Identifying a child’s disability early on can help create a strong foundation for success in becoming a valuable member of their community. Early intervention, social skills, emotional support, and inclusion in the general education classroom can have a large effect on the future of special education students. Early intervention can lead to discovering characteristics that can influence a child’s behavior. Therefore, is critical to define the skills required for students at a young age to prepare them for a successful lifestyle. Exposure to high quality general education is essential for a rewarding special education program. It is in these inclusive general education classes that students with disabilities learn how to interact with their non-disabled peers. Inclusion is crucial for students with disabilities to meet personal goals specific to increasing their general life skills. Although academics are important in a child’s growth, school also provides a supportive base through social skills and emotional support. This is something every child needs in special education or general population. These three fundamentals, early intervention, inclusion in a general education classroom, and the development of social skills are key aspects in the development of a child’s academic career.
The idea of early intervention, as it applies to programs like Pre-K and Head Start, is one of educational progress and there are many facets to be considered about how effective early intervention programs are for students with disabilities. It is said that Pre-K programs teach sufficient skills to prepare young students for future academic success, which is vital for their future aspirations. (Farran, 2016). Early intervention programs do help children with their development but determining what deems a child successful at this age has proven to be tricky. For these programs, the progress of students’ academic scores has been monitored by IQ tests. While these tests provide information on the academic progress of a child, “it is presumed that if IQ could be raised through early intervention, children would avoid placement in special education classes and would perform better in school.” (Farran, 2016). While testing children and improving their IQ’s is a great way to help them become successful in school, it is not the only aspect that determines achievement. The parent-child relationship is a crucial factor in a child’s success as well. (Farran, 2016).
Although Pre-K programs started as an intervention for low-income families or children with disabilities, it has become a predominately popular program for many different family backgrounds. The importance of early intervention for all students, not just primarily special education, is shown by the improvements displayed academically. Skills taught in Pre-K programs are said to improve students’ IQ by as much as 70 points. (Farran, 2016). Unfortunately, home life also has an effect on a child’s IQ score, which could be negative. Research shows that children from low-income families could have decreased their academic scores. These low scores could be tied to how stress affects both their academic skills and basic life skills. (Farran, 2016). With the expansion of Pre-K programs in the future, one question being asked is: what skills should students work on in Pre-K programs to insure success? “School readiness” skills are important to prepare children for the next level. Pre-K programs always being one step ahead of academic trends will have a positive effect on the future of all students.
In order for children to be successful in school, as well as life, their social and emotional needs must be met. Adults involved in teaching these students must encourage them on how to positively use their skills despite their disabilities. Education cannot simply be defined as the basic academic tools such as reading and writing, but more importantly, it involves teaching students how to thrive socially. This is why it is so important for a student with special needs to be exposed to and involved in general education classes. Schools can be a great place to learn great social skills and provides a strong emotional support system. In an article regarding the importance of these skills, there was a great reference about why students with disabilities should not be limited to strictly special education classes. The article used science class as an example of social skills by stating how performing lab experiments teaches students how to “be a good lab partner” and be “responsible with chemicals” instead of exclusively teaching academic lessons. (Perry, 2017). According to this article, encouraging a child’s social and emotional improvement can increase academic scores by an eleven-percentile point gain. (Perry, 2017). One quote by Vietnamese philosopher Thich Nhat Hanh used in this article that was very positive about social and emotional improvement said, “When you plant lettuce, if it does not grow well, you don’t blame the lettuce.” (Perry, 2017).
Every parent should expect that the education their child receives which includes developing these abilities for their future self. While working on social skills and emotional development, the way discipline is handled is essential. If students with disabilities are disciplined the wrong way, they will lose their sense of belonging, which in turn diminishes the social skills lessons that were being implemented. Constantly punishing and excluding students by kicking them out of activities and even school, will cause them to feel like they do not belong. (Perry, 2017). This could negatively impact the way they choose to participate in their education and be substantially harmful. In reference to discipline, this article stated, “Brain science tells us that not properly attending to emotional development can hurt the very architecture of the brain.” (Perry, 2017). It is important that those involved in teaching students with social and emotional needs create a positive and supportive classroom to help these students achieve goals. Different classroom environments will show differences both socially and academically if you compare. For instance, the way a student with disabilities socializes in an ultimately special education class will be different from the way they socialize in a general education setting.
Inclusion is a multi-faceted practice that provides students with an increased chance of success. One component of this practice is the additional support for the teacher, which is provided by goals and experts to help execute the plans to achieve those goals. When a student is part of an inclusion plan, their chance for progress becomes higher, not just academically, but socially as well. (Setren and Gordon, 2017). In one study, a young student, who was essentially non-verbal, was part of an inclusion education program that provided him with attainable goals. The student’s goals were based on his current abilities and once those goals were met, he was able to progress to the next level of his learning goals. (Woods, 2018). While it is important for students in this setting to have individualized plans and goals, it is also important for them to learn from a common curriculum, which is another reason an inclusion setting is so necessary. The student mentioned was able to participate in the common curriculum or general education activities with the help of supplies and activities that further engaged him. Throughout the year, the teacher worked with a support officer to set goals for the student. They worked on a personalized learning experience that implemented not only curriculum-based learning but also opportunities to face challenges. Regarding the importance of students with disabilities in an inclusion setting, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote, “Every child should have the chance to meet challenging objectives.” (Setren and Gordon, 2017).
After the Endrew F. case was decided in 2017, federal, state, and local budgets acknowledge the importance of funding for both general education and special education programs. (Setren and Gordon, 2017). However, the government has a difficult time searching for ways to fund these programs needed for special education students to thrive. It is imperative that the government continues to fund these programs benefitting students with disabilities. Setting students with disabilities up for achievement at a young age will greatly increase their academic scores and in turn help them be productive members in society during adulthood. “It is important to make sure public dollars are being invested wisely so that we do not squander this chance to positively affect the lives of young, vulnerable children.” (Farran, 2016).
Special Education programs could use quite a bit of improvement, especially in Texas. Students affected by these programs in Texas public schools are considered vulnerable and strongly impacted. There have been many plans in the works by the Texas Education Agency to help determine the problems and positively improve the special education programs. One plan currently being created is the Special Education Strategic Plan, which describes how to increase stability and implement certain requirements to improve these programs. There have also been multiple grants awarded from this plan to help further the education of special needs students. These grants provide special education programs with a higher budget for better learning opportunities. In order to receive one of the grants, applicants must demonstrate the qualifications necessary for a potentially strong program. This allows commendable applicants to be considered for the grants, therefore budget spending will be used wisely. These specific grants will allow appropriate training to be administered effectively to meet the needs of each student with disabilities and teach how to have proper communication with the parents. (Improving Special Education in Texas).
Education is a very important aspect in a child’s school career, but the importance goes beyond the need for academic achievements. These students with disabilities learn far more valuable lessons than basic curriculum. They continue to reach new goals daily by learning social skills to prepare them for a successful adulthood. It starts with Pre-K programs where they learn school readiness skills to strengthen their knowledge and improve later achievements. Early intervention is key in preparing these students with disabilities to conquer what life throws their way. Implementing a positive inclusion setting throughout a child’s academic career is a highly effective way to introduce students with disabilities to social normalcy. This atmosphere helps students learn how to adapt to a general education classroom. It has a strong impact on the way students with learning disabilities are educated. Finally, providing special education students with a strong curriculum that implements social skills and a solid emotional support system is essential for a successful special education program. Students need to feel wanted and like they belong, especially in society, which is why the need for social skills is so crucial. By encouraging all school districts to implement these three practices – early intervention, inclusion, and social skills education – students with disabilities will be prepared for a prosperous future in their communities.