By Way of Introduction: Teaching Mathematics to Special Needs Students

2004 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 116-117

In 1997, the Individuals with Disabilities Act mandated access to the general education curriculum for children with disabilities. In response, mathematics teachers and educators have developed creative and innovate ways to meet the mathematical needs of their diverse students. Students with attention deficits, memory problems, visual and auditory processing difficulties, motor disabilities, and information-processing deficits require special accommodations in the mathematics classroom in order to reach their potential in mathematics. English-language learners and students who need further mathematics instruction beyond their current grade level also need special modifications. Recognizing and understanding the learning challenges of our special needs students and identifying teaching strategies to facilitate their mathematics learning is the focus of this special issue of Teaching Children Mathematics. This focal subject reflects NCTM's recommendation in Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (2000) that “all students should have access to an excellent and equitable mathematics program that provides solid support for their learning and is responsive to their prior knowledge, intellectual strengths, and personal interests” (p. 13).

Author(s):  
Terence Cavanaugh

An estimated three billion people, representing approximately half of the planet’s population, are in some way affected by disabilities, which includes an estimated 150 million from the United States of America (Half the Planet, 2001). According to the Twenty-Third Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (U.S. Department of Education, 2002a), concerning students with special needs between the ages of three and 21, the U.S. and its outlying areas are currently serving educationally more than 6,272,000 students classified as having a disability. The inclusion model, in which a special needs student participates in the “regular” classroom, has become the current classroom education standard. Today’s special needs students have increasing impacts on the general education teacher as, during the past 10 years, the percentage of students with disabilities served in schools and classes with their non-disabled peers has gradually grown to over 90% in 1998 (U.S. Department of Education, 2000b). Because of the large and increasing number of special needs students, assistive educational technology is growing in importance. The population of postsecondary students with disabilities has increased over the past two decades, and currently there are approximately one million persons in postsecondary institutions who are classified as having some form of disability (U.S. Department of Education, 2000b). In 1994, approximately 45% of the adult population who reported having a disability had either attended some college or had completed a bachelor’s degree or higher, as compared to only 29% in 1986 (National Center for Educational Statistics, 1999a).


2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (7) ◽  
pp. 452-465
Author(s):  
Geoffrey B. Saxe ◽  
Joshua Sussman

National and state assessments show that English language learners (ELs) in elementary and secondary grades score lower in mathematics compared with their matched English proficient peers (EPs). To provide information on strategies for enhancing learning opportunities for ELs in language inclusive classrooms, we analyze the efficacy of Learning Mathematics Through Representations (LMR), a curriculum unit on integers and fractions designed to support learning opportunities for ELs as well as EPs. LMR features the number line as a principal representational context and the use of embodied representations to support students as they explore mathematical ideas, construct arguments, and elaborate explanations. The study used a quasi-experimental design: Twenty-one elementary classrooms employing a highly regarded curriculum were included. Forty-four ELs were enrolled across 11 LMR classrooms, and 51 ELs were enrolled across 10 matched comparison classrooms. Multilevel analysis of longitudinal data on a specialized integers and fractions assessment, as well as a California state mathematics assessment, revealed that the ELs in LMR classrooms showed greater gains than comparison ELs and gained at similar rates to their EP peers in LMR classrooms. Further, contrasts between ELs in the LMR classrooms and EPs in the comparison classrooms revealed that LMR narrowed or eliminated the pretest achievement gap in mathematics. Both theory and empirical results support the value of LMR as a mathematics intervention benefitting both EL and EP students.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 37-45
Author(s):  
Firman F ◽  
Friscilla Wulan Tersta ◽  
Cicyn Riantoni ◽  
Fellicia Ayu Sekonda

The purpose of the study: This study aimed to investigate the teachers' attitudes to special needs students and also the contribution that will be useful in inclusive education. Methodology: This study used qualitative methods. The research subjects were five general teachers who teach students with special needs in inclusive education in Jambi, Indonesia. The sampling procedure was used for purposive sampling. The data were collected by a semi-structured interview with five teachers from different backgrounds of teaching. The recorded interview data were transcribed. The documents were then studied, labelled, and elucidated comprehensively. Main Findings: The result of the research revealed that teachers’ attitude to special need students is good. In addition, the contribution of the teachers’ attitudes is formed from this research, such as the transformation of the value of each student, the strategies of the teachers like seating arrangement, the using of the different curriculum, teaching aids and rapport. Applications of this study: To achieve education for all and education equality, the government in Indonesia increases the number of inclusive education. The findings of this research are expected to add new knowledge to the scope of inclusive education especially in EFL contexts. Theoretically, the results of this study are expected to provide some references and contributions for the study on special needs students in inclusive education. Novelty/Originality of this study: This issue becomes a new atmosphere for teachers, especially for EFL teachers in teaching the various students. It is essential to know teachers' attitudes to special needs students in the context of inclusive education because that aspect will be piloting to the contribution of the teaching and learning process.


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