How do you feel about children in Spec. Ed. Classes taking a Foreign Language in Elementary School?

Question

Hi, we've been debating this in my school. I teach K-8th grade Spanish and see all the kids in the school everyday, including our students recieving special education services. Until this year, we have felt it had great value for the students as many were only successful in Spanish and not other subjects, I reinforce topics taught in English and there is great emphasis on speech. However, this year we have had many changes in Special education support (new teacher - old teacher had taught spanish in the past), new Spanish curriculum, etc.

Almost all the Special Education students are struggling this year. Now we have the new "RTI or Response to Intervention" coming into play and are trying to decide if these students would be better served if pulled from Spanish? What is your view?

Answer 1

I personally think it's a good brain exercise, which is ALWAYS good for children with special needs. Thier speaking and listening will be vastly improved, and also their thinking patterns will extend in very fundamental ways. That is awful that they are pulling these students out of spanish! They should participate in everything the other students are participating in, and with an IEP they won't necessarily have to fulfill the exact same requirements as everyone else. It seems win-win to have them in spanish!!! The education system can be pretty rediculous sometimes.

Could the teachers here please answer my question?

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

It's difficult to find teachers to answer questions on this site! Thanks a lot!

Answer 2

Students receiving special education are entitled to participate in all academic and non-academic activities a school provides, depending on their individual ability to do so.  

I think that some special education students will benefit from learning Spanish and it will be an unnecessary strain for others.  You lump all the "spec ed" kids together, as though they are all the same and have the same abilities and disabilities.  That's not true, is it?   They are each unique.  (Same as the regular ed kids)

Answer 3

That decision should be up to the parent/child not the school.I don't see how you could exclude them that would be bias.Foreign language is an elective course at least where I grew up and where my children go to school.My son is in special ed.Although he is only in kindergarten and won't have to worry about this for awhile,I dare them to tell him he can't participate in such classes if that is what he wants.

Answer 4

RTI won't be around long...a lot of places are dropping it!  Yes, they should be in Spanish...to graduate from high school they will have to satisfy the foreign language requirement and perhaps an early start will give them an edge.

Answer 5

As a special education teacher, I think that my students should be able to partake in every class that other students can take.

If they are pulled from Spanish and learning Spanish at a rate that they can understand it then good. If not, then they should alter how they teach it to the students

Answer 6

The cause of teh problem should be looked at-how can the school integrate previous stategies into teh current situation-

whether to exclude a special ed studnet from a foreign language should be made on an individual basis--

and only if it adversely affects their learning in othe rsubjects...

where are the IEP modifications-they need to be looked at-are they appropriate-are tehy being adhered to-

How about making a mini review for the special needs studnents-have them be responsible for this material-not all of it--allow open book/take home tests-testing in resource room-not counting spelling/grammer only menaing, etc

Some states will allow students with IEPs to receive a standard diploma with takeing a foreign language if it is excluded form requirements through their IEP

Answer 7

My son has to take French. He doesn't enjoy it. He doesn't do well in it. I think his time would be better spent working on the more important skills like reading comprehension and math.  The school's concern is that they don't have something else he could do during French.  It's rather frustrating.

Answer 8

I think it should be dependent on the individual student.

They don't call it an Individualized Education Plan for no reason. Some students in special education should take Spanish and others should spend more time on other deficit area. It depends on each child's individual needs an to have a blanket policy for students solely based on their classification one way or the other would be a mistake in my opinion.

Answer 9

If this is going to help the children in any way , then Great !

Answer 10

RTI in most areas in part focuses on sped kids following gen ed curriculum. So if all your gen ed kids take Spanish according to RTI so should your sped kids.

Are you talking about all sped students? Some of my sped students have the highest IQs in our school - not the greatest social skills, but very bright. They would have no problem with Spanish. I have kids with low IQs who speak great Spanish. Maybe you want to look at the individual kids on a case by case basis.

Keep in mind that sped kids have IEPs which can be used to modify the curriculum (another thing which would be right in line with RTI - individualized curriculum) . So even if your new Spanish curriculum doesn't work for them you can modify it to something that does. Our schools have adopted the policy that if we modify the curriculum while still following the gen. ed. curriculum to the best of our abilities we are meeting RTI criteria.