Discussing the implications of studying sped to the classroom teacher

1. UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA.
DEPARTMENT OF ART EDUCATION.
Name: Enoch Mensah
Index Number: 5160020103
Course Title: Introduction to Special Education
Course Code: GPD 233
ASSIGNMENT
Que: Discuss the implications of studying special education to the teacher.

2. Special Education is a set of instruction that is individually tailored to meet the unique
needs of a child with exceptionality, taking into account the child’s individual learning strengths
and weaknesses rather than following the set of curriculum as regular education does. (Smith
1998).
Hallahan and Kauffman (1987), said that special education is specially designed
education which meets the unique needs of an exceptional child. These authors argued that
meeting the unique needs of children involves the use of special material, teaching techniques,
equipment and other facilities critical to survive.
The implications of studying of special education to the teacher can be viewed from the
following perspective:
Firstly, the study of special education helps the teacher to identify children with
exceptionality. When the classroom teacher has the knowledge on special education, it helps
him or her to identify a child or children with exceptionality in his or her class so that he or she
can adapt a teaching method that will satisfy those with disability and the so called the normal
as well. Considering the fact that there is a child in a classroom always asks of about the
handwriting of the teacher on the board but other children are able to see and write without
asking about the handwriting of the teacher on the board, a teacher without knowledge on
special education will first conclude that the child is dull and cannot read what he has written,
but a teacher who has knowledge on special education will understand that the child might
rather be having a visual problem and that is hindering him to see clearly from the board.
Moreover, it also helps the teacher to practice of inclusive education. A classroom with
knowledge on special education will be able to merge the general classroom method of the
teaching with the method of teaching exceptional children in other for all of his or her children
to benefit from what he or she teaches. Looking at the scenario that a teacher who has
knowledge on special education finds himself or herself in a classroom in a rural area where
there is a mixture of children of those with and without exceptionality. Because the teacher has
studied special education he will be able to manage and teach in this classroom for the benefit
of all the children, unlike a teacher without knowledge on special education.
Additionally, another implication of studying special education to the classroom teacher
is that it makes him or her advocate. In most of our communities and even classroom today
children with disability are neglected, negatively labeled because of their inability and poor
performance in the community and in the school respectively. This happens because some
people and teachers do not understand the needs and learning needs of these children. It takes
someone or a teacher who is with knowledge in special education to understand these children
and also acts as an advocate (thus argues for the support of this group of people) so as to make
them loved and accepted wherever they find themselves in the community or in the school.

3. To lay more emphasis, studying special education also makes the delivery of teacher’s
instruction quality. A teacher who has studied special education will also understand that some
children have vision but cannot read, also children with difficulty in school subjects does not
mean they are lazy but rather an integral or immanent problem so that he will develop varieties
of teaching methodologies and also procure and use different teaching and learning needs of
these individuals.
Last but the least, studying special education also helps the teacher to understand
special educational process. For instance, when a child with exceptionality is going through
referrals teachers are involved in this process for valuable and authentic information so as to
help the child. So in this case when the teacher has knowledge on special education he would
be able to provide valuable and authentic information to the questionnaire he might be given
by the referral committee for the best help to the child.
In conclusion, it can be seen vividly from the above points that that exposing teachers to
the rudiments of special education has an implication on them to make them prominent,
competent and effective in the field of teaching, and also understand, help, and manage
exceptional learners or children.
REFERENCE
Yekple. Y.E & others (2017) Exceptional Learners An Introduction to Special
Education.
Avoke, M (2008) Introduction to Special Education for Universities and Colleges,
Accra: City Publishers.
Dan P. Hallahan, James M. Kauffman - Exceptional Learners_ Introduction to Special
Education -Allyn & Bacon (2005)