1. I'm Special
Learn about me.
Teach me.
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2. Can you identify any of these children as special needs?
All children are special. This PowerPoint will help you identify children with special needs and strategies that will help you work with special needs. Come along on our journey and we will discover the world of special needs children.
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3. Special needs…
are individual factors that cause a child’s development---physically, cognitively, or behaviorally---to vary from the norm.
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4. Classroom strategies…
for working with children with special needs are accommodations.
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5. Early childhood professionals…
need to know how to identify and accommodate children with special needs.
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6. Hearing Impairments
Do you know how you can identify a child with a hearing impairment?
“Move on to the next slide and I will help you.”
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7. Identifying Hearing Impairments
Lack of vocabulary and overall delays in language development compared to nonimpaired children
Range from mild to profound
Appear inattentive and distracted
Severe hearing loss-child has little understandable speech
Get a professional to test the child
“Here we go. Can you name one?”
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8. Do you know any strategies that teachers can use to make learning easier for a child with a hearing impairment?
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9. Strategies for Working with Children with Hearing Impairments (3 slides with strategies)
Learn about hearing devices
Become familiar with sign language
Face child when speaking
Communicate at eye level
Use facial expressions and gestures
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10. Strategies for Hearing Impaired
Speak in a normal volume and at a normal speed
Use the same sentence structure as for other children
Pause and wait for a response
If a child does not understand, repeat, rephrase, or demonstrate
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11. Strategies for Hearing Impairments
Let child sit in front of the teacher in a group setting
Use visual props, pictures and hands-on experiences
Use a flashing light for transitions
Consult with a language and speech clinician
“I am still here to help you. Do you think a good teacher could use a few more strategies?”
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12. Vision Impairments Amblyopia Glaucoma Myopia Hyperopia
“I have trouble with my eyes. Do you know the names of the vision impairments?”
Amblyopia
Glaucoma
Myopia
Hyperopia
Color deficiency
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13. Identification of Vision Impairments
How can you tell I have vision problems?
Crossed eyes
Crust on eye
Swollen, red eyelids
Moving materials so they are close to the eyes
Clumsiness and trouble moving around the classroom
Excessive rubbing of eyes
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14. Strategies for Vision Impairments
“ I try to be the best teacher I can. I use the following strategies for vision impairments.”
Small groups
Always create a need to see
Large print books
Provide tactile, olfactory, and auditory clues to structure the environment
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15. Physical and Motor Impairments
Spina bifida
Amputation - prosthesis
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16. Identification of Physical and Motor Impairments
“Can you tell who has a physical disability? “
Limited range of motion
Grouped on ability to function
Disabilities classified as:
Severe
Moderate
Mild
Ambulatory
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17. Strategies for Working with Children Who Have Physical Impairments
Modify chairs
Provide space for a child’s wheelchair, crutches, cane, walker, or cart
Provide ramps to access classroom
Raise tables to accommodate wheelchairs
Glue knobs on puzzles so the pieces are easy to remove and replace
Serve finger foods
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18. Cognitive Impairments
Mental retardation
Learning disabilities
Speech and language disorders
Dyslexia
Dyscalcula
Reasoning and memory disorder
Attention deficit disorder (ADD)
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19. What do you know about types of learning disabilities?
Speech and language disorders
Dyslexia
Dyscalcula
Reasoning and memory disorder
Attention deficit disorder (ADD)
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20. Types Speech and Language Disorders
“There are three types of speech and language disorders. Who can list the for me?
Articulation problems
Voice (phonation) disorders
Stuttering
Strategies
Call parents
Consult a speech therapist
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21. Speech and Language Disorders
“Can you identify speech and language disorders?”
Informal observations most useful
Appropriate sounds for the child’s age?
Rate and fluency of the child’s speech age-appropriate?
Able to recall and repeat sentences correctly?
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22. Strategies for Speech and Language Disorders
Provide a warm, noncritical climate
Praise children sincerely
Look directly into child’s eyes to speak
Avoid rushing children
Avoid completing sentences for them
Talk about things child brings from home
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23. Giftedness Typically, I have these characteristics: Very inquisitive
Curious
Read early and know a lot of words
Very critical of myself
Very independent and motivated
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24. I am called ‘gifted.’ Please do not turn me off. Help me by:
Providing enrichment activities
Asking me open-ended sentences
Giving me small groups where I can be a leader
Guiding me so I can accept failure
Providing a wide variety of
resources for my interests
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25. Behavioral and Emotional Impairments
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Autism
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26. How can you help me with my hyperactivity (ADHD)?
Include me in your regular classroom
Encourage me to try new experiences
Please set rules and limits for me
Study my disabilities so you
will know how to help me best
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27. Special Health Conditions
“What chronic health disorder is making me sneeze so badly?”
Allergies
Asthma
Diabetes
Epilepsy
Hemophilia
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28. Allergies Inhalants Ingestants Contactants Injectables
“If I can stop sneezing, I will tell you about the allergenic substances.”
Inhalants
Ingestants
Contactants
Injectables
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29. Red from being constantly rubbed
“Can you identify allergies by looking at the eyes, mouth, nose, skin, throat, and body? Let’s start with the eyes.”
Pink and puffy
Red from being constantly rubbed
Dark circles underneath
Lids glued together by mucus
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30. “What about the mouth and allergies?”
Constant dry hacking cough
Mouth breathing more common than breathing through nose
Wheezing
Canker sores
“What about the mouth and allergies?”
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31. “What does the nose tell us about allergies?”
Inability to smell
Nasal discharge
Frequent sneezing
Itchy nose
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32. “The skin can tell us we have allergies, also.”
Frequent rashes
Lesions
Redness and swelling
Itching and hives
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33. “What can you tell about allergies by looking at my throat?”
Tickling
Enlargement of lymph nodes
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34. “My body shows symptoms of chills, fever, sweating, abdominal cramps, vomiting, and headache when I have allergies.”
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35. Strategies for Helping Children with Allergies
Remove pets from room
Be observant of children and their surroundings
Seek instant emergency help if needed
Be aware of a variety of disorders
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36. Symptoms of Asthma Coughing Wheezing Shortness of breath
Chest tightness
Labored or rapid breathing
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37. Strategies for Teaching a Child with Asthma
Administer medication
Call “911” immediately
if child stops breathing
Monitor child’s breathing
Keep calm
Ask parents what triggers attacks
Keep classroom dust-free
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38. Identification of Diabetes
Frequent urination
Loss of weight
Constant hunger
Itching
Slow healing wounds
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39. Strategies for Controlling Diabetes
Maintain blood sugar levels
Recognize insulin reaction
Keep orange juice and candy with you at all times
Make sure eating, medication, and exercise plan is followed daily
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40. Identifying Epilepsy Petit mal seizures Grand mal seizures Daydreaming
Short period of
unconsciousness
Grand mal seizures
Unconsciousness
Jerks, thrashes, or becomes stiff
May be injured by hitting or biting tongue
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41. If I am epileptic, what strategies will you use to help me?
Keep me safe and remain calm
Put my head in your lap
Hold my head to the side to keep me from choking
Please do not put your finger in my mouth; I might bite you
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42. “I am not sure this is a good idea for me to be roller skating
“I am not sure this is a good idea for me to be roller skating. I have a problem where, I cannot stop bleeding. Do you know what this is called?”
Hemophilia
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43. “With hemophilia, I bruise easily and cannot stop bleeding.”
“I know your teacher has to tag equipment you can play with. She really watches you and is very protective.”
“With hemophilia, I bruise easily and cannot stop bleeding.”
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44. I Know I'm Special
Thank you for recognizing me and for using strategies to help me be successful and live a normal life.
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