Engaging Kids with Special Needs

You’ve just learned that a student with special needs will be joining your class. The need could be a learning delay, a language barrier, a physical or developmental disability. You know that you’ll need to modify some of the activities suggested in the lesson materials so this student can be included with the other students. But how do you do that? How can you prepare to engage and include a child with special needs?

First, talk to the child’s parents or caregivers. Find out about the student’s abilities— and some of the challenges. Then look at your classroom and lesson plans through the eyes of the child. How can you make the classroom more special-needs friendly? What can you do to modify an activity so the child will be engaged? Here are some simple suggestions that can make a big difference:

• Survey your classroom. Do you have an area where the child can go to take a break, rest, and reset for another activity, if needed? What kind of lighting is used? Indirect lighting (rather than fluorescent lights) can provide a learning advantage for children who learn differently.

• Have a buddy (a teen or an adult volunteer) ready to help the special-needs child.

• Plan to use visuals that will help tell the story. Use object lessons that make abstract concepts more concrete. When giving instructions, model what you want the child to do.

• Consider the attention span of the students in your class. Break the lesson down into manageable learning segments.

• Think of the child who struggles with transitions. Create a simple picture schedule to show what comes next. As much as possible, keep the weekly classroom routine predictable, even if teachers or helpers change.

• Plan a way you can modify a water activity so the child with a hearing device can be included. Have noise-canceling headphones available for kids who struggle with noise sensitivity.

Whether modeling activities for the child with a hearing impairment or patiently dealing with a defiant attitude, the strategies you use to include the child with special needs will be worth the effort. Your entire class will benefit from the accommodations you make, and every child will be engaged as they learn about God and grow in their relationship with His Son, Jesus

See all the helps available for engaging kids with special needs: teaching tips in HeartShaper teacher guides, and in-depth training with Special Needs Smart Pages.

By Margie Redford