Strategies for Including Special Needs Children in Early Childhood Settings, Research Paper Example

Introduction

An increasing number of young children with special needs are entering the early childhood settings in communities. Even though childhood professional approach inclusion open-mindedly, most of them are anxious about their ability to meet the needs of children with disabilities. Parents wonder about the preparedness of preschools or kindergartens in including children with special needs. This is based on demands that children with special needs bring to the classroom setting.  In some cases, individualized accommodation is necessary as the teacher considers the supports needed by each learner. However, strategies exist that help in the overall inclusion of children with disabilities into .learning environments.

Inclusion Strategies

The first inclusion strategy that has been explored extensively in literature is coming together as a community to create a truly inclusive environment. This requires commitment from all stakeholders involved to be ready to support the needs of all children within the community. Creating inclusive environments demand cooperation between administrators to create an educational setting that involves all children. Administrators and teachers must cooperate in designing curricula, creating physical spaces and schedules, and approaches to discipline that meet the needs of all learners (Doctoroff, 2001). Some of the obstacles to inclusivity that must be identified include physical environments that restrict movement, programming, and teaching techniques. All these must be adjusted before a learner with special needs joins the program because they ensure his/her success from the first day.

The other technique that can be used to include special needs children in early childhood setting is planning learning experiences for learners with special needs. It is important that care professionals incorporate children with special needs when planning their programs. Focusing on the needs of special children plays a vital role in promoting their development (Klein, Cook & Richardson-Gibbs, 2001). The learning experiences should be flexible for the children with special needs to engage in meaningful ways. For instance, implementing an experience for a learner with speech difficulty by requiring him/her to categorize random objects verbally is not effective compared to telling them to read a favorite storybook or inviting them to sing a favorite song.

Sharing information with parents, family members and other professional is also an effective strategy for creating an inclusive environment in kindergarten and preschool settings. The information gleaned from interacting with these stakeholders is useful in creating effective learning experiences for children with special needs. Information from professionals such as early intervention specialists, psychologists, occupational therapists, and child welfare workers is vital in creating programs that meet the specific needs of each learner (Deiner, 2013). Based on the needs of the learner, these professionals may offer specific supports strategies that enhance the learning experience of the child. For example, a child suffering from Autism spectrum disorder may benefit when the care providers use visuals aids such as signs, photographs, sequence pictures to enhance their receptive and expressive communication skills. Additionally, it supports their understanding of daily routines and activities.

Integrating information provided by families on strategies they use to support the learning of children at home also supports inclusivity. The importance of exchanging information between parents and care professionals on an ongoing basis cannot be understated. Care professionals should encourage parents and offer them opportunities to contribute to ideas that can be used to plan the experiences of children with special needs. Services providers can adopt various strategies that promote communication and sharing of information with parents and family members to encourage them to take part in planning the learning experiences (Klein, Cook & Richardson-Gibbs, 2001). One useful strategy is the use of communication books to document and exchange vital information about the interest, routines, experiences, and effective strategies that support learning both at home and in school. The other strategy is by arranging meetings between parents and service providers and other professionals working with the child. Giving families wrote plans and assessments of the child’s learning experiences, and giving opportunities for parents to comment also promotes communication between providers and parents. Promoting daily communication and inviting families to visit and take part in planned learning experiences is also effective in enhancing communication that promotes inclusivity. Care professionals should also encourage parents to share reports or assessments carried out by other professionals (Deiner, 2013). Lastly, care centers can invite families to take part in relevant information conferences, seminars, and training. Through these meeting, parents can access audiovisual or written resources that promote inclusivity.

Arranging helpful learning settings is another strategy that can be used to promote inclusivity of children with special needs into mainstream classrooms. The physical context plays an integral role in the quality of care provided in learning centers with children with special needs. Children with special needs require environments to be adapted to enable them to take part effectively in learning activities (Flynn, 2002). Physical environments should be modified to promote freedom of movement for wheelchairs and other mobility equipment. Additionally, the resource should be arranged in a manner that enhances access to all the children. Adaptations of environments in most learning areas support the needs of children with disabilities, but it is important to consider ways through which the environment can enhance the needs of children with other special needs other than a physical disability. Some strategies that can be used to create a positive learning environment include providing quite environments for learners with problems interacting with others and using labels and visual aids to support the learning of children with general learning delay or language difficulties (Flynn, 2002).

It is also important for care professionals to encourage other children to support the inclusion of their colleagues with special needs. Care providers play an integral role in supporting children to accept and value one another in the learning environment. They also play an important role in assisting the children understand the differences between them and the other learners. Strategies that care professionals can use to promote acceptance between learners include depicting visual images and information that show people with different needs and capabilities. Another way is by talking to the learners about the differences and similarities between them and children with special needs. They should also encourage children to incorporate those with special needs into their interactions, play, and experiences. Lastly, care providers should involve other children where suitable in implementing support strategies that are applied to learners with special needs. These include assisting children with movement problems to move and using visual aids to promote communication.

Lastly, care professionals can promote inclusivity of children with special needs by accessing information and support that enhance their work. Some of these resources include books, magazines, journal articles that contain information on how to promote inclusivity and care for children with special needs. Information from online sources is another source of important information on inclusivity (Doctoroff, 2001). The advantage of online sources is that they are constantly updated, and they can access the latest information on caring for children with special needs that are found on current research. Lastly, care professionals can network with other professionals working with children with special needs. Through such forums, they can share information on strategies that promote inclusivity (Mountstephen, 2012).

Conclusion

Effective inclusion strategies depend on a strong partnership and communication between care providers, other professionals working with the learner, parents, and administrators. Children with special needs are a growing part of the learning environment and with the move towards integrating classrooms; strategies must be adopted that meet the needs of all learners. Communication between all stakeholders involved is a key component of inclusivity because sharing information on the learners allows all parties involved to collaborate in meeting the needs of all learners.

References

Deiner, P. L. (2013). Inclusive early childhood education: Development, resources, practice. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

Doctoroff, S. (2001). Adapting the physical environment to meet the needs of all young children for play. Early Childhood Education Journal 29(2): 105-109.

Flynn, L. (2002). Including everyone in outdoor play. Young children 57(3): 20-26.

Klein. M., cook, E., & Richardson-Gibbs, A. (2001). Strategies for Including Children with Special Needs in Early Childhood Settings, 1st Edition. Los Angeles; California State University.

Mountstephen, M. (2012). Meeting Special Needs: A practical guide to support children with Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN). Luton: Andrews UK.