Misconceptions General Education Students Have About Special Needs Students

Many students in the general education population have misconceptions of special needs students or children with disabilities. Students many times feel that a student with special needs cannot really do many things. It is as simple as believing that special needs students cannot do the same things that students without disabilities can do. When a general education student sees a student in a wheelchair, many times they believe that special needs child “cannot do anything.” General education students tend to “feel bad” for these students and feel that those students cannot play with them. That’s why inclusive education is so important.

Another common misconception that general education students have about special needs students is that their disability is mentally and physically severe. A student may be physically handicapped, but not be mentally handicapped. Likewise, a mentally challenged student may be physically fine. There are so many different types of special needs a student may possess, and they range from communication needs to learning difficulties to emotionally disturbed to mentally disabled.

Many of these assumptions are based on the students limited set of experiences, and that is of no fault of their own. There is no negative or demeaning connotation to the misconceptions, it is just simply a lack of experience and a lack of education on the topic.

The Benefits of Inclusivity and Play

There is a major focus on social-emotional learning in schools. Character education is no longer taking a backseat to mathematics and language arts, and many schools, including mine, are building time for social-emotional learning into the daily schedule. So often the focus is on test scores and tested areas in academics that as educators we overlook the most important type of learning there is, and that is learning how to be a person with character.

You may be wondering why play is important. Inclusivity and play create a social connection for the special needs students. General education students are assigned a buddy and then they go play! This is a great experience for not just the special needs student, but for the general education student as well.

This type of activity can improve the confidence levels for a special needs student and in turn increase their academic achievement. It might be what makes the special needs student want to come to school each day to see his/her buddy and learn from a new friend. It teaches the special needs student that he/she can do anything that he/she puts his/her mind to. It teaches the general education student patience, kindness, humility, and acceptance. There are so many valuable learning experiences that can take place on each side of this experience.

The general education students also gain more knowledge of special needs children which may help to change their perspective or any misconceptions they possess. As mentioned above, many misconceptions are due to lack of experience and lack of knowledge, and inclusivity and play provides both to the general education student. This type of activity gives the student this new perspective and teaches them to not judge a book by its cover.

How General Education and Special Needs Students Can Play Together

There are many different ways for general education and special needs students to play together. Whatever the activity is, it is important for all students to be actively engaged in it. Routines are also important so there are specific days and/or times for this type of inclusivity and play to take place. If the normal routine is to go outside and play on the playground, it is important to have a back-up plan if the weather doesn’t cooperate or the playground is simply unavailable.

General education students need to be made aware of the physical or mental limitations that their buddy may possess. This will help the general education student understand how to handle certain situations that may arise and give them the ability to avoid certain types of play activities that a special needs student may not be able to participate in.

Inclusion playgrounds that are created by Inclusion Matters give opportunities for the students to simply spend time and play together. They offer programs to educate the teachers and general education students on ways to play and how to include special needs students in all different types of activities.

The real world is an inclusive world and programs such as these give students, general education and special needs, many different life skills that will help them to be successful. Life is not always fair and equal, and it is important for all students to learn how to deal with adversity and cope with challenges that may arise. I love the quote from Verna Myers: “Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance.” Just being in the same room does not create inclusion, but being involved does. Social-emotional learning is a key to success in the real world for our students, general and special needs alike.

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To do this, ESL teachers should take time when the new ESL student is being tested for English proficiency to introduce themselves so that the student has a familiar face in the school. This could help put the student at ease. The student may also be willing to share information about him or herself. If the student is a beginner ESL student, it would be very helpful to have a translator present at this time to answer any questions the student might have about the school. Additionally, learning about the student’s background before he or she arrives at the school is very helpful. Even if a teacher cannot get specific data about the child, it helps to learn about the country the student is from, the language spoken, and typical traditions. Feeling welcomed and like you belong from the first day will make any student, ESL or not, feel like part of the school community.

Family – School Connections

Family life is extremely important in many cultures. When families feel part of a school community, the likelihood of success for students increases. This is the same with ESL students. Parental involvement is crucial to their academic success. Language barriers or work hours may hinder ESL parental involvement, but schools must try to overcome these obstacles. ESL teachers can have alternative dates and times for parent/teacher meetings. Furthermore, having translators available so that parents can comprehend and feel comfortable to ask questions in their own languages will increase participation. Schools can host meetings in the communities to make them more accessible to ESL parents. In addition, all documents sent home should be sent in both English and the first language of the student. When parents can understand what is going on in their children’s school life, they are much more likely to encourage their children to participate in activities and become part of the school community.

Cultural Learning in the Classroom

Another great method to make ESL students feel like part of the school community is welcoming them to share their culture with everyone. All classes, from math to science to ESL, can offer opportunities where cultures are celebrated. This does not mean losing class time for parties. Teachers can encourage ESL students to share information on their culture related to the topic at hand. By doing this, other students learn about different parts of the world and ESL students get to share details about themselves and feel proud of their heritage. If ESL students are too nervous to present about their home country, teachers can incorporate specific cultural information into their lessons.

Furthermore, teachers can also choose books and texts that have diverse themes. Exposing non-ESL students to different cultures will make them much more likely to accept and welcome ESL students. It will also make students curious to learn more and become global citizens. Preparation is key to incorporating cultures into lessons. However, if the extra time is taken, true cultural learning will occur and make a more inclusive school community.

Student Ambassadors Program

As ESL students become more settled into the routines of their new school, creating a Student Ambassadors Program would add a wonderful sense of belonging to the school. The Student Ambassadors Program has current ESL students be representatives of the school for new ESL students. Current and new students will be paired based on common first language or culture, if possible. They will escort them around the school for their first week. The ambassador will show them the cafeteria, library, nurse’s office, and all other important places in the school. They will also eat lunch with them and help them with their lockers. Furthermore, the Student Ambassadors will take the new ESL students to activities or events happening at school to help them become part of the school community. New ESL students will learn about different school clubs, sports, and activities. This will help the ESL students feel more comfortable going to school events.

School Environment

The most important part in getting ESL students to become part of the school community is making sure the school has a welcoming environment for all students. Administrators, teachers, staff, and students need to be culturally sensitive and seek out the newest members of the school community, especially the new ESL students. By doing this, a school will truly become a global community.

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