Children with disabilities often get bullied and teased by their peers and this takes shape on their identity especially in adolescence. Nazneen Aibara stresses on how important it is for regular teachers and special educators to go beyond the curriculum and spare an extra moment with a student with special needs about just how unique their talents are.
0Comments Read MoreBullying, Disability, Special Education, Special Needs Education
 
It should not have come to me as a shock that in our country that ‘boasts’ of unity in diversity people who have any sort of disability are still marginalized. It could be a physical disability that is overt; or a hidden disability such as a learning disability. Once people know of it you could either be lucky and get by without any teasing or taunts or you could be teased and questioned about it constantly. This article was sparked off by the latter. 
 
A few days back I began to take an English remedial session with a student in senior school, I noticed that she looked upset and disturbed about something. I tried to get to know the cause for her worry and after much prodding and re-assurance, tears came rolling down. The first question she asked me was “Maam, is it BAD to be dyslexic? This was followed by many more questions and statements- “I can read and write fairly well then why am I considered dyslexic? Is it a bad thing to go for remedial classes? I have to learn to live with jokes and jeers all my life, so I better get used to it. I have friends but no real friends!”
 
All these questions and statements made me think about and question a lot of things. Delhi has a few very good inclusive schools. Special educators today have the opportunity of working within very efficient special education departments and they receive excellent support from mainstream teachers. One would think this is a fantastic recipe for any child with special needs. Children have teachers who are empathetic and understanding, who are there to support them in their class rooms as well as there to remediate their difficult areas. There is indeed a lot of good work happening; however in all this good work one often forgets the emotional needs of children with special education needs.
 
Let us remember that these are children who have been labeled one way or the other. Yes- they get their accommodation and modifications but they are also aware of their difficulties. They are aware that a special educator is coming to the class to help them. They know they are not studying a third language like French, Spanish or German because they have difficulties. They go for remedial classes in their third language and sometimes in their PE or other curricular activities. Some of them also go for counseling. So even though they are in a regular school they are still ‘different’ from their peers. The situation becomes worse as they hit adolescence. While some may suddenly start resisting the help they are getting others start showing behavioural problems or they simply start feeling worthless. Some of the words and phrases teachers and special educators encounter include- lonely, useless, worthless, hollow, failure.
 
Research has often indicated that children with learning disabilities do feel marginalized and report feelings of being ‘different’. In a research paper titled “Notions of self: lived realities of
 
children with disabilities”, Singh and Ghai highlight that “children with disabilities internalize the societal understanding which validates the ‘non-disabled’ mode as the ‘normal’ mode’”.  Other emotions expressed by the children included feelings of being a burden on their family, resignation, frustration and worthlessness. Self-blame was also evident in their research, which in turn produced a sense of shame. These were findings for children who have physical disabilities but similar findings have been reported for those with learning disabilities as well. Simpson (cited in Wood, 1998) states ‘Students with disabilities traditionally have lower positions of status than their nondisabled peers, and this pattern of rejection holds both in general or special classes’ (p. 152). Martlew and Hodson’s (1991) research documents higher levels of teasing/bullying for children even with mild learning difficulties in inclusive set ups than experienced by other children. They also had fewer friends than their peers. Thomas (1996) and Hutt and Gibby (1979) mention that these groups of students often become the butt of jokes, taunting and teasing.
 
We all have our academic pressures and concerns and there is a counselor to take care of the emotional needs. So do we continue teaching and remediating and supporting children in the classroom? No! Our role extends much beyond that. Each one us has to be ready to spare that one precious remedial period of ours if our children are upset or worried, to talk to them when they need someone, if required then be there to assist them when they navigate their interactions with their peers, sensitize their peers as and when required. It is important to tell them how unique and special they are and remind them of their strengths No child is devoid of talents and strengths. While one may be excellent at painting, the other may be good at drama or at playing a musical instrument or in dance and music. They need to see these talents as significant aspects of their school life, aspects of themselves that extend beyond their academic difficulties. Our children are like marble statues in a desert who need constant removal of sand or they will be lost forever. Along with all the good education they are getting we also need to ensure that their emotional needs are met, only then can we say that their education is complete and school is a happy place to be.