Teaching Kindergarten

Meeting Special Needs

The Kindergarten program with its emphases on meeting the needs of individual children, basing instruction on observation and diagnosis, and using play as a way of learning can be adapted to accommodate children with special needs. These needs include any of a number of disabilities, as well as unique ability or talent.

The inclusion of children with disabilities in regular school classrooms is one of the recognized "best practices" for children with exceptional needs. Involvement with nondisabled peers can be an enriching experience for all concerned, provided an appropriate program is in place and adequate support is available.

Many children with disabilities will have had a number of preschool learning experiences. Early Childhood Intervention Programs provide home-based support to parents/caregivers of children with severe disabilities. Various preschool programs, many of which involve disabled and nondisabled youngsters, provide developmental programming designed to prepare the child for Kindergarten entrance. In some cases, school divisions will be involved in providing programs for three- and four-year-old children with severe disabilities. These may take the form of involvement with a community preschool program or, on occasion, early Kindergarten entrance.

While the disability itself is often identified well in advance of school entrance age, the Kindergarten experience will afford the opportunity to determine the extent to which a disabling condition will affect the educational experience. As the needs and strengths of all children in the classroom are considered, the teacher may need special assistance in assessing the functional level of a child with a disability. It is important for the teacher to know that help is available at various levels for children who have a disability.

School and school division support staff might include resource teachers, consultants, psychologists, speech and language pathologists, and teacher associates (teacher assistants). Various rehabilitation and social service agencies also may provide personnel for the support team. In some cases, support may be available from other government departments. The parents/caregivers, of course, often will be the most valuable support and can provide important insight into the special needs of the child.

The Kindergarten teacher may, at times, have a student whose ability is advanced in academic or other areas. For these children, likewise, appropriate support is helpful in order for the child to achieve full potential.

Critical points to be considered in supporting children with disabilities in regular Kindergarten programs follow:

Some of the objectives for Kindergarten programs, such as developing a positive self-image, expressiveness in language, curiosity, imagination, and a sense of humour, need to be broken into small components. Objectives should describe sequentially ordered tasks.
Success in achieving these small steps needs to be recognized immediately so that the child has a sense of achievement. The child's progress should stand on its own, rather than being compared with the group's level of achievement.
Assessment of Kindergarten children with disabilities (as with all young children) should be aimed at identifying strengths and needs so that appropriate intervention can be planned. Little emphasis should be placed on assessment aimed at predicting future school success.
Existing facilities may need modification for some children with disabilities. Adjustments that might be needed include:
- special seating arrangements
- adjustable easels for children in wheelchairs
- braille or other tactile labels for children who are blind
- rails and ramps for children in wheelchairs.
Program components that are especially important for children with disabilities include play with other children, excursions and sensory experiences.
Structured routine is important for children with attention problems.
Involvement of parents/caregivers is critical to effective program planning and delivery.
Parents/caregivers should be welcomed into the classroom as observers and helpers.
Special transportation arrangements will be necessary for some children with disabilities.
Consultation with special education personnel within the school and the school division is recommended to secure specific information regarding the child's special needs.
Saskatchewan Education and the appropriate private agencies may be contacted for more information regarding specific disabilities and other special learning needs.

The Special Education Unit of Saskatchewan Education, Training and Employment offers consultation and support materials to schools serving children with special needs. Meeting Challenging Needs: A Handbook for Teachers of Students Having Intensive Educational Needs, Saskatchewan Education, 1989 for example, is a document that can be very valuable to teachers involved with children who are severely mentally or multiply disabled. Another resource to which the teacher may refer is the Special Education Policy Manual, Saskatchewan Education, 1989. This is available in most schools or school division offices. The Special Education Unit of Saskatchewan Education may be contacted for more information on services and materials that are available.

Above all, the teacher of a child with special needs should never feel alone in working to meet those needs. Knowing what supports are available is critical to effective programming. Working with children with special needs can be a challenging, and extremely rewarding experience.