Some educators have found that the Common Core State Standards to nationally standardize education for public school students haven't provided enough guidance for teaching special education.
Here are five ways Common Core will impact special education for students and teachers:
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1. The standards aren't completely clear on how teachers should instruct or assess students with learning disabilities, but this could help with the strengths and creativity of teachers, wrote Chelsea Miller, a special education teacher, in an article for the National Center for Learning Disabilities. The limited guidance in teaching standards for special education could provide teachers with more flexibility.
2. Innovate methods might include handling assignments differently for each student to fit their individual needs. To help students with disabilities learn from the new standards of Common Core, a teacher could use visual programs for students with reading difficulties or encourage oral presentations for those who have problems with written reports.
3. Technology can be utilized for special needs students to better understand the curriculum, according to Miller. Research has found that students with learning disorders learn more in the classroom when technology or digital media are used.
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4. However, the increase of technology in the classroom could cause problems for special education students. With new standards being introduced, many students need special assistance, such as headsets to have test sections recited aloud. The possibility of technological failures occurs. Teachers from schools in New Mexico complained when accommodations weren't ready for special education students when it came time for Common Core assessments. The failure also reflected on teaching scores because some students couldn't take their tests on time.
5. As with many new programs, school officials believe the difficulties facing special education teachers and students will be solved as time goes on. Ellen Hur, chief of staff for the New Mexico Public Education Department, says school authorities are already working with districts and schools to help resolve issues facing students in special education with the introduction of
Common Core, according to The Taos News.
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