How to Identify a Child With Special Educational Need

‘Special Educational Needs’ (SEN) is tagged as the needs that children with learning problems or disabilities have which makes it harder for them to learn when compared to children of the same age. Every child and kid might experience learning difficulties at a point at their young age, this is usual. For some of them, the difficulty is short-timed and temporary; they tend to overcome them with the help of their teachers in school and parents at home. For those that tend to have the issue in the long term, they are mostly faced with problems with homework, behavior, and communication. They can seek help from specialists, voluntary organizations, and schools that cater for children with SEN. Some of the major learning disabilities they experience are; Dyslexia, Autism, and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).

Children with SEN are often provided with extra attention from that given to other children of their age. This help is tagged as ‘Special Educational Provision’. Children with SEN get their help from supplementary educational services like a different method of teaching, use of technology that are made to fit their needs. Children who are also intellectually gifted are also tagged as children with special needs. They are also exposed to a unique learning method which is termed ‘special education’. The special education system is organized in such a way that it tackles the individual difficulties of every child. The process involves planning, implementation of supervision teaching methods, using modified learning equipment, instrument, and materials for learning purposes. All these settings are kept in place to help children with special needs attain a much higher level of self-dependency and success in school and society than they would have gotten if exposed to typical classroom education.

Common Characteristics of Children with Special Need

According to Ourkids, ‘This will depend partly on the type of special need or disability your child might have, as well as its severity. For instance, a physical disability, such as blindness or deafness, may become apparent quickly. Meanwhile, a mild form of a learning disability, such as dyslexia or dysgraphia, may be harder to detect. If you suspect your child may have a special need, you will want to find out as soon as possible. Early detection can allow you to understand the challenges your child may encounter in the future’.

In the case of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), some common signs include;

• Failing to give close attention to details or making careless mistakes in schoolwork, work, or other activities

• Difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or playing activities

For Autism (a neurobehavioral condition that includes impairments in social interaction and developmental language and communication skills combined with rigid, repetitive behaviors) signs include;

• Lack of babbling or pointing by age one

• Lack of any single words by 16 months age

• Lack of response to name being called

For Dyslexia (learning disorder that involves difficulty reading due to problems identifying speech sounds and learning how they relate to letters and words), signs include;

• Difficulty pronouncing and rhyming words

• Slow, inaccurate reading skills

• Poor spelling skills

Getting the Right Help

The teacher selects methods that help children learn. So if a child is not making the required progress in the classroom, or having problems in any area, they might need extra help. Note that not every child that experience slow learning process needs special educational need. To help you aid quick discovery, you can ask the school if;

1. They think your child has difficulties in learning.
2. Your child can cope with the same level as other children.
3. Your child requires help learning.
4. If they can help your child.

On Schoolscompass, we also can provide the right to help your child’s needs. One of such school is Marigold Special School in Lagos that was established to train kids with special needs (dyslexia, ADHD, cerebral palsy, downs syndrome, non-verbal kids, mental and learning disabilities). Another is Cogniskills Learning Enhancement Center, learning enhancement and improvement resource facility established to strengthen weak cognitive skills through dynamic training and practice with their Online training, One-on-One(private) and Group(for schools) programs. They have their offices in Lagos and Port Harcourt. These and many more centers like that which can all help cater to the special educational need of your child. Work with their teachers and school so you can know if your child is showcasing any learning disabilities, early detection will go along way to help ensure a better future for your child.