We will

• explore definitions from a variety of sources, which use different terminology.
• relate to discussion questions on the forum or worksheets

Defining special needs populations

1. Before you start: a Challenge! jot down how you are used to defining students who receive special attention in English classes--learning diabled? ADHD? weaker?
   Now jot down the characteristics of a students in your class who are typical of this label.
2. Read the definitions for special needs and the material posted at the other URLs below.
3. Now return to #1 and #2 above.  And answer some of these questions on the forum or worksheets for your course:
   
   • Definitions for students with special educational needs have shifted in recent years.  More than a change in labels, this shift represents a change in attitude and reflects incorporation of current learning theories. What attitude? Which learning theories?
   • What is the actual impact of this change? Does it effect the number of children we work with? how we assess them? how we teach them?
   • Are these new definitions presently operative in Israel? What barriers to implementation exist?
   • Are these new definitions compatible with the Curriculum? Identify possible problems.
   • How does your perception of these students measure up to current definitions. Is it more narrow? broader? Does it focus on the same characteristics?
   • Is the definition of SEN comprehensive enough? What other categories would you add? Is it too broad? What categories would you remove?