Children with ASD often exhibit difficulties in understanding abstract social cues and social interactions. They may be very sensitive to changes and have difficulties in communicating with others. As they reach schooling ages, they begin to face a variety of challenges in school such as learning in a group setting, undergoing rapid transitions and developing relationships with classmates. With all these changes, how can schools help SEN students to better adapt to school life? In this section, we have invited a former school principal to share her perspective on Integrated Education, a support system for students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) in schools.
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INterviewee: Principal NG Ka Chun With over 20 years of experience in school administration and management, SEN support and school counselling, Principal NG Ka Chun is now an education consultant for various educational organizations. Principal Ng has published a book about parenting and education and writes articles for newspapers and magazines regularly. With extensive education experience, she was also invited to deliver talks in the USA, Sabah, Hong Kong, Nanjing and other different cities. |
The Role of Integrated Education and the Support Given in Mainstream Schools
1. What is Integrated Education?
Integrated Education is a support system for students with special needs to integrate into mainstream schools.
At present, integrated education is carried out in a three-tier architecture support model in mainstream schools. The first tier is school-wide support mainly implemented by teachers in the class; the second tier is group support which is often carried out at the extracurricular time. The schools organize a variety of extracurricular groups, including social training and emotion management, to help students with learning difficulties. The third tier is individual support, which is usually for students with severe SEN. Educational psychologists and school teachers will conduct case meetings based on the problems and needs of the individual students, and design corresponding individualized support programs focusing on their core needs.
Schools will receive special education grants annually, and will utilize the grants according to the needs of the SEN students. For example, schools can organizes classes such as emotion management training, social skill training, speech therapy, occupational therapy and other related services.
2. How do you identify students with SEN? How do you help them?
We believe that early identification and early intervention are crucial for students with SEN. Each year our school prepares an admission test for Primary 1 students. The test requires students to partake in various social activities and these activities provide us preliminary understanding of their social, attention and emotion management abilities. From our experience, this type of test is far more effective than traditional writing test in identifying the students with SEN, especially for the students who have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Hyperactivity Disorder and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD), since their deficits are often in those areas. If identification is made and with immediate support and tailored training, we can reduce the students’ negative experiences brought about by their learning disabilities.
For students with SEN, we will arrange group training during the summer holiday and after regular classes. The training focuses on improving communication and social skills, such as “how to express your emotion and need appropriately”, with social skill training like “How to calm down”. After two years of group training, many students who first could not regulate their emotion nor express themselves well shown obvious improvement in related areas.
In addition, we also adjust our school policy to support the students with SEN. For instance, school timetable is arranged in a structure that classes which require longer attention span will be arranged in the morning section; after lunch hour students tend to be less attentive, thus classes that are less demanding will be arranged in the afternoon section to cater the students with low attention span.
Moreover, some students have stronger reactions to teachers’ feedback and tones. To increase students’ tolerances in receiving feedbacks, school’s guidance officer is assigned to provide suggestion to teachers in evaluating their tones and intonation.
3. What are the difficulties in implementing the Integrated Education?
I think the lack of hands-on experiences and knowledges in our teachers, and insufficient support in staff are the biggest concerns. In order to effectively help the students with SEN, we need to first understand their problems and the cause of their problems. For example, we had a student with ASD in our school and during his first 3 years, we could not pinpoint the reasons behind his tantrums. One day, we were hosting a big lecture at our school and he told me that he didn’t want to attend. I asked him why and he said the auditorium was too noisy. Only then I have realized that he was very sensitive to the sound volume, and could not tolerate sound made by speakers; and this contributed to his frequent tantrums in the auditorium. Since then, we allowed him to either attend the gathering in the auditorium or stay in the library, and he has also shown less behavioral problems ever since.
Every child with SEN is unique; and to provide effective support we need to understand their unique needs, strengths and weaknesses. However, the inadequate experience and knowledge in our teachers and helping staff often cannot carry out such support. It is unfortunate that in Hong Kong, unlike countries like Europe and the United States, there is no dedicated SEN teacher or professional counseling team for each student with SEN for individualized in-class or out-of-class support. Teachers in Hong Kong mainstream schools do not have enough skills in designing curriculum and delivering classes for students with SEN, and they are not as fully equipped as teachers specialized in special education. Thus, we should learn from schools in Europe and America, recruiting special education teachers with professional knowledge and teaching skills to provide services at school and timely support to the regular teachers in mainstream schools.
Besides, the mainstream schools are buried in heavy workload with a large number of curriculums and learning contents, but actual class time is insufficient. We can imagine, teachers not only need to deliver classes and meet the tight schedule of lessons, but also have to respond to the needs of each student, including the ones with SEN, from all aspects. Let’s put the experience matter aside first, it is hard for a teacher to deal with both adequately. That is why European and American schools have special education teachers stationed in classes to provide support and arrange professional supporting team, including assistants, speech therapists, occupational therapists and social workers based in school to provide services.
4. How to help the students with SEN integrated into mainstream school more effectively?
First of all, schools should have special education professionals specialized in curriculum designing and staff training implementing.
Under the new system, each school receives grants for special education based on the enrolled number of student with SEN. With increased grants amounts, the school should have greater flexibilities and resources to support the students with SEN, but more crucial is how to make use of these funds appropriately to benefit all the students with SEN. Based on our observation, with the same fund amounts, schools that recruit special education professions to plan, carry out and supervise programs are more efficient than the ones who did not.
Secondly, teachers in mainstreams are tied with heavy classes and general affairs. Teaching, lessons preparation and general affairs have occupied the majority of their work and rest time. Under such circumstances, if we ask them to spare time to take care of the students with SEN, I think their spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak to do so. In recent years, the Education Bureau has proposed new policies including “One School Social Worker for Each School” and “Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO)”, indicating that it is urgent to provide a sound and comprehensive growing environment and learning supporting teams for students.
The third is to establish a friendly and supportive school environment.
Children with SEN, especially ASD children, often cannot express their emotions and needs, but that does not mean they don’t need care and love. Just like ordinary children, they yearn for an environment with love and care to feel and learn. I have once met a child, who always threw tantrums in the classroom during the lunchtime. Later, I have realized that it was the excessive noises made during the lunchtime resulted in his emotional volatility. To assist the teacher and the child, I invited him to have lunch with me in the principal’s office. For four years, we had lunch together, and I got to know more about the thoughts and behaviors of ASD children from his unique perspectives towards the world. It was then I have noticed that they also have strong learning abilities, and they are able to gradually learn various social skills from different social and emotional situations.
Lastly, the parent education.
School is just a part of education. In order to effectively help the students with SEN, school and parents have to trust and collaborate with each other. Parents of children with SEN should understand their children are different from others. They need to learn to accept their child’s limitation, discover their strengths, and source for supports from professionals. Just like the abovementioned children who are afraid of noises, we should provide flexible arrangements and requirements for students with SEN. If the parents blindly insist their children to have the same arrangements as other students and object the flexible practice from school, they will only further escalate students’ emotional and behavioral problems and meltdown.
Interview conducted by Kelvin Ho (AP Senior Behavioral Therapist)
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自閉症孩子在理解抽象的社會線索和社交互動方面存在困難。他們一般對改變非常敏感，很難與他人溝通互動。上學同時意味著他們開始面臨各種各樣的挑戰，例如在小組學習，經歷環境的轉變，需要和同學建立友誼等。學校可如何幫助他們更好地適應校園生活？ 我們很榮幸能邀請到一位前校長與大家分享她對融合教育，這個專為有特殊教育需要的學生而設的支援系統的看法。
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受訪者：伍家珍校長 伍家珍校長在教學行政、SEN支援及學校輔導方面擁有超過20年經驗，亦為多間教育機構擔任教育顧問。 伍校長亦有作書《教育孩子的50條法則》及定期於報刊專欄撰寫文章，並獲邀到美國、沙巴、香港及南京等地進行講座，與大衆分享教育心得。 |
融合教育在主流學校的角色和支援
1. 什麼是融合教育？
融合教育是一個支援系統幫助有特殊教育需要的學生融入主流學校的學習中。
現時，融合教育在主流學校是以三層架構支援模式進行的。第一層是全校性支援主要由教師於課堂教學時施行。第二層是小組支援，多於課外時間進行。學校會有不同的課後小組(如社交訓練，情緒管理等)以支援有持續學習困難的學生。第三層是個別支援，獲得個別支援的學生都有相對嚴重的特殊教育需要。教育心理學家和學校老師會根據學生的問題和需要進行個案會議，並為他們設計對應的個別化支援計劃以針對那些學生的需要聚焦支援。
政府每年都會給學校發放特殊教育津貼。學校可按校情運用這項津貼，幫助有特殊教育需要的學生。例如安排情緒管理訓練, 社交技巧訓練，言語治療，職業治療等等對應的服務。
2. 你們怎樣識別有特殊教育需求的學生? 會如何幫助他們?
我們相信儘早識別，儘快提供對應的服務，最能幫助有特殊學習需要的學生，因此我校每年都會有小一入學分班試。屆時我們會安排學生參與不同的社交遊戲，從而初步了解這些準小一生的社交技巧，專注力和情緒管理狀況。經驗告訴我們，這種測試方式比傳統筆試更能找出有特殊教育需求，尤其自閉症、過度活躍症、專注力缺失傾向的學生，因為他們往往在這三方面的能力都較弱。如能及早識別則可以儘早給予他們針對性的支援和訓練，減輕相關學習障礙為他們帶來的負面影響。
我們會在暑期時的小一預備班，或放學後為這部分學生安排小組訓練。主要是與關溝通和社交相關的訓練，例如：如何適當地表達自己的情緒和需求。還有社交技巧訓練，放鬆自己的方法等等。很多在初入學時不能適當地控制自己的情緒和表達自己的學生，在接受過兩年的小組訓練後在這幾個方面均有顯著改善。
除了對應的小組訓練，我們還會在學校政策上進行針對支援調整。例如改動學校的時間表，把一些需要較多專注力的課堂安排在上午時段完成，而午膳後學生相對疲憊，我們一般會安排一些較為輕鬆的課堂以配合學生下滑的專注度。此外，有些學生對教師的評語頗為敏感，學校的輔導人員也會適時建議教師調整語氣和語調，提高學生對相關評語的接受程度，以收改善之效。
3. 你認為學校在有效地實行融合教育方面有什麼困難之處？
我覺得最主要的困難是老師的處理經驗不足，相關先備知識不全及支援人員隊伍匱乏。要有效地幫助有特殊教育需要的學生，首要任務是要找出他們的問題和原因，然後才能找到適當的方法去幫助他們。例如，我們學校有一個自閉症的學生，我們在頭三年也找不到他發脾氣的原因。有一天，我們有一個十分有趣的講座。他告訴我他不想去，我問他為什麼，他說因為禮堂太嘈吵。我才知道他發脾氣的原因是他對聲量非常敏感，尤其討厭揚聲器發出的聲音，所以他經常在禮堂鬧情緒。自此之後，我們讓他自由選擇到禮堂參與集會或留在圖書館裡看書。有了選擇後，他發脾氣的頻率也明顯減少。
每一個有特殊學習需要的孩子都是獨一無二的；了解他們所需，理解他們發展的強弱機危才能對應地給予最適切的支援，而教師和輔導人員的相關知識和經驗往往就和支援是否到位掛鈎。可惜現時香港並沒有像歐美等先進國家一般，委派專科特殊教育教師及專業輔導團隊針對每個有特殊教育需要的孩子入班或抽離支援，本港主流學校教師缺乏設計特殊教育課程及實行相關教學的技巧，也不可能像特殊教師那麼全面。因此，我們也可參考歐美等地行之有效的方法，為學校提供相應的具專業知識和教育技巧的特殊教育教師到校服務，以支援主流學校教師的課堂教學。
此外香港的主流課程內容多，學習量大，而相應的授課時間明顯不足。試想想，老師要在班上教學，在追趕課程時還要兼顧和回應每個學生包括有特殊教育需要學生的學習和各種需要。先撇除經驗的問題，一個老師很難同時把這兩件事都做好，這就是為甚麼歐美等地會委派特殊教師入班支援並安排專業支援團隊成員包括輔導員，言語治療師，職業治療師及社工等駐校服務的原因。
4. 你認為怎樣能更有效地幫助有特殊教育需要的學生融入學校？
首先需要有特殊教育方面的專才在學校負責策劃和進行學校教職員的訓練。
在新的制度下，每間學校會視乎入讀的特殊教育需要學生的數目而獲得對應的加強特殊教育津貼。在援助資金增加下，學校應該有更大的彈性和資金來支援有特殊教育需求的學生，但如何善用這些增強的支援津貼，惠及校內有特殊教育需要的學生往往就是支援是否到位的關鍵。就觀察所見，相同的資金援助下，校內有熟悉特殊教育的專才負責策劃、推行和監察的學校，他們的支援效率往往比其他學校為佳。
第二是聘請額外的特殊教育老師或專才。現時主流教學的老師的課時偏多，工作量大，庶務工作也相當繁重，教學、備課和庶務已佔去老師很多的工作和休息時間，再要騰出時間去照顧及幫助有特殊教育需要的學生，對老師而言，許多時都是心有餘，而力不足。近年教育局提出的一校一社工、特殊教育統籌教師等政策，都說明了在學校發展整全的成長及學習支援團隊實屬刻不容緩. 額外的特殊教育老師或專才能減輕一般老師的工作負擔，同時更能有效地處理和幫助特殊教育需要的學生。
第三是建立一個關愛互助，友善包容的學校環境。
有特殊教育需求的孩子，尤其是自閉症的小孩，他們往往不能正確或適當地表達自己的情感和需要。但是這並不表示他們不需要關懷和愛。他們和其他的孩子一樣，需要一個充滿愛和關懷的環境讓他們去感受和學習身。我曾遇過一個學生每到午膳時間便會在課室鬧情緒，後來我們發現那位學生是因為覺得午膳時，課室太嘈吵而感到很不安，因而情緒不穩。為了協助老師和那個孩子，我安排了他到校長室和我一起吃飯。那位孩子與我共度了四年的午膳時間，每天聆聽著他對人事物的獨特看法讓我對自閉症孩子的想法、處事和需要有更大的了解，也發現他們的學習能力很強，能一點一滴地明白一些社交和情緒的狀況，逐漸掌握到一些社交技巧。
畢業時，那位學生送了一對小熊給我。男小熊的手上拿着一束花。他對我說，以後我都不能和你吃飯了，那麼我送你一隻小熊，以後他就是我，陪你一起吃飯，女小熊的頸項圍有圍巾，是想提醒你冬天要注意保暖。他的媽媽熱淚盈眶地對我說：「我從未想過兒子竟然會主動要求買禮物，有意識地選購禮物以表達對你的協助的謝意。」過去多年與有特殊教育需要孩子的相處，見證了充滿關愛的環境可以讓他們學會關懷和關心別人，而這些經驗也成為我堅持去把融合教育做好的動力。
最後是適當的家長教育。
學校只是教育的其中一個部份。要有效地幫助有特殊教育需要的孩子，學校和家長必須互相信任，彼此配合。有特殊教育需要學生的家長需要明白他們的孩子和一般的孩子不一樣，接納他們的限制，尋找他們的強項，根據子女的需要並參考教師和專家的建議，從而作出適當的調整和幫助，就好像剛才一個很怕嘈吵的學生為例子，我們應該對有特殊教育需要的學生作彈性的調動安排和要求。如果家長只盲目地要求兒子必須與其他學生同一安排，反對學校的彈性處理做法，只會引發學生的情緒和行為問題。
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