Special Needs School in New York City

A lot goes into choosing a school for your child. This is an important decision that helps in shaping the future of the child. Primarily choosing a school for the children entails set criteria that are chosen by the parents. There are definitive additions in these criteria when the child is specially-abled. We have to be extra careful with the choices we make, as they will harm the development of the child.

But there are a few things that can help in making the decision simpler for choosing the right special education school in NYC.

Skilled staff: The staff of a private special education school in NYC is skilled and certified with year of training at their disposal to help specially-abled children. Imagine our children being surrounded by staff that understands their needs and gives them the same love and care like we would. Just the thought can give you a huge relief.

Tailored education plans: Unlike public schools that often try to teach many children with different special needs in the same classroom, private special education schools designed specifically for children with special needs tend to develop education plans for each student keeping their habits and natural interests in mind. This helps them in concentrating better on the learning process.

For example, a child with severe dyslexia will require a different education plan than a child with mild dyslexia in many cases. In a private school environment, the differences between the ways these two children learn will not be glossed over.

Therapy sessions: It has been proven scientifically that therapy sessions are quite helpful in development of specially-abled children. The private special education schools provide these therapy sessions with the help of certified personnel. All of this is a part of the education program specially designed for children.

Moreover, you as a parent can also me a part of these therapy sessions so as to learn the techniques and then reinforce the same of your child while learning sessions happen at home. This exercise helps in completing the circle of education for the child.

Most special education school teachers in NYC will agree that a major share of students with learning disabilities have difficulty in processing, which affects their comprehension and reading abilities. This is why students who are lacking in reading abilities often write poorly as well.

Even though encountered less frequently, there are disabilities which are specific to writing only. For instance, there is dysgraphia, which is better known as the difficulty faced in expressing one's thoughts through writing.

Reading disabilities are usually restricted to impairment of auditory and attention processing, while dysgraphia refers to problems pertaining to motor, spatial or visual processing.

Students suffering from dysgraphia exhibit the following symptoms in academics :-

Slow speed of writing.
Difficulty in jotting down notes.
Delays in writing achievement.
Handwriting and spellings are poor.
Issues in writing math problems.
Face difficulty in taking notes and paying attention to lectures simultaneously.
Difficulties with hand-eye coordination or when using fine motor skills.

How can teachers of special education schools in NYC help students with writing disabilities?

The answer lies in the following suggestions :-

In case of any student with writing disabilities, their IEP (Individualized Education Program) document is consulted.
If attending a lecture is very important, then it must be ensured that the students are furnished a copy of the notes so that they can pay more attention to the lecture rather than jotting down notes.
Students suffering from writing disabilities are allowed to type instead of writing out the assignment. They are also taught the usage of a spellchecker.
In the case of assignments or tests, their time limit is extended.
There needs to be a specific learning goal for each written assignment. For instance, if the focus happens to be on the writing, the teachers are not harsh to the student regarding the handwriting and the spelling. On the other hand, if handwriting and spelling are the primary objectives, then the special education teachers go easy on the organization of the content. This way, alternating the focus between different skills helps them in making clear goals and at the same time, their skills are also worked upon.

Emotional self-regulation refers to the ability of a person to deal with their environment in a way that is flexible enough to allow for varying, socially acceptable responses. Emotional self-regulation abilities help people assess situations to know if it would be feasible to respond spontaneously or modulate their impulses.

Children with autism often find it hard to regulate their emotions which makes them subject to phases of emotional dysregulation. Emotional dysregulation is an emotional response that indicates poor modulation of one’s emotions reflected in a way that isn’t socially feasible.

Why is emotional regulation so important?

Emotional self-regulation is important for several reasons. For school-aged children, it is imperative to be able to regulate one’s emotions for effective learning.

When a child is emotionally regulated, they are most available for engaging with their teachers and peers and for retaining what’s been learnt.

Causes of emotional dysregulation in autistic children

Children with autism find it hard to communicate their feelings and concerns. As they also find it hard to symbolize their experiences, they are prone to disorganized emotions. Other possible factors that make autistic children prone to emotional dysregulation include:

Physiological factors

Autistic children often face sensory processing issues which implies that it is difficult for their brains to process sensory stimuli in an organized manner. A child with autism may be hypersensitive to bright lights or loud background noises, for instance, making them susceptible to feeling emotionally distressed during such conditions.

Psychological factors

Children with autism may find social settings difficult to cope with. Their anxiety could be triggered by being part of a social situation that puts them at a loss for what to do or makes them feel uncomfortable. Being put on the spot at school by being asked a question or being required to perform a complex academic task could act as triggers for bringing about a state of meddling and overwhelming negative emotions such as anxiety and fear.

Special education schools assist autistic children in the regulation of emotions by employing preventive strategies that are aimed at creating an environment conducive to learning. This could include offering opportunities for physical movement through sensory gyms to calm and organize the child’s mind and body and using visual supports in the teaching process, among other things.

Reactive strategies used by special education schools in the USA and other parts of the world include creating a place for students that can serve as a quiet haven to resort to in times of emotional distress. Other techniques involve reducing the duration of an overwhelming activity or simplifying it when the child shows signs of being overwhelmed.

Some special education schools in NYC, such as Rebecca School in Manhattan, have a deep and thorough understanding of the various behavioral issues that children on the autism spectrum tend to struggle with. These special education schools are known to provide therapeutic teaching programs that aim to provide not just cognitive development for the child but emotional development as well.To know more about special education schools NYC visit: www.rebeccaschool.org/

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders are usually presented with difficulty in sequencing their actions according to their emotional intent and their desires. These children may have the desire for closeness but they experience difficulties in translating these desires into action. In other words, they possess the capacity for having a warm, empathic and loving relationship but the primary hurdle that most children with autism face is with their communication abilities and expression of emotions.

The DIR Model or the Developmental, Individual-Difference, Relationship-Based” Model was developed by Stanley Greenspan. It is a comprehensive and integrated model of human development explaining typical and atypical developments including autism spectrum disorders. This model focuses on:

· “Developmental”- Six Functional Emotional Developmental Levels.

· “Individual-Difference”- It bears the assumption that children with ASD possess unique psychological, physiological, communication, neurological, motor and sensory processing differences.

· “Relationship-Based”- Relationship between the child and his/her caretaker is a central organizing factor playing a crucial role in their development.

The DIR model focuses on developing the fundamentals of relating, communicating, and thinking by focusing on more than just changing surface behaviours. Since Autistic Disorders do not necessarily entail similar symptoms, problems in every individual are dynamic. In other words, we are not dealing with a fixed disorder that a child either has or does not have, but rather experience certain challenges in their ability of reciprocating emotions and establishing two-way communication to varying degrees.

The DIR model follows a method of assessment which:

• probes into the child’s developmental capacities,

• probes into the child’s individual characteristics, and

• probes into the quality of caregiver-child interactions.

Since emotions play an important role in integrating all aspects of human development, the floor time therapy sessions focus on the development of language, intelligence, personality, and social skills through meaningful relationships. The sessions are developed while keeping in mind individual differences between students; The sessions follow the child’s lead and are built upon his/her natural interests. The interaction is established according to the developmental level of the child and is focused on repetitive interactive circles. During ﬂoortime therapy play sessions, the therapists follow the child’s lead to affectively utilize toned interactions through gestures and words.

The abilities of sharing gestures (both complex and simple) and problem solving are developed through abstract thinking and establishment of continuous circles of communication. Interactive play sessions individually address the core deﬁcits of relating and communicating in a manner no other approach can. Interaction is the most crucial facilitating factor in promoting development of children with autistic spectrum disorders.

POPULAR POSTS

Blog Archive