Challenges In Online Teaching And How To Help
Challenge #1: The biggest challenge students with special needs will encounter in remote learning is feeling understood. Students work with their teachers and therapists who are qualified experts to cater to their vivid learning needs. Contrary to this, when caretakers at home take over their academic needs, things may become more difficult for students. For instance, educators may understand the pronunciation problems of a child with speech difficulties and be more aware of various ways to make learning easy for the child.
How to Help: parents can ensure that teachers share the strategies and support tactics with them and provide the same to the child. These may include asking the child to repeat what they said, say it with different words, type or draw it, or use gestures.
Challenge #2: Understanding things can be challenging for children with specific learning disorders. For instance, a child with a social communication disorder or language disorder may need particular cues from the provider in person that’d aid in comprehension.
How to Help: Ask the teacher about what supports or strategies your child needs and implement them. Using “wait time” to allow children to process information can help. Rephrasing messages, encouraging the child to speak up when they don’t understand, and asking again can help.
Challenge #3: The attention span varies for every student and can be fragile for some. distraction can hinder learning build-up and disturb them greatly. Children with speech and language disorders may be more easily distracted in a virtual environment by other children on the screen, noises or activities occurring in their own home, or the learning platform/technology itself.
How to Help: set up a dedicated home learning area for the child. Consider key characteristics like quiet spot, free from appliance noise, proper lighting, etc.
Challenge #4: Screen Fatigue is one common challenge for all students that virtual learning has brought. Children with speech and language disorders who need to put more effort into communication under normal circumstances require even extra energy than what it takes in the virtual environment making them more susceptible to screen fatigue.
How to Help: work on the child’s needs and make room for small screen breaks. Fix a schedule and ensure that the child gets time off the screen and engages in off-screen activities that bring joy to them. Providing movement opportunities: within educational time can also help.
Strategies & Tips Schools Can Take To Connect With Students With Special Needs During Online Learning
Redefine goals and objectives
Since the change in environment can primarily affect education for kids with special needs, teachers must redefine the goals and objectives for each student that are achievable for them. Evaluating IEPs and working with families or caretakers of students is vital as they become the primary support for their education in the changing environment. Coming up with something that can help students achieve small goals and flexibility in meeting the goals is prime.
Provide flexibility and engage
In the case of virtual learning, parents or the primary caretaker of the students might require continuous guidance. Educators must check in regularly with students’ families and ensure they feel supported. Teachers must be more flexible with their work hours as students or parents might need your help. Getting students to learn and work on their learning assignments and activities can be draining significantly when their environment is altered. Parents who are working from home might find this even more challenging. As educators, you can try to be supportive and flexible and make way for communication to help them as much as possible.
Focus on structure and build a routine
Altered routines can disturb the learning pace of students with special needs. Structure and fixed routines help them in meeting their learning goals. Since a changing learning environment primarily affects structure and routine, educators and students’ families must work together to build a learning program that incorporates learning activities that resemble the school day. Parent guidance, constant instruction, clarification and direction can help students thrive.
Prioritising time together as a class can benefit students. Providing students with the feeling of a classroom through online instruction to the whole class can help create a social presence and routine for the students. You can schedule smaller batches, conduct group lessons, and take the entire class per your schedule.
Communicate with parents and caregivers clearly
Educators create a lot of video content for students. However, for students with special needs, you might also need to create extra content for parents. You’ll have to teach parents how to teach students at home and conduct activities with students to keep them engaged in learning. Teachers can also think of ways parents can use generic home objects to teach skills, like Cheerios, toothpicks, or pennies, which can be repurposed as math manipulatives.
Addressing sensory and movement needs
Students with special needs require additional sensory modifications and support. Classrooms are equipped with needed equipment to meet their additional needs. However, it could be challenging to have all the equipment at home. Parents can use substitutes like-coloured play dough and bubble wrap or brain-based games like Jenga if students need to release energy. Rice and beans placed inside pockets can substitute as a weighted vest or blanket to provide a sense of security while writing. Drawing in a shaving cream can reduce tension while boosting language development. Even hugs, deep breathing, or allowing a child to run around outside can help.
Connect with students emotionally
Extreme changes can cause emotional turmoil in students. It is vital that students feel connected with their caregivers and educators. Educators can connect with students remotely by sending them letters, sharing questionnaires, conducting talk sessions, and spending time with the teacher.
Collaborate with your team members
It is possible that special students might be working with people other than teachers in school, such as speech, occupational and physical therapists. Educators and parents must coordinate with the respective therapists and accommodate all of their services for the development of students.
Keep IEP meetings on track
Regular IEP meetings need to stay on track, and educators should schedule them regularly with parents and support providers to ensure that students’ needs are being met. With virtual meetings, ensure that all information is conveyed to parents and the medium is available to all.
