All of you will probably teach a child with a special need sometime during your career. Granted, you might never have a blind, autistic or paralyzed student in one of your classes. Instead, you will probably have a Susie, who is extremely bright but whose hearing impairment makes it very difficult for her to learn new skills; a Trevor whose attention deficit disorder makes learning more difficult for both him and those around him; or a Kristy whose awful allergies make being active almost impossible on some days.
These links, an expanded version of the teaching tips for special-needs students presented in 1998-99 issues of the Fit Mind Body Bulletin, are designed to help you better teach the Susies, Trevors and Kristys you will encounter as well as children with more serious disabilities. Each section includes a brief summary of the condition and a detailed listing of ways to maximize the learning experience of children with that disability. Cross references are listed throughout, and a list of sources provides references for those who want to do more extensive research.
Of course, this material is designed only to give you suggestions on how to better teach these students. Whenever possible, talk to their parents and doctor and work with them to create the best possible learning environment for their child with special needs.
Cardiovascular Conditions/Rheumatic Fever
General Emotional Disabilities