Parental Support

N OUTSIDE-HOURS TUTORING

At a recent training session of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training on inclusive education , Ms. Ho Thi Giau, a teacher at An Khanh Primary School (Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City), shared a touching story about some students in her class who were integrating but had difficulty learning. At the beginning of the school year, there was a second grade student who could not write correct sentences, words, or grammar, and could not understand what he was writing when reading a paragraph. Outside of class time, she often tutored him privately, gently guiding him step by step. At the same time, Ms. Giau took pictures of his writings and updated his parents on the difficulties he was facing so that they could spend more time with him at home. By the end of the year, this student had written very beautifully and his sentences were clear.

"Each integrated student has their own path. The way I choose is to follow that path with them, spending more time tutoring them after school, helping them improve. Each teacher also needs to listen, observe more, sympathize and share with the student, and sit down more with the student's family to take better care of and teach the student," said Ms. Giau.

Ms. Tran Thi Hoai Nghi always spends extra time tutoring children in integration studies at primary school.

With 18 years of teaching experience, Ms. Tran Thi Hoai Nghi, a teacher at Kim Dong Primary School (Go Vap District), has 7 years of experience in inclusive education for students with disabilities. This school year, she is the homeroom teacher of grade 4, which also has inclusive students. Currently in the process of completing her master's thesis, Ms. Nghi is working on the topic "Managing inclusive education activities for students with disabilities in primary schools in Tan Binh District".

Ms. Nghi said that each child's integration has its own story, the best way to help is to accompany them more, during recess, at the end of class, patiently conquering each knowledge with them, and encouraging them to try harder every day.

WHEN CHILDREN ARE BLINDED TO UNDERSTAND THEIR VISUALLY IMPAIRED FRIENDS

Speaking to Thanh Nien reporter , Mr. Do Minh Hoang Duc, an expert from the Primary Education Department, Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, said that currently, the city has nearly 4,500 disabled students studying in 467 primary schools. Almost every school has integrated students. Initially, some teachers may be hesitant to accept disabled students in their class, because they will have to deal with more problems in the class, and some other parents are afraid that disabled students will affect their children...

Ms. Nhu Y, teacher at Tuong Lai Special School, intervenes 1:1 for children

"However, education is fair to all children. When children are integrated into the curriculum, they have an environment to develop their abilities, play, study, and work in groups like any other student. It is thanks to this environment that helps them develop better," said Mr. Duc.

Mr. Duc listed primary schools in Ho Chi Minh City that have been doing very well in inclusive education in recent years, such as Nguyen Thien Thuat Primary School (District 3) with the only "semi-inclusive" model in Ho Chi Minh City. All integrated children study in one class, in a normal primary school, with many teachers with a lot of experience in educating special children. Or Tran Quang Co Primary School (District 10) also teaches integrated students and is trusted by parents...

Mr. Duc said that teachers at inclusive primary schools have very good ways to help students empathize with their special friends. For example, a sighted friend can play a blindfolded game, sit in one place, and wait for his blind friend to come and help. When alone, unable to see the light, the children will feel fear, empathize more with their blind friend and share and help him more. Or schools organize sports tournaments, cultural exchanges, every team has some integrated friends, so that students understand that their friends are also very talented...

Or teachers make corners to introduce handicrafts of disabled students, so that everyone understands that disabled people can do many things like normal people.

SPECIAL ATTENTION TO INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

At the summary meeting of the 2022-2023 school year and the deployment of tasks for the 2023-2024 school year of primary education on August 21, leaders of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training repeatedly emphasized that inclusive education will continue to receive attention in the new school year, ensuring fair and humane education for all students.

In particular, on August 29, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen had a working session with the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, the City Party Committee's Propaganda Department and leaders of the City Department of Education and Training on preparations for the new school year. Here, Mr. Nguyen Van Nen emphasized that in the new school year, the education sector needs to pay more attention to students with developmental disorders, difficulties in communication and social interaction; integrated and specialized students. The sector needs to have practical solutions to help them integrate into the community and maximize their abilities. At the same time, it is necessary to build educational programs and learning environments suitable for each group of students, promote propaganda, raise awareness of parents and the community about integrated and specialized education to help eliminate prejudices, create favorable conditions for integrated and specialized students to integrate into the community. Families, communities, and schools work closely together to form a comprehensive support system for integrated and specialized students...

Talking to Thanh Nien reporter, Mr. Do Minh Hoang Duc said that in the coming time, the Department of Education and Training of Ho Chi Minh City will regularly organize training sessions and seminars on equitable education and inclusive education, thereby helping teachers to be equipped with more knowledge about inclusive education for students.

Distinguishing between learning difficulties and learning disabilities

During the training session on equitable education for children with disabilities for primary school teachers in Ho Chi Minh City in mid-August, Master of Psychology Hoang Van Hieu, working at the Department of Inclusive Education Support, Ho Chi Minh City Center for Supporting the Development of Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities (Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training), pointed out a type of disability that is clearly revealed when children are in primary school, and is easily confused with the phenomenon of special children, lazy children, that is learning disabilities. These are also children with special educational needs, many people often call them "difficult children".

Master of Psychology Hoang Van Hieu said that learning disabilities are easily confused with other disorders, it has symptoms that overlap with autism spectrum disorder; attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; intellectual disability. The four main areas of learning disabilities that children may encounter are reading, writing, language, and math disabilities.

Master of Psychology Hoang Van Hieu noted that teachers need to clearly distinguish between learning difficulties and learning disabilities. If children have simple learning difficulties, these difficulties are only temporary, they do not have enough attention from their families or teachers, and lack material resources, but when conditions allow, they will catch up with their friends later. As for learning disabilities, even if this student has enough resources, there is no improvement or the level of improvement is not much.

Is autism spectrum disorder a disability?

Ms. Nguyen Thi Nhu Y, teacher at Tuong Lai Special School (District 5, Ho Chi Minh City), said: According to Circular No. 01/2019/TT-BLDTBXH dated January 2, 2019 of the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, autism spectrum disorder is officially considered a form of disability in Vietnam and is granted a certificate of disability.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/giao-duc-tre-hoa-nhap-nhung-diem-tua-cua-phu-huynh-185230831141057449.htm