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Preschool Inclusion Teaching Strategies

Inclusion is the practice of integrating special needs students into a typical classroom. The practice is quite common in public elementary schools where generally there are resources to provide part-time inclusion as well as specialized education for special needs students. Preschools are generally privately owned and less equipped to accommodate students with disabilities. Still, it's possible to practice inclusion in a preschool if the teacher employs certain strategies.
  1. Creating an Inclusive Environment

    • For children to be able to learn, the preschool must provide an accessible environment where everyone is comfortable. This means taking each child's special needs into account and often changing the physical characteristics of the classroom. Corridors and walkways should be widened to accommodate wheelchairs or walking aids. If children are sensitive to stimuli such as light or noise, the teacher should adjust the classroom environment accordingly. The teacher must also supply instructional materials that can be used by all students, or alternatives that can be used by students with special needs. For example, special handles can be added to pencils, paint brushes or magnifying glasses so the special needs students can participate.

    Simplifying Activites

    • The teacher should devise appropriate activities for the class that can be simplified or adjusted for the special needs students. This means taking a typical preschool activity such as a craft or simple science experiment and breaking it down into simple steps. If a student is not capable of completing all of the steps, eliminate some steps to simplify the activity. Offer alternative activities for students who are unable to participate in a project at all.

    Acknowldeging the Need for Assistance

    • The teacher must get to know her students so she will intuitively know what type of help each child will need for a particular activity. If she has planned a particularly complex lesson for the day, she should try to call in additional help.

    Peer Support

    • The purpose behind inclusion at the preschool level is for all students of all developmental levels to interact and learn from each other. The teacher should group typical and special needs students together so they can help one another and benefit from each other's abilities.

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