Philosophy Of Special Education

As a special education teacher it is important to understand the field of education as an evolving and changing discipline based on philosophies, evidence-based principles and theories, relevant laws and policies, diverse and historical points of view, and human issues influences that will continue to have an impact on the field of education and the treatment of individuals with exceptional needs both in school and society. These factors influence professional practices including assessment, instructional planning, implementation, and program evaluation. Special education teachers should also understand how issues of human diversity can impact not only families, cultures, and schools, but the delivery of special education services. It is also …show more content…
It is important that you know how to select, adapt, and use these instructional strategies to promote challenging learning results in general and special curricula and to appropriately modify learning environments for special education students. They enhance the learning of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills of individuals who are learning disabled and increase their self-awareness, self-management, self-control, self-reliance, and self-esteem. These strategies allow work to become internalized by the students so that it can be recalled at a later …show more content…
In special education it is important to develop long-term individualized instructional plans anchored in both general and special curriculum. These individualized plans carefully selected into short-range goals and objectives taking into consideration an individual’s abilities and needs, the learning environment, and cultural and linguistic factors. Individualized instructional plans emphasize explicit modeling and efficient guided practice to assure acquisition and fluency through maintenance and generalization. Understanding of these factors as well as the implications of an individual’s exceptional condition, guides the teacher’s selection, creation and modification of materials. Instructional plans are modified based on ongoing analysis of the individual’s learning progress. Teachers facilitate this instructional planning in a collaborative context including the special education student, their families, professional colleagues, and personnel from other agencies as appropriate. Special education teachers need to also develop a variety of individualized transition plans, such as transitions from preschool to elementary school and from secondary settings to a variety of postsecondary work and learning