SpEd Parent Interaction
The first SpEd Parent Interaction for the school year will be on July 18, 2009 (Saturday) from 9 to 11 am at Nest. Entitled “Anong SPED-trum ka ba?”, the interaction aims to discuss details on the SpEd students’ special needs. Dr. Mich Caruncho-Baloca, a Developmental Pediatrician, will be our guest. Mommy Ging Gutierrez, Matt’s mom, will give her testimony. Admission is free and all parents are welcome to join. Please register with Teacher Dongdong or Teacher Ku at 434-7601.
Nest’s Special Education Program
I. Definition
Inclusive Education
This refers to the philosophy of ensuring that schools, centers or learning and education systems are open to all children. This will enable learners to be included in all aspects of school-life. It also means identifying, reducing or removing barriers within and around the school that may hinder learning. For this to happen, teachers, schools and systems need to modify the physical and social environment so that they can fully accommodate the diversity of learning needs that pupils may have.
Special Educational Needs
Individuals have different abilities and potentials in performing tasks. In education, there are individuals who do not perform like the others, but could improve with appropriate support. These learners have learning/educational needs which vary from one child to another. Theses are then referred to as special educational needs.
Differentiated Curriculum
Another commonly used concept in inclusive education is differentiated curriculum. This is an approach that you can use to identify the subjects in the curriculum that a leaner should cover and plan for each learner according to his or her needs and ability. It may require you to break down the subject into small teaching/learning steps of instructions for the benefit of the learner with special needs in education. These learners have learning or educational needs which vary from one child to another.
PRINCIPLES OF INCLUSIVE EDUCATION
• Calls for equal opportunities to all learners to experience normal mainstream activities, while making deliberate and appropriate measures to ensure quality education for all.
• Calls for a child centered curriculum and the learner to attend the school that he/she would naturally go to in his community if he/she had no special needs.
• Advocates for accessibility to the learning process and the curriculum by all learners by differentiating the learning and assessment process according to the learners’ needs.
• Recognizes and caters for individual differences in race, religion, abilities, disabilities or circumstances. Differences are seen as challenges.
• Positive learning opportunities with support to learners with special needs are planned as an integral part of the ordinary schools.
• Requires changes of attitudes, behaviors, teaching methods, curricula and environments to meet the needs of all the learners. Hence overcoming barriers to learning and development.
II. Enrichment Activities
Afternoons are allotted for ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES: ART ENRICHMENT, MUSIC ENRICHMENT, MAD SCIENCE, and SUBJECT ENRICHMENT.
These ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES are open to ALL children.
III. Exemption
The Department of Education adheres that “the curriculum offered shall be based on that prescribed for the regular schools. Any major deviation / modification from the suggested curriculum subjects and requirements shall be made with the prior approval of the Secretary of the DepEd.”
To secure exemption:
• Developmental pediatrician writes a letter stating specific subject exemption.
o Address letter to
• Dr. Teresita Domalanta
Director for Department of Education
Quezon City – NCR
• Parents write a letter to NEST requesting for the exemption
The DepEd will send the letter of confirmation to the parents. A copy of the confirmation letter will be kept in the child’s NEST files.
IV. Admission & Enrollment
NEST recognizes children with special needs.
Slots for children with special needs are available in each class level. NEST allows 25% of class population to be allotted for children with special needs (3:15). Admission of children with special needs will depend on:
Report from developmental-pediatrician regarding special needs
Recent report from specialists helping: speech, OT, reading
Informal assessment done by NEST SPED
Grade level demographics to which child is applying for
V. Individualized Educational Program
A. Definition: The Individual Educational Program (IEP) is a written plan/program developed by NEST special education team with input from the parents, developmental pediatrician and all other professionals helping with the child’s therapy. The IEP specifies the student’s academic goals and the method to obtain these goals.
The IEP will focus only on the areas that are affected by the disability(ies). The IEP will provide a focus for the student’s learning and specify a specific time frame. It will reflect high expectations for the student.
The IEP will identify supports and services the student needs for success.
B. Contents of the IEP:
1. Current performance (present levels of educational performance): information comes from evaluation results such as classroom tests and assignments, individual tests done for reevaluation, and observations made by parents, teachers, related services providers and other school staff.
2. Annual Goals: Goals that child can be reasonably accomplish within the year. These goals are broken down into short-term objectives or benchmarks. Goals may be ACADEMIC, address SOCIAL or BEHAVIORAL NEEDS, relate to PHYSICAL NEEDS or address OTHER EDUCATIONAL NEEDS.
3. Special education and related services: The IEP must list the special education and related services to be provided the child or on behalf of the child. This includes supplementary aids and services that the child needs. It also includes modifications (changes) to the program or supports from the school personnel.
4. Dates and places: The IEP must state when the services will begin, how often they will be provided, where they will be provided, and how long they will last.
5. Measuring progress: The IEP must state how the child’s progress will be measured and how parents will be informed of that progress.
C. The IEP Team Members:
1. Parents
2. Teachers
a. regular education teachers
b. Special education
3. Developmental Pediatrician
4. Personnel doing related Services
a. Speech-language pathology
b. Occupational therapist
c. Reading Specialist
d. Counselor
e. Physical Therapist
f. ABA
