PEDAGOGICAL AND CURRICULUM ISSUES IN TEACHING CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS IN REGULAR CLASSROOMS: CLASSROOM PRACTICES, MANAGEMENT AND ASSESSMENT

Author: Francis Katumo Nzoka, PhD

ABSTRACT

The implementation of inclusive education has gained importance as a means of enhancing the quality and accessibility of education for children with special educational needs (SEN). These children frequently face social and physical barriers that impede their ability to enter the workforce and receive an education, which can be detrimental to the social and economic advancement of a nation. There exists various pedagogical approaches to guarantee education for children with special educational needs. However, the inclusive approach sets itself apart from the rest by advocating for equal participation of SEN students in mainstream schools, where they sit in the same classes with their other, and non-SEN counterparts. The inclusive approach states that so as to lessen or completely remove the social, academic, and physical barriers that SEN student’s encounter in ordinary classrooms, governments and educational institutions must offer the necessary resources, both human and material. In order to improve the human capital acquisition of students with special education needs, inclusive education strives for social cohesiveness and a less biased educational approach. The assumption that children with special needs are as fundamentally competent as students without impairments underpins both the classroom and the school system. Therefore, instruction is provided to students in the least restrictive setting possible. For all learners, general education is the top choice for placement, meaning that they are as much as possible alongside their peers who do not have disabilities. Respecting, recognizing, and addressing the diversity and individuality of students is the cornerstone of effective inclusive education. The needs of every student must therefore be taken into account by education systems.

Keywords: assessment, classroom management, classroom practices, inclusive education, special needs education.

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