The Top Ten Things New High School Teachers Need to Know about Servicing Students with Special Needs.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Many preservice secondary teachers feel well prepared by their teacher preparation programs to teach their content area. However, these same preservice teachers overwhelmingly indicated that more instruction in serving students with special needs-modifications, management techniques, paperwork and educational terms-was warranted. They understand that they are expected to not only ''deal with students with special needs in the regular education classroom when they begin teaching but also teach them. In order to be prepared to educate students with special needs in the regular education classroom, new teachers need to know the terms and have information about the responsibilities associated with these students. The purpose of this article is to provide a list and description of the top ten things new secondary teachers need to know about special education. INTRODUCTION A child needs encouragement like a plant needs sun and water. Unfortunately, those who need encouragement most, get it the least because they behave in such a way that our reaction to them pushes them further into discouragement and rebellion. Dreikers and Cassel We're here to help children succeed. It's that simple. Elaine Collins Preservice teachers in the Secondary Education Certification Program at Sam Houston State University are generally well prepared to enter the high school classroom in most areas. They know the Texas state standards (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills); they know how to manage numerous activities that go on in a classroom; they know how to write an objective that aligns with formative and summative assessments and the learning activity; they know how to prepare lessons for diverse learners, and they can write an effective lesson plan. However, they are not adequately prepared to teach students with special needs who will be placed in their classrooms. The semester before preservice teachers in the Secondary Education Certification Program at Sam Houston State University student teach, they must enroll in the Secondary Methods Block. That consists of three required courses: SED 394 Classroom Management for Secondary Schools, SED 464 Methods of Teaching in Secondary School, and RDG 392 Content Area Reading and Writing. During classroom discussions spanning three academic semesters (August 2 007-December 2008), students enrolled in these secondary methods courses (N=75) were asked to identify areas of teaching where they felt fully prepared and areas where they felt they could use additional instruction. Preservice teachers overwhelmingly indicated each of these semesters that more instruction in serving students with special needs modifications, management techniques, paperwork and educational terms, was warranted (D.D. Johnson, personal communication, December 9, 2008). Preservice general education teachers understand that they are expected to not only deal with students with special needs in the regular education classroom when they begin teaching but also teach them. According to the National Education Association, the number of students who qualify for special services has risen 30% in the past ten years. Of students who qualify for special services, three out of four will spend part or of their day in a general education classroom (National Education Association, 2008). Because nearly every general education classroom in the United States will include students with special learning needs, general education teachers must have a basic understanding of special education and all that it entails. Darling-Hammond and Bransford (2005) stated: General education teachers will not generally know all the adaptive techniques available to children with disabilities, but they should have some understanding about important principles of instruction as well as information about where to find these special adaptations and strategies when they need them. In order to be prepared to educate students with special needs in the regular education classroom, new teachers need to know the terms and have information about the responsibilities associated with these students. …