EDUCATION OF EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN I

04.750

Course Outline

SUMMARY

This is a survey course that introduces the student to exceptionalities in children. Emphasis will be on an examination of the etiology, characteristics and needs of a wide range of children with exceptionalities. Issues of race, class and gender and how they affect children with exceptionalities will be examined.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Students will be introduced to a wide variety of exceptionalities in children. Specific exceptionalities are examined and strategies for teaching are discussed. This is an introduction to a variety of exceptionalities a teacher may encounter throughout their career.

REFLECTION

This was the first course that actually dealt specifically with student under the special education umbrella. I was introduced to a wide array of possible student needs and was prompted to reframe my approach to teaching such students. This is where I began to develop a deeper understanding of the depth and breadth of student diversity and needs.

SIGNIFICANT READINGS

Hutchinson, N. (2014). Inclusion of exceptional learners in Canadian schools. 4th ed. Toronto: Pearson.
Kamala, R. (2014). Multisensory Approach to Reading Skills of Dyslexic Students. Journal Of Humanities And Social Science,(19)5, 32-34. Retrieved November 25, 2015, from http://www.iosrjournals.org/iosr-jhss/papers/Vol19-issue5/Version-2/G019523234.pdf
Reid, G., Strnadova, I., & Cumming, T. (2013). Expanding horizons for students with dyslexia in the 21st century: Universal design and mobile technology. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, (13)3, 175-181. Retrieved November 11, 2015 from ERIC database.
Rose, J (2009). Identifying and teaching children and young people with dyslexia and literacy difficulties. Retrieved November 23, 2015, from http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130401151715/http://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/00659-2009DOM-EN.pdf

Education of Exceptional Children I: CV

ARTIFACTS

There were three main learning activities for this course: a research paper, a PowerPoint presentation, and feedback on other students’ work. Since I did posted my comments directly on Moodle, I don’t have record of those reflections. I will include the two other assignments as part of this portfolio.

The research paper is on the topic of children with Dyslexia. As my interest is the area of literacy, I felt this was a natural progression to deepen my understanding of how to identify and support struggling readers. I learned many interesting facts and strategies that I carry with me as I work with my students. One main component is that dyslexia is a puzzle. Unlocking the puzzling is a very complicated task for the teacher and the student.

With a growing number of students affected with traits of ADHD, I chose to learn more about this topic. It was at this point in my coursework that I began to learn more about strength-based reporting. I chose to include a slide in the presentation that highlights the potential positive attributes of children with ADHD, rather than discussing the negative aspects.