certified Special Education
teacher allows you to work with a wide range of student ages, grade levels, and
abilities. Special Education programs are designed to meet the specific and unique
instructional needs of each child, allowing students to be grouped homogeneously
by developmental stage (ability) rather than by age. This unique aspect of Special
Education allows teachers to provide aid and instruction based on the students'
skill level, rather than biological age. This unique aspect of Special Education allows
educators to provide aid and instruction based on a child’s interest and ability,
rather than biological age. However, most certification programs are categorized by
the student’s age, allowing teachers to become certified for the following age
groups:

 Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education programs: Birth -

Age 4
 Childhood Special Education: Kindergarten - 6th Grade
 Secondary Special Education: 7th - 12th Grade
 A number of special education certification programs offer a general
certification in birth to 21 years old, allowing educators to work with virtually
any age demographic

Earn a degree that offers a dual certification in teaching and

special education:
Earn your Master of Science in Teaching from Fordham
University

o Earn a master’s degree in teaching in two years

o Prepares you for initial teaching certification
o 5 program tracks available

Discover Fordham University

Sponsored Program

Special Education Certification

Once you've made your decision of which age group to become certified in,
consider which degree you want to earn to teach special education.

Undergraduate: B.S. Education, Special Education

Earning your bachelor’s degree in education is your first step in becoming a

certified teacher. Typical undergraduate programs in education are four years and
provide students with the resources, qualifications, and experience needed to
become a certified teacher in their respective state. Average course loads include
theory, fieldwork and practical application of skill. If your school offers a Bachelor’s
in Special Education, coursework will include theory and practice in both general
education and Special Education theory. While not all university programs offer a
Bachelor’s in Special Education, earning your undergraduate degree in general
education allows you to pursue your master's degree in special education.

Graduate: M.S.Ed/MAT Special Education

Graduate degrees in Special Education are offered for both certified teachers
looking to further validate their credentials, as well as those looking to complete
their initial certification. Depending on your school’s program and/or course
schedule, a Master's in Education is typically completed in a two-year period and
are scheduled to accommodate your work schedules — typically offering night and
weekend classes. While not all states require a master’s degree in order to become
a teacher, an advanced degree typically earns a higher salary and makes you
eligible for more employment opportunities.

Earning a master’s degree in Special Education allows you to reach a wide range of
students in a variety of both academic environments and disciplines. Depending on
the programs offered at your local colleges/universities, a Master’s in Special
Education degree may offer programs in the following areas:

 Learning Disabilities
 Behavior Disorders
 Intellectual Disabilities
 Autism Spectrum Disorders
 Low-Incidence Disabilities (blindness, deafness, deaf-blindness, multiple
disabilities)
 Early Intervention, Early Childhood Special Education

Back to Top

Where Can Special Education Teachers

Work?
Deciding on a career in special education allows you to work with a wide range of
children of different ages and abilities, as well as a number of unique work
environments. Special education teachers are able to work in a number of
environments, including but not limited to the traditional classroom. It is a unique
ability of special education teachers to reach students outside of the traditional
classroom, allowing the needs of a broader population of children to be met.
Work environments for those certified in Special Education may include:

 Specialized/self-contained schools
 Self-contained classes among general education settings (may include
Resource Room, ELL classes, Alternative Education programs)
 General education classrooms (both public and private schools) operating
under an inclusion/CTT model
 Self-contained and Inclusion model preschool programs
 Early Intervention programs — includes both at-home and at-site services
 Residential facilities
 Home programs
 Health agencies and clinics
 Hospitals

Back to Top

Student Demographics
The inclusive education classroom model where students with special needs are
taught in classrooms alongside their general education peers. This model most
often operates under a co-teaching strategy, also known as CTT (Collaborative
Team Teaching) or ITT (Integrated Co-Teaching) External link , in that the classroom
has both a General Education and Special Education teacher.

The difference between inclusion classrooms and self-contained classrooms is that

special needs students in inclusive classrooms are typically labeled as having mild
to moderate disabilities, while students within self-contained classrooms are
labeled as having severe/multiple disabilities. While both mild/moderate and
severe/multiple disabilities fall under the same special education category, the
needs of these students vary, so it is important that you find a degree program that
allows you to focus on your demographic of students.

Teaching Students With Mild-to-Moderate

Disabilities
Becoming certified to teach students with mild to moderate disabilities prepares
you to help children whose special needs hinder their academic achievement,
usually in areas of math, reading, writing, and socialization. Students with mild to
moderate special needs spend part or a majority of their school day in a general
education/CTT classroom occasionally supplemented with time in speech, resource
room, occupational therapy, etc.

Individuals looking to work with students with mild to moderate disabilities should
look into school programs that focus on preparing educators to work within that
specific demographic. Special education programs such as our partner USC
Rossier External link  tailor their programs so that teachers are aptly prepared for
succeeding in a co-teaching classroom model. The special needs of students with
mild to moderate disabilities may include learning disabilities, speech/language
disorders, behavior disorders, ADD/ADHD and/or high-functioning Autism
Spectrum Disorder.

Teaching Students With Severe/Multiple

Disabilities
Becoming certified to teach students with severe/multiple disabilities prepares you
to work with students whose special needs inhibit their performance — not only on
an academic level but also in terms of their physical capabilities and life skills —
leading to severe educational needs. The National Dissemination Center for Children
with Disabilities (NICHCY)  defines severe disabilities  External link    as  individuals with
severe to profound developmental and/or intellectual disabilities. The severity of
these disabilities must require “ongoing, extensive support” in life and/or social
activities in order to participate in educational and community activities.

Those looking to work with students who have severe and/or multiple disabilities
will most commonly work in specialized private school settings or in self-contained
special education classes in a general education setting. Teachers with a degree in
severe/multiple disabilities also have the opportunity to work with government
agencies, non-profit organizations and private institutions devoted to students with
severe developmental disabilities.

Read More:

 Organizations for Special Education Teachers

 5 Things to Know Before Making the Transition from Teaching General
Education to Special Education
 Special Education Blogs We Follow
  Why You Should Add a Special Education Credential
 Can the Common Core Meet the Needs of Special Education?
 Prevalence, Requirements, and Outlook for Teaching Students with Special
Education Needs
 How to Become a School Behavior Analyst

Back to Top

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 Online Education
 What Do Teachers Do?
 Blog
 Teach100
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April 2016 | Volume 58 | Number 4
Issue Table of Contents

Six Strategies for Challenging Gifted Learners

Amy Azzam
Gifted students—you may or may not spot them in your classroom. They may be highly visible, like
the high achievers or straight-A students. But they may also be among those students who don't
finish their work (it's never perfect enough), who zone out or act out in class (they're bored), or who
test poorly because they overthink things ("Hmmm, this answer might be true in this case, but it
might not be true in that case").
Some schools and districts have substantial resources to identify and support giftedness, wherever
it shows up. Some offer pull-out programs. Others offer cluster grouping, in which gifted students
are grouped in specific classes at each grade level.
Dina Brulles, director of gifted education in the Paradise Valley Unified School District in Phoenix,
Ariz., believes gifted students need less grade-level work, faster-paced lessons, deeper and more
advanced content, and opportunities to work with other gifted students. They also require a
different kind of interaction with the teacher, who must be less of a "sage on the stage" and more of
a "guide on the side."
But First, the Big Picture
M. René Islas, executive director of the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), notes one
persistent challenge to gifted education—a lack of uniformity in programming. A recent NAGC study
found that 19 states don't monitor gifted programs at the local level, only seven require their
districts to report on gifted student achievement, and fewer than half report on the race and
ethnicity of their gifted students (minorities are significantly underrepresented in gifted programs,
according to the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights).
But there are promising signals as well, explains Islas. The Every Student Succeeds Act requires
states and districts to track the progress of their highest-achieving students and allows schools to
use Title I funds to identify and support gifted students. Plus, the law opens up the possibility for
schools to use computer-adaptive assessments to recognize student mastery of content above
grade level.
Then there are the challenges and opportunities at the school level. With the following strategies,
teachers can tend to the complex needs of their high-ability students in the heterogeneous
classroom.
1. Offer the Most Difficult First
"Gifted students don't need to do 25 problems in math when they can do the five most difficult first
to demonstrate mastery," says Brulles. She offers this opportunity to all students, not just those
identified as gifted. Students who successfully complete the five problems are excused from that
night's homework. If classwork is involved, the teacher simply needs to have a few extension
activities on hand—tasks that carry the concept to the next level—for students to work on quietly
while others complete the regular assignment.
"Most Difficult First" is one manageable way for teachers to compact the curriculum for their high-
ability students. With compacting, students get to "throw away" the part of the curriculum that they
already know, while receiving full credit for those competencies. This frees up students to work on
more challenging content.
2. Pre-Test for Volunteers
Let's say a teacher is teaching two-digit multiplication. He might do some direct instruction for 10
minutes, then offer students the end-of-chapter test, saying, "If you get 90 percent or higher, you
won't have to do the homework or practice work. You'll have different work to do." According to
Brulles, some gifted students will take this option, whereas others may decide, "I don't know this; I
need the practice work." Again, as in Most Difficult First, this strategy requires having extension work
for students who test out of the material.
3. Prepare to Take It Up
Susan Flores, a 2nd grade teacher in Paradise Valley, meets a range of student abilities by using the
standard as her baseline. "My desk serves as a staging area. I have several piles of activities there
that take a concept up or down."
For example, when the class is working on the distributive property in math, those "piles" might
include differentiated worksheets, word problems, and task cards. Depending on how students
grasp the concept, Flores can either reteach, offer practice, or enrich.
Flores also uses "choice boards." In math, she might offer nine ways that students can demonstrate
learning of multiplication. "Students can [use] one of their iPad apps or create a game. They jump in
where they want to jump in," she notes.
All students in Flores's class can choose whether they want to take their learning to the next level. "I
don't say, 'Because you're gifted, you get choice, and because you're not gifted, you don't.'" Optional
challenge work is available to anyone who wants to try it.
4. Speak to Student Interests
Janice Mak, a gifted cluster teacher and 7th and 8th grade STEM teacher in Paradise Valley, gives
students a menu of options in her computer science class. After stu-dents learn the basics of
programming—perhaps through an online course from Stanford University or work with Google CS
First clubs—they work in teams to create a robot. Students choose the level of complexity, from
designing dogs that bark to building miniature disco rooms in which a record plays and lights flash.
Students can also tailor a project to their interests. In a module on architecture, some students
designed a playground for Egyptian students using Legos, Build with Chrome, or Minecraft. One
student opted instead to recreate the White House using Minecraft.
The Ignite presentation format offers another way for Mak to differentiate work on the basis of
student interest. The presenter has exactly 5 minutes and 20 slides, which auto-advance every 15
seconds, to discuss a topic of interest (aligned to the unit). This activity allows students to share their
passion with their peers, be it nanotechnology and its role in medicine, the physics of roller coasters,
or the latest advances in virtual reality.
According to education expert Jenny Grant Rankin, knowing a student's emotional intensities—what
Polish psychologist Kazimierz Dabrowski called "overexcitabilities"—is also key to teaching gifted
students. Dabrowski identified five areas of sensitivity that are strongly related to giftedness:
psychomotor, sensual, intellectual, imaginational, and emotional.
Overexcitabilities will often appear as quirks, such as compulsive talking or organizing, heightened
sensitivity to smells or tastes, insatiable curiosity, or daydreaming. Knowing a student's
overexcitabilities can help teachers shape engaging—and personalized—learning experiences. An
imaginational student will benefit from an assignment that he's free to complete in a unique way. An
intellectual student will prefer to investigate why certain areas of the world struggle with starvation
rather than simply listing those areas. Although we tend to see overexcitabilities negatively, they are
often accompanied by great creativity, imagination, and drive.
5. Enable Gifted Students to Work Together
According to NAGC, research shows that enabling gifted students to work together in groups boosts
their academic achievement and benefits other students in the classroom, as well. When gifted
students work together, they challenge themselves in unexpected ways. They bounce ideas off one
another and take a peer's idea to a new place. They also learn that as smart as they are, they, too,
must exert effort with challenging content—and that they'll sometimes fail along the way.
That said, gifted kids need to work both in and out of their group. "As adults, we have to be able to
work with everyone," explains Flores, "and gifted students might not learn this if they're always
separated out." Teachers can provide multiple opportunities for heterogeneous groupings through
Think-Pair-Shares, Clock Buddies, and Season Teams.
6. Plan for Tiered Learning
This approach relies on planning lessons or units at different tiers of difficulty. But does this require
teachers to add to their already full plates?
"I don't see it as doing one more thing; I see it as being more strategic," explains Mak. Teachers have
to plan for their lessons, so why not develop deep and complex activities for high-ability students at
the same time? This one way of planning—providing work at the entry, advanced, and extension
levels or at varying Depth of Knowledge Levels—offers a multiplicity of ways to learn. It may take
more time in the planning stage, but it is ultimately more efficient because bored students aren't
acting out or zoning out in class—they've got challenging work to do—and struggling students are
getting support. Once teachers create these tiered resources, they can use them again and again.
Author Carol Ann Tomlinson advocates teaching up—"a practice of first planning a lesson that's
challenging for high-end learners and then differentiating for other learners by providing supports
that enable them to access that more sophisticated learning opportunity." It replaces "the more
common practice of planning for mid-range performers, then extending that lesson for advanced
students and watering it down for others." This approach, Tomlinson says, challenges advanced
learners more than trying to pump up a "middling" idea—and serves other students better as well.
"It's Just Good Teaching"
All students have the right to learn something new every day, whether they are in regular
classrooms or in special education, language acquisition, or gifted programs. And every student will
benefit from being pulled up to go beyond the curriculum at times.
But as Tomlinson points out, "Learning should be joyful or at least satisfying, rather than just hard."
Is this challenging for educators? Sure. But according to Flores, "Any good teacher can do these
things well. It's just good teaching." 

Dos & Don'ts of Teaching Gifted Students

Do …
Understand that gifted students, just like all students, come to school to learn and be challenged.
Pre-assess your students. Find out their areas of strength as well as those areas you may need to address
before students move on.
Consider grouping gifted students together for at least part of the school day.
Plan for differentiation. Consider pre-assessments, extension activities, and compacting the curriculum.
Use phrases like "You've shown you don't need more practice" or "You need more practice" instead of
words like "qualify" or "eligible" when referring to extension work.
Encourage high-ability students to take on challenges. Because they're often used to getting good grades,
gifted students may be risk averse.
Offer training in gifted education to all your teachers.
Don't …
Confuse high achievers with high-ability students. High achievers put in the time and effort to succeed in
school. This may not be the case with high-ability students. Their gifts may not translate into academic
achievement and their behavior can at times appear noncompliant.
Assume that all gifted students are the same and that one strategy works for all.
Assume that by making gifted students tutors, you're providing a learning extension.
Confuse extension activities with additional work. Gifted students need deeper and more complex
assignments.
Refer to alternate work for gifted students as "free time." Call it "choice time" or "unfinished work time,"
so students understand that they are required to tackle a task during this time period.
Give too many directions to students about how they should complete a task. Say, "Here's the end result
I'm grading. How you get there is your choice."
Assume that gifted students are growing academically. Rely on formative and summative assessments.

Amy Azzam is a freelance writer and former senior associate editor of Educational Leadership.
KEYWORDS
Click on keywords to see similar products:
gifted and talented, audience: administrators, audience: district-leaders, audience: higher-
education, audience: new-principals, audience: new-teachers, audience: principals, audience:
teacher-leaders, audience: teachers, level: early-childhood-education, level: k-12
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 Share |   
November 2003 | Volume 7 | Number 3
Teaching All Students
Issue Table of Contents

Helping Students with Emotional Problems Succeed

Martin Henley and Nicholas Long
Seventh grader Maria sits silently at her desk while her science teacher leads an enthusiastic
discussion on the extinction of dinosaurs. Maria is preoccupied with darker thoughts than the
demise of the largest animals that ever roamed the earth. The 13-year-old is thinking about killing
herself.

Lamont is 15 years old and frequently absent. His mother is a drug addict, and his abusive father is
rarely around. Lamont was arrested three times in the last year. According to federal guidelines,
Lamont is ineligible for special education services because he is considered “socially maladjusted.”

The majority of students with emotional problems sit undetected in general education classrooms.
What can a teacher do to help these youngsters learn? First, be aware of and sensitive to warning
signs of developing emotional problems (see box on p. 3). Second, use strategies such as those
suggested in this article to help students overcome their emotional barriers to learning.
Strategies for Success
Make learning relevant. Emotional distress saps motivation. The distress that accompanies failing
grades and teacher reprimands can reinforce students' notion that school simply isn't relevant.
Noncompliance, disinterest, and avoidance are symptoms exhibited by students whose
perseverance is undermined by poor academic achievement.
What works: To offset emotional distress, give students opportunities to experience school success.
The emotionally distressed student is focused more on the concrete “here and now” than the
abstract future. Establishing links between the curriculum and the students' lives injects relevance
into lessons. Survey students about their interests and how they spend their free time. Use this
information as a backdrop for lessons.
Help students establish positive peer relationships. Peers are second only to family in their
influence on a youngster's emotional development. Positive peer relationships foster tolerance of
others, help students build effective interpersonal skills, and promote self-confidence. The
unwelcome outcomes of negative peer relationships include smoking, alcohol abuse, teenage
pregnancy, and delinquent behavior.
What works: Teachers can enhance peer relationships by structuring routines that foster a sense of
classroom community. Cooperative learning, peer tutoring, and classroom meetings promote
interdependence. These structured student interactions help to dispel the negative effects of cliques
while promoting the notion that everyone has something useful to contribute. If students don't have
the social skills they need to successfully participate in classroom routines, provide instruction in
such skills.
Teach behavior management skills. It may be difficult to understand why a reasonable request, a
minor classroom frustration, or an accidental bump from a peer can prompt sudden rage in some
students. But students who have been rejected by or alienated from significant others believe that
further rejection is inevitable. In situations that trigger feelings of anxiety, insecurity, or fear, their
impulsive response is anger and noncompliance.
What works: Teachers who remain objective are most effective at defusing conflict. These teachers
recognize that misbehavior always has a reason, and this recognition helps them avoid impulsive
reactions to a student's conduct that can cause a minor episode to explode into a full-blown crisis.
As teachers practice restraint, they can also teach students to reflect on their actions and to use
more constructive ways of managing their emotions. Identifying in-school events that trigger
disruptive behavior can provide teachers and students with ideas on how to modify school routines
to support constructive actions.
Identify and deal with depression. Almost 5 percent of children and adolescents experience
symptoms of depression. Persistent sadness or irritability, loss of interest in previously enjoyed
activities, disrupted sleep, agitation, loss of energy, feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt,
difficulty concentrating, and recurrent thoughts of death or suicide are major symptoms. Early
identification is the key to successful treatment through a combination of counseling,
psychotherapy, and medication.
What works: Major depressive disorder is characterized by a pattern of five or more symptoms. If
symptoms persist for six months, a referral to a school counselor is recommended. A youngster's
family may need assistance in engaging the services of a counselor with expertise in depressive
disorders. Students cannot “snap out of” depression. Understanding and empathy are more
effective than attempts to change behavior through reprimands, incentives, or heart-to-heart talks.
Fatigue is a common classroom complaint. Students need extra time to finish assignments, projects
tailored to their interests, and brief breaks. Classroom activities that foster feelings of competence
and strengthen social relationships bolster self-efficacy.
Help students cope with stress. Like steam building in a tightly lidded pot, emotional distress,
when not vented, exerts pressure on the body. Physical reactions—such as frequent headaches,
abdominal pain, asthma, hives, chest pains, and dizziness—can emerge if students don't address the
causes of stress or if they aren't taught effective coping strategies. Legitimate psycho-physiological
ailments persist for four months or longer. Only a physician can make an accurate diagnosis.
What works: Using an upset stomach or other physical ailment to escape schoolwork is not unusual.
However, when physical complaints are frequent, a student should be referred to a physician to rule
out medical origins. Input from family members can help identify unusual stressors. Counseling
builds coping strategies. Chronic stress can lead to depression. Local mental health services should
be accessed if symptoms persist despite school-based interventions. A combination of coping
strategies will alleviate distress. If eliminating the source of stress isn't possible, teach students
relaxation techniques and other stress-reduction methods.
Instill Hope
More than anything else, troubled youth need to know their lives can improve. Consider this
comment by 10-year-old Reynaldo: “A lot of people get shot in my neighborhood, but nothing bad
has happened to me yet.” When teachers provide a refuge from the “bad” in a student's life, they
inspire hope and help students see that the past is not necessarily a prelude to the future.
Unfortunately, the symptoms of students' emotional struggles produce more heat than light.
Noncompliance, anger, and aggression don't ordinarily engender acceptance and understanding.
Yet, teachers who focus on developing students' strengths are more successful than those who
focus on fixing flaws. By not giving up on youth, proactive teachers help sustain the belief in a
brighter future.

Know What You're Looking For

Some emotional problems you can see—others you cannot. If a student has internalized her emotional problems,
for example, she may become withdrawn or depressed, and the teacher may not be aware of the student's distress.
If a student has externalized emotional problems, however, the teacher is likely to know. This student puts
emotions on display and may become disruptive, even antagonistic, in class. It's important, therefore, that teachers
know the early warning signs for both kinds of emotional problems.

A student may have internalized emotional problems A student may have externalized emotional problems

if he if she
 Appears isolated from peers. Becomes a chronic discipline problem.
Seems overly dependent on others. Exhibits a lack of empathy or compassion.
Is moody. Has temper tantrums.
Exhibits feelings of helplessness. Is truant often.
Shows an interest in cults. Experiences poor academic performance.
Has an inordinate attraction to fantasy. Has conflicts with authority figures.
Is apathetic. Bullies others.
Is a bully victim. Damages the property of others.
Is frequently absent because of illness. Becomes noncompliant.
Cries inappropriately and too often. Becomes impulsive.
Abuses himself. Becomes aggressive.

Source: Compiled from Gresham, F. M., MacMillan, D. L., & Bocian, K. (1996). “Behavioral earthquakes”:
Low-frequency salient behavioral events that differentiate students at risk of behavior disorders. Behavioral
Disorders 21(4), 277–292.

Martin Henley (mhenley@wsc.ma.edu) is chairperson of the education department at Westfield

(Mass.) State College. His most recent books include Teaching Self-Control: A Curriculum for
Responsible Behavior and Creating Successful Inclusion Programs. Nicholas Long (1-301-733-2751) is
president of the Life Space Crisis Intervention Institute and is professor emeritus at American
University in Washington, D.C. His most recent books include Conflict in the Classroom and Life Space
Crisis Intervention.
Copyright © 2003 by Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
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1703 North Beauregard St.
Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
MISSION: ASCD empowers educators to achieve excellence in learning, teaching, and leading so that every child
is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged.
© 2021 ASCD. All Rights Reserved.

Beginning primary school, or moving to secondary school, can be a challenging time for
any student and family. This can be even harder when the student has a chronic
(ongoing) health condition. To get the most out of their schooling, students with a
chronic illness need ongoing and coordinated support from their families, schools and
medical carers.

Chronic illness affecting children

Chronic illnesses are usually associated with older people and not with children.
However, a small but significant number of children in Australia suffer from chronic
illnesses – mainly asthma, but also diabetes and cancer. Cerebral palsy, epilepsy and
cystic fibrosis, along with musculoskeletal disorders and illnesses affecting sight,
hearing and allergic reaction affect smaller numbers of children.

Back to top

Effects of chronic illness on schooling

Students with a chronic illness may miss a lot of school. This might be because they
need to go to hospital, recover at home or attend regular medical appointments. This
can lead to:
 Difficulty completing work on time or taking part in exams
 Decreased academic performance
 Difficulty keeping up relationships with school friends
 Difficulty getting around the school environment
 Difficulty participating in some school activities (for example, physical education
or excursions)
  Feeling less confident and less motivated, also possibly affecting self-esteem
and body image.

Back to top

Supporting students with chronic illness

The family and the school need to work together to establish and maintain good
communication and cooperation. Everyone needs to understand what is needed and
expected to support your child. The family and the school also need to be clear about
what can, and cannot, be done so that everyone’s expectations are achievable and
realistic.

The important things to remember are that you:

 Share information
 Develop a care plan
 Keep up good communication
 Make changes where necessary
 Seek extra support.

Back to top

Sharing information about chronic illness

You and your child should decide what information about your child’s condition should
be shared with appropriate school staff. Remember to:
 Decide how much information should be shared with school staff, classmates
and the wider school community.
 Try to find a balance between the need to give adequate care and support for
your child, and their right to confidentiality and privacy.
 Work out who will be responsible for passing on the information, who it will be
given to, how and when. This could be your child, a family member, a friend,
another parent chosen by the family, a staff member who works closely with the
family or a support group or association.

Back to top

Develop a chronic illness care plan

In consultation with your child’s doctor, family and school principal, a school-based care
or management plan should be developed. This plan should be accessible to relevant
staff and reviewed every year, or whenever there is any significant change to your
child’s condition or treatment.

Make sure that relevant information is communicated to casual teachers and other staff
who have occasional care of your child. The plan should also indicate which school staff
will be responsible for carrying out certain tasks and what to do in case of emergency.

The Victorian Government School Policy and Advisory Guide offers help for schools in
developing a health support plan for students with a chronic illness.

Back to top

Keep up good communication

Regular communication between the school and the family is the best way to monitor
how your child is coping at school and at home (academically, socially, physically and
emotionally). For younger children, writing daily messages in a home-school
communications book may help. Teachers and parents can then describe changes in
energy levels, whether your child is keeping up with schoolwork, taking part in everyday
activities or how they are feeling generally.

When a student misses a lot of school because of their health condition, both the
parents and the school should try to reduce how much this affects their schoolwork and
social life. For example, it might help to:
 Send home schoolwork
 Establish email contact
 Refer to the Visiting Teacher Service
 Organise a Program Support Group.

The school should also immediately let you know if your child has received any
additional medical care.

Back to top

Making changes for students with chronic illness

The physical environment may need to be modified to allow full access to school
facilities and activities for children with chronic illness. For example, ramps, rails,
adaptive equipment or disabled toilets may be needed.
The academic environment may also need some changes. For example, adapting the
curriculum, work requirements, timetable or subject choices might be necessary for your
child. For VCE students, you should work out whether the school will need to apply for
special provision on behalf of your child.

Back to top

Extra funding support for students with a chronic

illness
Your school may be eligible to apply for extra funding or support for a student with a
chronic illness. Staff may also need education or information about the specific
condition or chronic illness in general. Discuss this with your child’s school principal.

Back to top

Special services for students with chronic illness

A variety of specialist staff may be available or may be called in to assist your child.
These include visiting teachers, education support officers, psychologists, guidance
officers, speech pathologists, social workers and other allied health professionals. Talk
to your principal about whether any of these services may be available.

Visiting teacher service

In Victoria, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development and the
Catholic Education Office provide a Visiting Teacher Service. Your child’s school is
responsible for applying to the Visiting Teacher service. If your child attends an
independent school, please contact your child’s school principal to discuss additional
support.

Visiting teachers may work with visually, hearing and physically impaired students, as
well as students with a chronic health condition. They provide additional educational
assistance, advice and support to school-aged children and young people, their parents,
schools and school communities.
Student welfare coordinators

Schools have dedicated staff members called student welfare coordinators who help
develop programs to meet the individual needs, interests and abilities of those students
who may find education challenging. They may also be called pastoral care
coordinators or primary welfare officers.

Royal Children’s Hospital Education Institute

The Royal Children’s Hospital Education Institute brings together and passes on
education and health knowledge for students, schools and the community by:
 Partnering with school systems, individual schools, teachers and families
 Providing support, information and advice to schools
 Conducting research and distributing knowledge to inform decision-makers
 Delivering training and professional development for people working with
students who have a health condition.

Back to top

Special programs for students with chronic illness

In addition to specialist professionals to assist your child, the Victorian Government and
the Catholic and independent school systems offer programs to meet the needs of
children with a chronic illness.

Program for Students with Disabilities

The Program for Students with Disabilities (PSD) provides additional resources for the
education of students with disabilities and additional learning needs in Victorian
government schools.

Your child’s school can apply for the PSD by completing an educational needs
questionnaire that will determine if your child meets eligibility criteria under one of seven
categories, including:
 Physical disability
 Visual impairment
  Severe behaviour disorder
 Hearing impairment
 Intellectual disability
 Autism spectrum disorder
 Severe language disorder with critical educational needs.

If your child is eligible for the program, the school is then responsible for organising a
program support group (PSG) to monitor your child’s progress. The PSG can include a
parent, advocate, teacher, principal and, if appropriate, the child.

There is a similar program within the Catholic and independent school systems called
the Literacy, Numeracy and Special Learning Needs Program.

Ronald McDonald Learning Program

The Ronald McDonald Learning Program is a unique educational ‘catch-up’ program

that tailors tuition for children who have missed school due to serious illness. Parents
must apply for this service. It is recommended that you apply for this program as soon
as possible, as the processing of applications and the allocation of a suitable tutor may
take some time.

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Where to get help

 Your doctor
 School principal
 Royal Children’s Hospital Education Institute Tel. (03) 9322 5100
 Chronic Illness Peer Support, Centre for Adolescent Health, Royal Children’s
Hospital Tel. (03) 9345 6616
 Yooralla Independent Living Centre Tel. (03) 9362 6111

Back to top

Things to remember
 A ‘whole school’ approach to support a student with a chronic illness is important.
 Relevant information about the student’s condition should be shared with
appropriate school staff.
 Maintain regular communication between the school and family regarding how
the student is coping at school and at home.
 Explore possible sources of additional support.