Just like all children, children with special educational needs (SEN) children, should study and receive appropriate psychological and pedagogical services in educational institutions.
It is important for educators to understand that the level of information processing in children with SEN and the speed of their reactions may be different, in particular due to their educational difficulties. Children with SEN may not understand the meaning of events, find it difficult to perceive information about their circumstances, especially if these circumstances are changing rapidly. However, children always feel and react to the emotional component of the situation.
Advice for teachers in working with children with SEN:
- systematically and consciously conduct training for the child (also establishing cause-and-effect relationships): how to act during an emergency, explain why this is happening; why it is important to prepare; how to behave; why it is important not to be afraid, but to do what they have learned during training;
- talk to the child about his or her fears and worries: it is normal to be afraid in such a situation; I am with you; I am here for you; I will always help you;
- understand that when the child with SEN displays challenging behaviour, it is a signal to an adult that he or she needs attention, care and understanding;
- conduct psychological activities and games in the classroom. The game protects the child from a difficult to understand reality and at the same time provides space for living and mastering reality.
When teaching children with SEN, it is important for teachers to provide children with:
- differentiation – taking into account the child’s capabilities and strengths;
- individual approach – taking into account the child’s individual characteristics and the presence of a certain type of educational difficulties;
- flexibility – teaching a child at a convenient pace, taking into account adaptations / modifications of the educational process.
Teachers should pay attention to certain signs and symptoms that children may experience after a crisis, for example:
- powerlessness and passivity, lack of normal emotional reactions;
- increased excitability and lack of concentration / focus;
- inattention; nightmares and other sleep disorders;
- anger, fear of separation and clinging to a loved one;
- regressive symptoms (nocturnal enuresis, loss of speech, motor skills);
If these symptoms or conditions are frequent and disturb parents / educators, a comprehensive psychological and pedagogical assessment of the child’s development should be carried out to determine the causes symptoms and provide adequate assistance. This assessment is done by specialists from inclusive resource centres.
In Ukraine, people can apply to an inclusive resource centre online using the inclusive education portal https://ircenter.gov.ua/ .
As part of the “Station: Me” project, implemented by the CPH “Confidence” with the support of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and financial support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), teachers can join the programme for professionals “Providing theoretical and practical knowledge to develop skills and abilities of specialists working with children with special educational needs”.
