'Many parents do not accept their children have intellectual disabilities'

Kindergarten 6, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, an inclusive school in Ho Chi Minh City

ILLUSTRATION PHOTO BY THUY HANG

That is a reality raised at the regular training session "Pre-school skills education for disabled children to integrate into preschools", organized by the Preschool Education Department, Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training on the morning of May 23 at the City Kindergarten, District 3.

"Some families are too protective of their children, or they worship them too much."

At the event, Ms. Nguyen Thi Doan Trang, specialist of the Preschool Education Department, Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, presented important points in pre-school skills education, that is, before officially entering grade 1, for children with disabilities who are integrated into the school.

Ms. Doan Trang said that there are many factors from family, preschool and community that influence the development of independence and life skills for children with disabilities.

According to Ms. Doan Trang, in some families, disabled children are overprotected by all members, not allowing them to do anything; or they worship their children too much when they have some outstanding abilities such as speaking English well, or drawing well... Some families neglect and do not care for or educate their children. The most positive case is when parents treat their children properly, respect, and care for and educate their children properly.

In addition, community factors can include negative feedback about children; avoiding children's disabilities; seeing children as normal children, not paying enough attention or focusing too much on disabilities, and treating children inappropriately. All of these factors have negative impacts on children with disabilities, Ms. Doan Trang shared.

So what should each preschool with children with disabilities studying in inclusive education do? Ms. Doan Trang gives advice: "It is necessary to encourage positive feedback so that children with disabilities who are studying in inclusive education can develop independence and form life skills. It is necessary to accept the special needs of children and meet their special needs as a matter of course, to ensure that children receive appropriate support; create opportunities for children to learn from those around them."

"Many families are in very pitiful circumstances"

Many preschool teachers from districts, Thu Duc City (HCMC) attended the training session.

Ms. Luong Thi Hong Diep, Head of the Preschool Education Department, Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, shared with preschool teachers about the pitiful and pitiful situation of many families with disabled children. "For each family with children with disabilities, caring for and educating them is very difficult. But for families with children with intellectual disabilities, caring for, raising and educating these children is many times more difficult," Ms. Diep said.

According to Ms. Diep, the program of inclusive education and early intervention for preschool children with disabilities is a very humane program. Each preschool teacher should pay a little more attention to the children, interact with parents, and when observing children with any unusual problems, they need to discuss and convince the parents immediately to take their children to see a doctor, get checked for early intervention. The earlier the intervention, the more positive progress.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Doan Trang noted that when preschool teachers teach pre-school skills to children with disabilities who are studying for integration, they need to provide easy-to-understand, specific information that is appropriate to each child's individual characteristics, because no two children are alike.

In addition, teachers should help children develop from basic skills to solid skills; teaching new skills should encourage children to be proactive instead of imposing.

Teaching children to integrate requires understanding, patience, tolerance, and love.

Preschool teachers need to assign tasks to these children that are within their abilities, investing in tasks that children love. In particular, the combination of family, school, and community to care for children with disabilities is extremely important.

"I know that educating children with disabilities is very difficult, but there are families who do not accept their children's condition, making it even more difficult to educate them. Or from a community perspective, I once knew that there were parents who went to the ward to ask for a certificate of disability for their children, and someone in the ward even said: what's the point of getting that paper, that paper will follow your child for the rest of his life," said Ms. Doan Trang.

However, according to Ms. Doan Trang, when children have a certificate of disability, they have more opportunities and society has better policies for them. This expert noted: "For a normal child, the cooperation of family, school and community to educate the child is important, but for a disabled child, this is even more important."

Guide children from turning the pages of a book

What are the measures for pre-school skills education for children with disabilities at preschool age?

Ms. Nguyen Thi Doan Trang said that teachers need to equip children with self-service and learning management skills such as: preparing and managing learning materials; recognizing learning materials and preserving learning materials.

Next, teachers need to guide children to get used to the skills of holding a pen and turning the pages of a book. For children with disabilities, the ability to move is slower to develop, so teachers first need to choose books with thick pages, hard enough for children to turn easily. Then, teachers switch to thin-page books; create the most comfortable space for children to read. Teachers read books to children, helping them get used to and comply with the rules of study discipline.

Next, teachers can introduce children to reading skills, introduce them to writing skills; train children in spoken language communication skills, and behavior control skills.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/nhieu-cha-me-khong-chap-nhan-con-minh-khuyet-tat-tri-tue-185230523125040875.htm