NORMALIZATION Dr. Edilberto I. Dizon

Normalization is a systematic process of providing children with special needs the needed training and opportunities given their normal counterparts enabling them (CSN) to maximize their potentials, achieve some degree of independence in leading their lives, and access and participate in the benefits of their communities.

Normalization is anchored in the following tenets: Acceptance of the child for whatever he is. Respect for the dignity of the child. Recognition of the child’s potential for learning in varied contexts. Strong confidence in the ability of the child to become. Openness to diversity and its positive implications. Respect for the child’s unique/atypical developmental patterns. Strong conviction that the child learns in a milieu of options, alternatives and practical-life situations. Firm belief that living and learning with the child draw forth joys and goodness. Adherence to the value of loving the child that strengthens commitment to his welfare.

Normalization can be viewed not only from the legal perspective but also from the philosophical, social, psychological and pedagogical perspectives.

Normalization is much more than just physical placement Normalization is much more than just physical placement. It is the provision of education that does away with discrimination and labels/stigma.

Normalization teaches us the lessons of unconditional positive regard, genuineness and empathy.

Normalization permeates all the realms of life: education, vocational pursuits, community affairs, etc.

INTEGRATION, MAINSTREAMING AND INCLUSION

COMPONENTS OF MAINSTREAMING/ INCLUSION

A. PREPARATION PHASE Policies Eligibility Guidelines Physical Structure: Equipment, Facilities, Lighting, Ventilation, Seating Arrangement Staff Preparation Parent Preparation Regular Children Preparation Curricular and Instructional Preparation

B. IMPLEMENTATION PHASE Instructional Individualization Collaboration with Parents Networking with Support-Service Givers Materials Production/Technology Utilization Child-Program Management

CONTINUOUS PROGRESSION SCHEME AND CRITERION-REFERENCED TEACHING

CONTINUOUS PROGRESSION SCHEME Continuous progression scheme (CPS) refers to an educational perspective which permits the child to move up the grade ladder at his own individual rate and pace of learning. Such perspective eliminates comparison and competition of the CSN with regular children. It views the child as a learner whose developmental progress is unique. The CPS adopts criterion-referenced teaching which sets standards of success just for the child based on his own potential and achievement.

Continuous Progression Scheme believes in: The uniqueness of the child. The variability of children’s learning characteristics and styles. The uneven patterns and varying tempos of growth and development. The importance of each child as a human being and learner. The differences among children in abilities, capabilities and talents.

The fact that children possess areas that shine and those that need polishing. Success-oriented educational perspectives and practices which draw the best in the child. The adoption of a move-up program commensurate to the child’s achievement. The child’s ability to seek purposive learning considering his functional level. The truth that the BEST is relative from child to child.

CRITERION-REFERENCED TEACHING (CRT) Criterion-referenced teaching is an instructional system that views the child as a unique learner whose characteristics, strengths and limitations cannot be compared or likened to those of other children. CRT sets success criteria exclusively for the child based on teacher’s knowledge about the child’s background, disability, potential and deficit.

GRADING SYSTEM AND PROMOTION SCHEME A most pressing but controversial matter that needs to be fully understood, decided on and eventually implemented is the adoption of a grading system and promotion scheme for special learners in mainstream and inclusionary programs. Since an included or mainstreamed special learner is under a criterion-referenced mode of achievement evaluation, move-up to a higher level becomes attainable. Grading the child, however, has always been a dilemma that confronts every teacher in a mainstream or inclusionary program.

Promoting a special learner to a higher level must be a concern of every teacher. This is so because inclusion makes it imperative for a special learner to be with his age/peer group. By implications, the learner has to move up, otherwise retention/grade repetition draws him away from his age/peer group.

Maximize his potentials, Beyond being with his age/peer group, promoting a special learner fulfills the goals of normalization: providing him with needed training and opportunities given his normal counterparts enabling him to: Maximize his potentials, Achieve some degree of independence in leading his life , and Access and participate in the benefits of his community.

Promoting special learners to higher levels relates to specific placement and curricular provisions. These are: 1. Promoting the child with credit. With Credit means that the learner is moved up with credit just like his regular peers as he able to fulfill the grade level requirement.

2. Promoting the child without credit. Without Credit means that the learner is moved up without Department of Education credit as the child is within low functioning level limiting him to meet minimum requirements. He is, however, awarded a certificate of attendance.

3. Recently, trends toward the preparation of minimum learning competencies for mainstreamed special learners have been observed. Such learning competencies are drawn from the regular curriculum and thereafter modified/simplified, enabling special learners to acquire competencies they need and can realistically achieve.

I have come to a frightening conclusion That I am the decisive element in the classroom. It’s my personal approach that creates the climate. It’s my daily mold that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated; and a child humanized or dehumanized. - Haim Ginott

SPED supports the special child and ensures that he grows with his peers and be the best that he can be in life. SPED facilitates: BEING: In Celebration of Life BELONGING: Into a Bigger World BECOMING: Toward a Positive Direction SPED: It is a Life, a Service, and a Spiritual Commitment!