Challenges and Strategies in Teaching Children with Learning Disabilities: Basis for Behavioral Modification Intervention

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Educating children with special needs in the Philippines reveals a difficult challenge. Educators, as key figures in the successful implementation of education policies and competencies in this field, are of utmost importance and play a vital role in the implementation of Special Education classes. Inability to assess the pupil's strengths and weaknesses and lack of expertise in handling varied behaviors and strategies minimize and lessen the achievement level among pupils. This inspired the researcher to suggest recommendations and an intervention program for all Special Education teachers to enhance their services by modifying the challenges and identifying the strengths and weaknesses of teaching strategies.

METHODS

The researcher used a teacher-made survey questionnaires. These were used to measure the level of teaching strategies and the extent of how teachers assess Educational Services for children with learning disabilities. The questions were focused on the challenges in the teaching processes such as lesson and materials preparation, actual teaching, evaluation and dealing with children with learning disabilities through different teaching strategies.

RESULTS

The following conclusions are generated from this study:1) teachers generally encountered challenges and problems in handling children with special needs inside the classroom like lack of expertise in instructional supervision, lack of funding resources to support teaching-learning process, and insufficient supplies of textbooks; 2) respondents perceived that there is a significant difference between encountered challenges in special education, teaching strategies, and pupil's performance; 3) this study also perceived an assessment on the respondents' result that a Behavioral Modification Intervention focusing on classroom challenges and enhancing strategies can be given to children with learning disabilities to cater to their special needs.

DISCUSSIONS

The results demonstrate the need for a Behavioral Modification Intervention that would address the problem in teaching children with special needs. This requires directed individualized and intensive remedial instruction. In view of the effect of teaching strategies, Individualized Interventions must be given, directly targeting specific learning difficulties in instruction, resulting in better learning and life skills outcomes for children with disabilities.