Discuss with them how it makes them feel when they see wheelchair users or people with very obvious special needs. Is it always possible to see if a person has special needs or not? How has access and provision for people with special needs changed since you were their age?
Also, when you are walking around school, in a public place or at the park talk to them about whether people with special needs could access the buildings or equipment the same way they do. What things can you see that have been put in place specially for people that may have special needs...
The different special needs we will be focusing on in this unit are:
Dylexia, Dysgraphia, Dysphasia, Dyscalculia, Dyspraxia, Autism, Aspergers syndrome, ADHD, ADD, Cerebral Palsy, Down syndrome, Visual impairments (varying degrees of blindness), Hearing impairments (varying degrees of deafness), Epilepsy and mutes.
There are many other kinds of special needs but we have decided to limit our inquiry into the above.
Your children are not required to start their research until we have had our session in the library with Mrs C !
This unit may well evoke some feelings of sadness or may make children uncomfortable but we are hoping that after this unit we will have a better understanding about people who are different to us and be more open-minded about this important part of our society.
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