In this post we will be looking at the meaning of target group of learners in the society, meaning of special education, its importance and constraints.
INTRODUCTION.
Education remains central in Nigerians social and economic development as it is the springboard for social and economic change. The National Policy on education accent that education is the right of every child and should be brought close to the environment of the child. What do we mean by ‘special target groups’? The special target groups are pupils with significant limitations in terms of activity and participation in one or more areas of life due to permanent functional and structural issues, which result in continued difficulty in terms of communication, learning, mobility, autonomy, interpersonal relationships and social involvement.
Those special target groups consists of children of nomadic pastorals, migrant fishermen’s, migrant farmers, hunters, traders. They all referred to as migrant since they can move from one place to another in search for their life better.
WHAT IS TARGET GROUP OF LEARNERS?
The target groups are special pupils in the society with significant limitations in terms of activity and participation in one or more areas of life due to permanent functional and structural issues, which result in continued difficulty in terms of communication, learning, mobility, autonomy, interpersonal relationships and social involvement.
The target group of learners with special educational needs (SEN) includes children, young people or adults with impairments or disabilities that, if compensated through reasonable accommodation as foreseen by law, will not prevent them from attaining the objectives of their educational level.
THE CATEGORIES OF TARGET GROUP OF LEARNERS.
There are three main categories of target group of learners:
- Learners with special educational needs (SEN)
The target group of learners with special educational needs (SEN) includes children, young people or adults with impairments or disabilities that, if compensated through reasonable accommodation as foreseen by law, will not prevent them from attaining the objectives of their educational level. SEN learners are included in regular schools while benefitting from specific arrangements corresponding their individual needs.
SEN pupils and students are entitled to reasonable arrangements in order to be able to follow regular education programmes and to pass the assessment tests.
- Learners with specific educational needs
There is need for the creation of specialized psycho-pedagogical competence centres for social inclusion defines children or young people needing specific education as individuals with deficiencies or difficulties according to international classifications, and who encounter more learning difficulties than children or young people of the same age. The Specific educational needs’ target group also includes children or young people who are intellectually precocious and need specialised support to develop their full potential.
- Pupils with difficulties
A third and more general category concerns all pupils who encounter physical, psychological or behavioral difficulties in their social environment or on the level of their school career. This target group also includes the two categories mentioned above. This group is defined by grand-ducal regulation and schools need additional staff for this category which are calculated on the basis of the number of pupils with the following characteristics:
- Pupils having had two or three experiences of educational failure in the course of their academic career.
- Pupils who have been temporarily or permanently expelled from school in the last two years.
- Pupils with behavioral difficulties
- Pupils with special educational needs (SEN)
- Pupils benefitting from allowances to low-income families
- Pupils reported to be repeatedly absent or late
- Pupils who systematically do not do their homework or inadequately prepare their lessons.
Secondary schools may organize activities and special classes for these pupils who are at risk of school drop-out. The objective of these arrangements is to prevent exclusion, lay the foundation for lifelong learning and foster social integration.
WHAT IS SPECIAL EDUCATION?
Special education is an Educational Program/Service designed to meet the needs of children with special needs who cannot profit from general or Regular Education because of disabilities or Exceptional Disabilities.
The ultimate goal of special education is the integration or mainstreaming of learners with special needs into the regular school system and eventually in the community.
BENEFITS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION
- Helps Children Focus on Their Challenges.
- Helps Children Grow Comfortable in Seeking Help.
- Easily Match Students with Educators Who Understand Their Disabilities.
- Help To Identify Individual Learning Styles
- Provides full-time specialized support
- Low teacher-to-student ratios
- Often, teachers are trained in special education
- Kids learn and interact with peers who also have challenges
- Kids less likely to feel out of place
- Many special resources and services may be offered
THE NEEDS AND IMPORTANCE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION.
Every child has the right to the same opportunities as others, regardless of the difficulties they face. Special education is of great importance for children with learning disabilities, because:
- it gives them the opportunity to get quality education in line with their unique needs.
- Special education enables every student to gain a high level of independence and reach their full potential.
- It allows the students to enjoy the education and gain confidence due to individual learning.
- Special education mainly focuses on the designing of an educational structure that has the potential to overpower the disadvantages of any disability along with helping the children to get quality education.
- Special education provides individual attention to each student which enables the student to understand the entire information provided to them by their tutors.
- Special education enables student to get inspiration from the teacher who is teaching them. A teacher can give the biggest reward to their student by giving them hope and encouragement.
CONSTRAINTS TO EDUCATION OF SPECIAL TARGET GROUP.
- Cultural differences
- Language differences
- Resource constraints
- Lack of information
- Psychological difficulties
- Lack of instructional material Cultural differences
CONCLUTION.
Tutors should use unique aids and tools for teaching students with special needs. Educators should use special and unique ideas for increasing their understanding of the information given to them. They should adopt the trial-and-error methodology. Alternative usage of tools can perform like if one tool does not work, the tutor can use another tool that could easily replace the previous one. Patience and tolerance are meant to be the most important key in the classroom of special education. With regards to the behavior of the student, a positive attitude is essential. The cognitive capabilities can be affected by the wrong attitude of the teachers or the tutors.