Journal about the Special Needs Care Centre

Background of this Journal
The reasons of work with children who have learning difficulties in the special needs care centre are:

1. Give a hand to those children who need help in their learning.
2. To be a more patience person.
3. Gain different experiences and learning.

Observation in the Centre
I did an observation when I went to the centre and I have observed that:  

1. The teacher taught the lessons with using the visual materials (mostly hands on based activities and daily living skills training). 
2. The teacher using an Individual Educational Plan (IEP) on every child. 
3. The learning environment of the centre.

Sample Template of the Individual Educational Plan (IEP)

Theories to Support 

1. According to Maria Montessori, she has shown that children learn best through the sensorial experiences and the environment. (cited in Linda Pound, 2008) 
2. According to Grobecker (1999), the Constructivist theory mentioned that learning should be meaningful and related to real life situations.  
3. According to Vygotsky (1978), he defined the zone of proximal development (ZPD) as ‘‘the distance between a child's actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the higher level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers.’’ (Vygotsky, 1978, pp86, cited in Routledge, 2005)

What I have Learnt?

1. The teacher’s visual teaching style can attracted children’s attention and improve their understanding.
2. I have also learnt that the repetition of learning benefit children with learning difficulties because of their memory problems and difficulty processing information.
3. I have learnt that teaching children with learning difficulties needed more patience and caring because their learning progress are slower than children without intellectual difficulties.

References

1. Linda Pound (2008). How Children Learn. (Pp.30). London: Practical Pre-School Books, MA Education.
2. Routledge (2005). An Introduction to Vygotsky. (pp 62). New York.
3. Steele, M.M. (2005). Teaching Students With Learning Disabilities: Constructivism Or Behaviorism? Current Issues in Education 8(10). Available at: http://cie.ed.asu.edu/volume8/number10/ [Last Accessed: 6^th July 2013]