C) A class of students with different abilities
and needs poses a challenge in the area of access to equitable assessment
procedures.
Interview one teacher trainee student
who has had practicum in Special Needs Education on this challenge. Based on
this interview and your own exploration, write an article on one alternative
assessment strategy you would use in a mixed – ability classroom.
3. 0
Introduction
First of all, let’s us understand the
definition of Special Needs Education. Based on the website http://www.oecd.org/
or Glossary of Statistical Terms, Special Needs Education refers to those
with special educational needs are defined by the additional public and/or
private resources provided to support their education (2007). The introduction
of the national curriculum has brought many benefits to children with special
educational needs. Students with special needs are students who have needs or
disabilities that affect their ability to learn. For example, they might have
problem from behavioral perspectives such as difficulty in making friends, or
even reading and writing like dyslexia. These students also has problem in
understanding things and concentrate to what the teachers teach in front.
Because of all these condition, the Ministry of Education has constructed a
Teacher Trainees Program which specialized in Special Needs Education. So I
made an interview with one of the teacher trainee student who has had practicum
in Special Needs Education on this challenge. Based on this interview and my
own exploration, I will write an article on one alternative assessment strategy
which I would use in a mixed – ability classroom.
The teacher trainee that I had
interviewed is Mohd Zulkarnain who is already in Semester 7 and had done
practicum in SK Jalan Bintang. Based on what he told me, to teach students with
special needs are actually one of the most difficult tasks to be carried out in
the classroom. Even though the number of students who has special needs in
every class is only a few, but we have to consider their differences and capability.
Each one of them has their own needs and difficulty in learning and
communicates with others. This is the situation that we need to face every day.
3.1
Alternative assessment
From the interview with Mohd Zulkarnain,
I come out with this assessment activity strategy which I would use in a mixed
– ability classroom. It is Audio – Visual activity. In this activity, teacher
will divide the students in a few groups. In each group, the students who are
normal mix together with those who have disability like mute, blind, deaf, and
so on. The rationale of this strategy is to make sure that those who are normal
can help those who have disability to have proper learning like the others. In
this activity, we emphasize to the collaboration among the students in each
group and their ability to finish the task properly. After they are divided
into groups, we will give them handouts which consist of selected theme and
specific tasks. The theme that I chose is Occupation, so everything that will
be asked in the handouts is all about occupation. Firstly, students will be
shown 8 pictures of different occupation which complete with their uniform
attire and where all these occupation do take place. What the students do is,
they need to focus on the pictures shown and remember each the pictures
together as group.
For example, the picture shown is a
doctor and where this occupation does takes place. Students have to remember
the characteristics of doctor, and then match the pictures occupation with the
correct description in the handouts. Each student has to match at least two of
the occupation in the handouts. If they cannot do it, this is where their group
members have to assist. They have to guide each other because there might be
some description which seems similar in these occupations. For students who are
blind, they need to focus to the description by the teacher in front. Even
though they cannot see, but at least they know the correct description of a
doctor. For example, doctor is wearing long white uniform which always bring
along tools to check people heart on his or her throat. And doctor always do
his work at the clinic or hospital where people come to be treated. So, even
the students are blinded, still he can remember the description of the doctor.
Now, he needs to describe it to his normal friends so that they can help him to
match with the correct picture of occupation. So, even he is blinded, he can do
the activity as well.
The same goes for students who have
listening difficulties which is deaf. Even though he cannot listen to what
teacher explain about the description of the occupation in front, but he still
manages to match the occupation with the correct picture because he can see the
pictures shown in front. He can see that clearly and for sure he can do the
activity correctly. If he cannot understand the description, his friends will
help to explain it to him. Now, he also can do the activity even though he is
deaf. While for students who are mute, they just can talk. But they still can
see and listen properly. So this Audio-Visual activity should be a trouble for
them to be done.
3.2
Conclusion
As a
conclusion, this activity is very suitable and relevant to be used in
mixed-ability classroom. It is not just can help students who have disability
concerns, but also those who are normal. No matter the students are blind, mute
or deaf, still they can do this activity like everyone else. Only they need
some guidance to do it properly. While for those who are normal, their
collaboration and communication skills are improved when they help those students
with special needs. This activity also teaches them to become responsible and
helpful.
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