Special education lesson plans are specially designed teaching
methods or educational techniques for students of all age groups, with
mild to profound disabilities. The lesson plans would vary depending
upon the child's nature, age, and the extremeness and type of
disability. These lesson plans are mainly meant to promote student
engagements, to prepare students to function independently and to master
skills, to build and support social competence, and to help children
and their families lead a problem free life. Special education lesson
plans include math, science, music, language and art lessons, computers
and the Internet, social studies, physical education and health, and
other multi-disciplinary lessons.
Special educators should design
presentations to cater to different levels of individual disability.
Music, dance, and other art forms are great aids to enhance learning in
students with disabilities. Reading, writing, and public speaking can
be encouraged by special educators. Well thought out lesson plans will
enhance the child's reasoning ability and reading skills, feelings and
response, create a sense of personal fulfillment, encourage language
development, promote communication, help to achieve motor control and
physical wellness, and cultivate positive attitudes towards the school.
The
response of disabled students towards the curriculum depends on the
nature of the disability, i.e., physical, emotional or cognitive. A
good teacher can encourage each student to participate in the learning
experience not only with the assistance of well-adapted materials, but
also with proper instructional methods which would be practicable in a
disabled individual.
One can find sample lesson plans for special
education students in books, articles, and on the Internet; however,
these lesson plans are to be modified to suit individuals. A special
education teacher can design individual activity sheets for each child
in consultation with physical therapists, counselors, doctors,
occupational therapists, psychiatrists, and social workers.
