Part Two Essay

EAL/D students tend to face a lot of challenges particularly in learning a language they are not used to. Nonetheless, after a short period of time, they tend to learn from their teachers, peers and parents/whānau, henceforth being able to easily communicate. On the other hand, students with additional needs require specialized care in order to learn the new language. This therefore involves the support of parents/whānau, teachers, and also the students understanding capabilities. For that reason, this section will focus on learning difficulty and communication disorder as an additional need. The section will also discuss inclusion from three perspectives. Stuttering is a communication disorder whereby a child experiences speech repetitions and makes long pauses hence affecting speech delivery.

 Teachers can aid in speech delivery through providing active listening which enables the child to take time in speech delivery, thus being able to deliver the message. In addition, fostering teacher-child relationship is also significant, as it allows the child to feel free while communicating with the teacher. Moreover, the child also gains courage while communicating a factor which permits the child to develop improved speech delivery. Similarly, teachers should have a one-on-one conversation with stuttering a student, where the teacher carefully listens to the message being conveyed by the student without providing any assistance while the student speaks (Mackey & de 2016, 357). The conversation should not be hurried by the teacher, but instead the teacher should speak with while posing giving the student time to digest. Teachers should also allow the student to make speech presentations after class in the absence of the other students. This will help in improving the student’s speech delivery and also boosting the child’s morale. Teasing in class should not also be allowed, and it should be handled within the shortest time possible. All students in class should take turns to talk and listen, hence allowing all students to patiently listen to stuttering students’ without any interruptions.

  On the other hand, parents/whānau can also help through carefully listening to the words being uttered by the child, and also encouraging the child to finish the sentence. A parent’s/whānau support is significant in allowing the child to adapt to the new language, since most children tend to listen to their parents/whānau more than any other person. Parents/whānau can therefore help through speaking to the child in English, even though they may not also be good at the language, it is required of them to at least possess some skills, hence helping their children (Gordon & Browne, 2014, 67).

Finally, parents/whānau should also consider partnering with a speech pathologist, in order to improve the child’s speech delivery (Dean, 2017, 10). As a matter of fact, a speech pathologist may not only help in improving communication with the child, but also in coming up with ways of making the child to communicate without any constraints (Clarke, 2011, 5)Once the child’s speech delivery is improved, it becomes easier to learn the new language. Furthermore, the speech pathologist may also use different pictures with translated information from the child’s fast language to English while treating the child. In that process, the child adapts to the new language as communication improves.

An inclusion plan may require the aid of different strategies in order to integrate equity and social justice to facilitate a good learning environment for stuttering students. This can be done through the creation of a teacher-student conversation involving the exchange of inner thoughts, individual experiences and wonderings (Mackey & de 2016, 357). Likewise, all students should participate in this conversations, and each student should be given a chance to experience their feelings. Students with additional needs should be given special considerations, whereby the teacher should encourage students to work and support each in class, and to also embrace each other’s weaknesses. Moreover, stuttering students should be allowed to air their views, as the teacher as other students pay attention.

Conversely, using learning stories as a means of creating equity in classroom is also a significant strategy. Teachers may therefore use video clips as well as photos to pass information. A video clip may therefore involve a character with a stuttering disorder as the main character, who eventually develops proper speech delivery through the aid of the teacher and classmates, hence becoming the best performing student in school (Mackey & de 2016, 357). In so doing, students will not only learn to appreciate each regardless of their needs, hence encouraging social justice and equity among all students in class.

The display of such information allows stuttering students to learn through reading, without having to communicate. As such it makes it easier for them to easily learn English without any difficulties (Bietz, 2020, 12). Similarly, when children see materials of their own culture displayed in classroom, they feel appreciated, thus easily blending in with other students. In most cases, some students may also try to read aloud such information, through reading aloud, the child may improve in speech delivery. Secondly, displaying information of children participating in learning with appropriate explanations of what they are doing also helps in encouraging the child to participate in classwork.

The parent/whānau should also partner with a speech pathologist, who will monitor the child and provide additional support whenever necessary. Additional information provided by the pathologist should be put into consideration by the parent/whānau. Likewise, teachers and parents/whānau should work together in ensuring the child gets the required support both at home and at school. While at home, parents/whānau should observe the weaknesses of their children in speech delivery, and the words which seem difficult to pronounce. The child should be encouraged to speak words which are easier to pronounce thus making their speech delivery smooth. Finally, continual support of the home-based language by parents/whānau is also necessary (Choo et al, 2019 120). A child with this need is supposed to continue speaking the language he/she is used to, as it becomes easier for the child to communicate. The parent/whānau need therefore continue speaking to the child in the original language, hence allowing the child speak easily, and with time the parent/whānau should start teaching the child the new language. Teachers should also stop labelling of students with speech delivery issues in class, and instead encouraging such students in improving speech delivery.

Reference

Bietz, K. (2020). Preschool Kinesthetic Learners: Teaching Techniques for Your Movers and Shakers. Retrieved from Bright Hub Education website: https://www.brighthubeducation.com/teaching-preschool/113683-kinesthetic-learners-in-preschool/

Choo, Y., Agarwal, P., How, C., & Yeleswarapu, S. (2019). Developmental delay: identification and management at primary care level. Singapore Medical Journal, 60(3), 119–123.

Dean, T. (2017). Walking together with families toward inclusion. Every Child, 23(2), 10–11.

Gordon, A. M., & Browne, K. W. (2014). Beginnings and Beyond: Foundations in Early Childhood Education (9th ed.). California: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.

Mackey, G., & de Vocht-van Alphen, L. (2016). Teachers Explore How to Support Young Children’s Agency for Social Justice. International Journal of Early Childhood, 48(3), 353–367.

Clarke, P. (2011). Supporting children learning English as an additional language in the early years (birth to six years): RESOURCE BOOKLET. Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.