The goal of teaching is to create an environment where students are encouraged to learn and develop, all the while feeling safe and respected. Whether it is about getting them interested about technology and the benefits of video games by reading articles from Inverse Geek, introducing them to cooking and whatnot will have a big impact on the learners.
This can be difficult if you’re teaching children with special needs. For these kiddos, it’s important to make sure they feel like their abilities are recognized and that they don’t feel overwhelmed by their disabilities.
Here are some ways you can use different methods of teaching to make your lessons more effective for your students with special needs.
Using Positive reinforcement to Improve Learning
The key to the success of any lesson is getting your students to learn. One way to do this is by using positive reinforcement. This method can be a big help among students to stay more engaged and motivated in their lessons and ensures that they’ll take what was learned and apply it to other areas of their life.
A lot of times, children with special needs are anxious about trying new things out and may not be as receptive to teaching methods that don’t include positive reinforcement.
Letting them Know their Feelings and Thoughts Matter
One reason many students with special needs act out is because they don’t feel their voice matters. This often leads to frustrated teachers and frustrated students.
A way to make them feel like their voices are valued is by teaching them how to advocate for themselves and letting them know that their feelings and thoughts matter. For example, one of the best ways to teach this concept is by allowing your kiddo with special needs to have a say in what activities you’ll do during class time.
This can be as simple as offering the option of having a few minutes at the end of class where they can share their thoughts or feelings about the lesson. Letting these kids know that their opinions matter motivates them to participate more in your lessons.