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Many parents and teachers do not understand the importance of proper assessments in special education. These assessments are not the same as those conducted in mainstream school to evaluate whether or not a learner has learnt up the pre-set curriculum for that particular academic year.
Assessments in special education are 2 pronged - one for diagnosis purposes and the other as diagnostics to inform modification of intervention. Very often, I get told that our assessments at Sri Rafelsia are costly but really they aren't. Reason being, our assessments are done on both domains - diagnostic and diagnosis levels. Other places, typically only carry out assessments on one level - diagnosis.
Spending money on education is a worthy investment especially if you child has a specific learning difficulty, is high functioning and therefore, has a high IQ. Look at how successful others with specific learning difficulties have been in the past - Steve Jobs, Agatha Christie, Michael Phelps, Tom Cruise, Lisa Ling etc
However, each one of these people received proper quality intervention and assessments for them to achieve their highest potentials. Parents must understand that to train well in special education is not cheap. And, someone who claims to be a special educator but only has a certificate or a diploma cannot be nearly as good as someone who has higher level training. A special educator is a teachers first, who has then, gone back to study and specialise in special education. They are most definitely not someone who has a degree in geology, law or computer science and then gone on to do a dodgy 3 - 6 month certificate or diploma course. How can one call themselves special educators when they are not even trained teachers and yet were allowed to do a Masters degree in special education? In Malaysia, all this is possible.
Parents, have to be weary and discerning in order to gain the best services for their children with special educational needs. How many parents have told me that they went to numerous places that claimed to be able to help their child, only to find out at age 12 years, that their child still is unable to read or comprehend a short passage, or understand word sums. It saddens me that there exist individuals who, for a few bucks, are willing to destroy another person's future.
Sometimes, it is difficult for parents for to realise that a programme or a tutor is not able to address the needs of their child. Special Education is not about a curriculum. It is about the individual learner's ability to absorb, store and apply new knowledge. The keyword is ability. If someone in special education is pretty much acting like a tuition teacher, then, you don't need them, just get a tuition teacher. Special Education focuses on skill building - cognitive skill building and that is why, assessments form a vital part of what we do. Assessments need to be re-done to measure effectiveness of intervention every 9 -12 months. No use is going on and on not knowing if its working or not. Each learner is unique, so some methods that work on others may not work on some learners.
Anyways.. be discerning and know that assessments are a pivotal in special education. Not just the administration of tests but more importantly the INTERPRETATION of test results!
Assessments in special education are 2 pronged - one for diagnosis purposes and the other as diagnostics to inform modification of intervention. Very often, I get told that our assessments at Sri Rafelsia are costly but really they aren't. Reason being, our assessments are done on both domains - diagnostic and diagnosis levels. Other places, typically only carry out assessments on one level - diagnosis.
Spending money on education is a worthy investment especially if you child has a specific learning difficulty, is high functioning and therefore, has a high IQ. Look at how successful others with specific learning difficulties have been in the past - Steve Jobs, Agatha Christie, Michael Phelps, Tom Cruise, Lisa Ling etc
However, each one of these people received proper quality intervention and assessments for them to achieve their highest potentials. Parents must understand that to train well in special education is not cheap. And, someone who claims to be a special educator but only has a certificate or a diploma cannot be nearly as good as someone who has higher level training. A special educator is a teachers first, who has then, gone back to study and specialise in special education. They are most definitely not someone who has a degree in geology, law or computer science and then gone on to do a dodgy 3 - 6 month certificate or diploma course. How can one call themselves special educators when they are not even trained teachers and yet were allowed to do a Masters degree in special education? In Malaysia, all this is possible.
Parents, have to be weary and discerning in order to gain the best services for their children with special educational needs. How many parents have told me that they went to numerous places that claimed to be able to help their child, only to find out at age 12 years, that their child still is unable to read or comprehend a short passage, or understand word sums. It saddens me that there exist individuals who, for a few bucks, are willing to destroy another person's future.
Sometimes, it is difficult for parents for to realise that a programme or a tutor is not able to address the needs of their child. Special Education is not about a curriculum. It is about the individual learner's ability to absorb, store and apply new knowledge. The keyword is ability. If someone in special education is pretty much acting like a tuition teacher, then, you don't need them, just get a tuition teacher. Special Education focuses on skill building - cognitive skill building and that is why, assessments form a vital part of what we do. Assessments need to be re-done to measure effectiveness of intervention every 9 -12 months. No use is going on and on not knowing if its working or not. Each learner is unique, so some methods that work on others may not work on some learners.
Anyways.. be discerning and know that assessments are a pivotal in special education. Not just the administration of tests but more importantly the INTERPRETATION of test results!
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great
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