Special Needs

 Personal Thoughts

Havsalt √ Havesalt --> Doesn't Exist 

I'd like to start this entry by sharing some random thoughts about this topic. First of all, I must admit that i just recently found out how unconnected I was with the topic until I began my Special Needs lessons at the university. In fact I didn't have any knowledge before about the topic until I attended and observed some learning support lesson during my teaching practice. This made reflect on what the meaning of having special needs is, or at least what it meant to me. Well, I tried to come up with my own definition by thinking in personal experiences. And I can tell you, that I'm not too far away from having a special need. Am I diagnosed with a special need? No, I'm not. Do I have any relative having special needs? no, I don't. Have I ever felt different from everyone else? yes, for instance I'm left-handed and I struggle a lot doing crafts especially when I use scissors because most of the crafting tools on this earth are made for right-handed people. Therefore, it takes more time for me to cut a piece of paper than everyone else. It might sound silly for some people but for me it's an issue and actually it can be frustrating.  Do I experience things in my daily life that make me feel different from everyone else? yes, I do. For example, When I attempt to speak Danish and nobody understands me. Last week, for example, I went to three different stores asking for sea-salt (havsalt). No one seemed to understand what I was asking for. I did my best to use proper and well pronounced Danish. Therefore, It didn't make any sense that no one could tell me where this basic product could be found. However, I didn't realise what it was really happening until I went to the fourth super market and a sweet lady approached me and explain to me that I was mispronouncing the word sea-salt in Danish. She said that I was saying garden-salt (havesalt), instead of the right word seasalt. The two words for me sound very similar in Danish, that is why I have a hard time memorising new vocabulary.  So, I can tell you that not being fluent in a language is indeed a special need. It changes the way one perceives the things that surrounds him. It changes as well the way one approaches people and how one interacts with them. In other words, having a special need is directly linked to the circumstances that you made you feel that you can't cope with things that for others might be normal or basic. My perception of being disable has changed completely, because I have come up with the conclusion that everyone has a special need, everyone behaves and acts differently according to the context they're in. 

Teaching Practice in Portugal

       A couple of weeks I had to share my teaching practice experiences during the annual international week at UCSJ. It made me reflect in on all the cultural challenges I faced during 3 intensive weeks at Carlucci American International of School of Lisbon. I had the opportunity to participate in three different classes.

Carolina on duty at CAISL 

• Spanish IB: This was my first time teaching Spanish in an international setting. I was surprised of the high Spanish proficiency level students had at this school. My Spanish class have been learning for two years Spanish and I could have a conversation with them, without telling whether they were native speakers or not. I was amazed by the fact that Asian students who usually struggle the most with specific Spanish phonemes were able to say complex words with a good pronunciation. I tried to find an answer that explains the reason why students were so good. Firstly, The teacher was totally committed to her job. She actually was not a native speaker, therefore I assumed that it helped her to understand her students needs because she has been in the same position before. Secondly, there were indeed motivated students, who were eager to learn about Hispanic culture and thirdly the demands of the school regarding the academic level. (IB curriculum)

• American History. This was the second subject that I had to teach during my teaching practice. Wait, WHAT? yes, a Colombian student teacher who had to teach American history to 8th graders from more than 8 different countries. I could say this was the toughest subject I had ever taught. I love history but I never thought I had to teach something that I barely know like American History. Then, two main challenges came across. 

This is the course book I used to plan my lessons
about the French-Indian war

1. How to teach something that you don't feel culturally identified? I don't have any  American cultural background. I never had American history lessons when I was in high school. In order to understand someone else's culture, one has to reflect on how other's culture can be similar and different to your own culture. One has to think how other's culture has an effect on one's life.
2. How to explain a historical content without offending someone's cultural background? The homeroom teacher explained to me that sometimes you have to let pupils to construct their opinions about certain topics. She told me as well that as international teachers, we must always find the balance when giving our points of view. We provide facts and create spaces for discussions but we never give the final answer. In few words, teachers need to play a neutral role. I think this was my golden key to teach history. 

• Learning Support: This subject is also known as Special needs class was "the Spot on" of my teaching practice. I must admit I was really nervous to participate in this class because of my zero knowledge about the topic. However, after three weeks observation and one attempt to teach a lessons for ADHD students I can say this field is more complex that I thought. In fact, I could say that now I got more questions than answers regarding special needs teaching. One of the challenges for international schools in regards of special needs is the language learning. Being an non native English speaker is already a special need in an international setting. That's is why  learning support is an essential class for those pupils that are having behavioural and learning problems. The other challenge is the curriculum for special needs. Since all pupils have different cases, it's almost impossible to designe a curriculum that covers everyone's needs. What impressed me the most was the versatility of the teacher to include everyone in an activity in spite of the fact that they were around 6 pupils with totally different learning problems. I think teachers in this field need not only to develop creativity skills to prepare accurate teaching material but also develop caring skills that allow them to understand pupils needs. 

This was an overview of teaching practice experience. I must admit that this experience was a brand-new for me. The three subjects I taught and observed were undoubtedly fruitful not only for my professional but also for my personal development. In my next entry I would try to link my observations during my teaching practice and the theory given in my university.