We label things every day, and if not that often, then every week. You label a blank piece of paper “Grocery List,” or faithfully write the date and entrée on a freezer bag with Sharpie for lunch later on. At work, you hand-write or type labels for folders, and stick mailing labels on outgoing envelopes. The point is, without a label of some sort to identify what we’re looking at or dealing with, it might seem impossible to know how to carry out the appropriate reaction.
Labels In Special Education
When it comes to people, however, labeling has its pros and cons. For instance, without knowing that a child has been diagnosed with the learning disability dyslexia, it will be difficult to teach the child in the most proper way. You might get the impression that the child is obstinate, or acts out to distract people from the fact they don’t know how to do the work, without taking into consideration the bigger issue going on. A child who suffers from a disability of some sort, no matter what it might be, will probably find they are frequently presented with obstacles they will need to overcome in order to continue on the path to education success.
Children who are labeled as having a definable disability qualify for special education classes within the traditional school system and its general population, as well as special education tutoring outside of the normal school day. Without the label, there would be no appropriate help and the child will still continue struggling to get by in school as with their peers, despite the obvious barriers in their way. In this case, labeling is a good thing, as it provides the child with the resources to succeed.
There is, however, a negative side to labeling, and you might have experienced a bit of this on your own, as either a child or adult. It is human nature to assign labels to people, however unfortunate this may be, so we have a better understanding of how to deal with a certain type of person when we encounter them in our daily lives.
Because special education wasn’t a mandatory educational standard in the United States until well into the last half of the 20th century, when it was finally introduced into the school systems as a way to provide educational assistance to children at a disadvantage due to disability, these children were labeled over time as being “different,” “slow,” “retarded,” or even worse. Being labeled as “special education” eventually became kin to being a social pariah, with these children being cast out by their peers. It’s a social stigma that stills exists to this day, several decades later, although little by little the negative connotations are falling away to reveal a broader, deeper understanding of the trouble these children with special needs go through in order to obtain a general education.
Educating A Child Not Yet Labeled In Special Education
It has been said that if a child cannot learn in the way that we teach, we then need to make it our responsibility to teach the child in a manner they can easily understand. If you feel your child might need special education services or tutoring, it can an emotionally trying time for you both. For educators, it is difficult to help a child get the special education services they need if a parent fails to recognize their child’s educational struggles. For these reasons, it’s incredibly important for all sides to be fully invested in a child’s learning success, which will help you catch educational trouble spots before they become full-fledged fires and need constant attention to put out.
A learning disability does not go away as a child gets older; they will never “outgrow” their barriers. This does not mean all hope is gone, though, not by a long shot. Assistive technologies can help provide a means for learning while working with a child’s limitations and unique abilities, such as those who have issues with fine motor skills or emotional and behavioral disorders. If a child has not yet received the label necessary to begin special education services, there are a few steps you can take to help provide them with a great education.
- Identify areas of struggle. Is a child’s frustration due to math? Spelling? Colors and shapes? Take note of areas the child might struggle in, and address these obstacles alone in a quiet environment free from distractions.
- Break it down. Often times, a child becomes irritated when they perceive an educational process as containing several complicated steps. Break up the concept into smaller bits and combine them into one final result for a greater chance of understanding.
- Be patient. As frustrated as you might be trying to teach a child with special needs, your emotion is nothing compared to what they feel on a daily basis. There is a reason for their struggles; be patient while teaching so as to avoid showing negative reinforcement.
Special Education Tutoring For Children Not Labeled Special Education
Special Education Resource was created to prove that a label doesn’t have to define a child; it simply means all children learn differently. Supplemental learning through special education tutoring is designed to take your child’s current curriculum and mold it in a way that fits their unique learning needs. For children with special needs, this type of teaching maximizes retention, decreases behaviors often caused by frustration, and puts them back on a path to success. Coined “special education tutoring” due mostly to the individualistic style of teaching, this method helps ANY child struggling with their coursework.
As classroom sizes continue growing and available resources decline, tutoring is growing substantially in popularity across the US. Many parents are taking their child’s education into their own hands and seeking the resources and assistance necessary to ensure they reach their excellence. Traditional tutoring is primarily designed to assist a child with a particular lesson, upcoming test or perhaps a single assignment. Special education tutoring is designed primarily for on-going support and shaping some or all coursework to mirror a child’s specific learning needs. For this reason, many parents are turning to special education tutoring even if their child is not labeled special education. As mentioned before, a label is merely a means to identify the type of service offered, but shouldn’t hinder parents from exploring all options. At Special Education Resource, roughly 40% of our current students are not currently enrolled in special education services. That number has increased substantially as parents are researching and finding the best option for their children and are less focused on the label associated with the potential answer.
The first step in identifying whether or not special education tutoring is a viable option to assist your child in reaching their goals is a free consultation. This no obligation session with a special education tutor is designed for parents to receive answers, guidance and assistance in putting together a plan to ensure your child’s success.
Not everyone learns at the same pace; the world would be pretty boring if we were all the same. We all need a positive hand up in this crazy world sometimes, but with the right tools and a lot of support, your child can succeed in reaching their educational goals.
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