Just found out you will be having a new student with special needs in your classroom? Feel a little intimidated? Well you’re not alone. Many teachers find themselves feeling out of their depth with the thought of teaching a student with special needs because they simply do not know where to start. While most have had some preservice training in this area, some might feel that they have not yet had enough experience to feel confident. Well don’t hit the panic button just yet because everyone needs to start somewhere. What you need to do is to build up your professional knowledge about inclusion and develop a framework to get you started.

By Alison Schofield

Alison is a teacher, practitioner, visionary and advocate in the field of disability and special needs education. She holds Master of Teaching and Psychology degrees from Canada where she also obtained a Special Education qualification and college diploma in Developmental Services. Alison has worked as a Coordinator and Behaviour Therapist with hard-to-serve individuals with autism, developmental and psychiatric disorders. As an educator, she has taught in both regular and special education settings. She has lived in the U.A.E. for the past 4 years. Currently she is working as an independent consultant while writing her first book, an educational resource.

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