Educational Assistants: Working With Exceptional Students

Cheryl Martin
Ms West
DEA 15128 1006
March 21st 2011
Working with Exceptional Children
The importance for an Educational Assistance in getting more general information about children with exceptionalities is needed because more schools across Canada are integrating more exceptional children into regular classrooms settings .According to a study that was done and revealed that in the mid 60’s there was about 1000 children with learning disabilities within the public school system, almost 20 years later, the numbers sky rocketed to be around 197,000 these numbers were mentioned in the EADP course.
These numbers are still growing and the concept of inclusion was first implemented in the mid
1980’s. Many institutions were shut down
This impacts educational assistants by having to upgrade their knowledge. The teacher’s responsibilities towards all students is to make them feel safe in the school environment. They are also responsible for planning a curriculum that will meet every students needs, to the child who are considered normal and to the children who are considered exceptional. In the teacher’s curriculum adaptation is needed so each child receives the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to progress in their abilities. With the help of an educational assistant who has received general information about children with exceptionalities the teacher’s work load is alleviated. Knowledge helps the educational assistant effectiveness in interacting with children who are exceptional. The educational assistant will have a better understanding of the teacher’s needs and the needs of children with exceptionalities. There is a broad range of different exceptionalities so the educational assistant need to be flexible and learn how to deal basis. The educational assistant will know how to carry out the program