Continuing her series on integrating children with disabilities into inclusive classrooms in mainstream schools, Emma McKinney explains what a learner profile is and how teachers should complete this from to access support for learners who need it most The last article focussed on the Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support (SIAS) […]
Author: Emma McKinney
Support needs: initial screening
There are several steps involved in assessing the additional support needs of all learners, and especially those with disabilities. Emma McKinney takes a closer look In 2014 the South African Department of Basic Education published the Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support policy framework, which standardises the procedures to identify, assess...
What is SIAS?
The sixth article on integrating children with disabilities into inclusive classrooms focuses on the Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support policy The Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support (SIAS) policy applied in South Africa standardises the procedures of identifying, assessing and providing programmes for all learners who require additional support to enhance...
Practical tips to include all
The fifth article in our series on integrating children with disabilities into inclusive classrooms in mainstream schools provides teachers with tips for including all learners in their lesson plans While physical access is important, it is just as important for teachers to ensure that what and how they teach is...
The inclusive school
These practical tips will help teachers integrate children with disabilities into the classroom – and the school as a whole – to create an inclusive learning environment When we think of integrating a learner with a physical disability, most of us think about providing wheelchair ramps and ensuring there are...
Teacher and learner sensitisation
Our third article on integrating children with disabilities into an inclusive classroom looks at the importance of sensitising teachers and learners Last articles focussed on the importance of parents and or learners disclosing their disabilities to the school, with some practical tips on information sharing between the learners, parents, teachers […]
Easing the transition
The second article in our series on integrating children with disabilities into inclusive classrooms in mainstream schools focuses on the importance of a meeting between learner, parents and teacher. We know teachers aren’t always trained or experienced in accommodating learners with disabilities in their classrooms. In addition, all children with […]
Meeting the principal
In our first instalment of a series of articles about integrating children with disabilities into mainstream classrooms, we look at how parents can ease their transition With a big push towards inclusive education rather than segregated special education, more and more mainstream schools are welcoming children with disabilities in their […]
Why can’t that man walk?
It is important to know how to talk to children about disability. The first step is to speak positively about impairments. Children are curious and will often ask personal and difficult questions, especially when they see something new or interesting. As adults, the way we react to the child’s question […]
Q&A with Catherine van Staden
We sat down with Catherine van Staden, who has a degenerative disease, and chatted about how sport has changed her life Adegenerative condition known as Hereditary Spastic Paralysis (HSP) causes a person to slowly lose the functionality in their limbs. Catherine has this condition in her legs. She has not […]