The Importance of Personalized Attention in Special Education Settings

You will often hear learning disabilities programs advertising the personalized attention and instruction that they give to their students. It is generally considered an essential part of ensuring special education programs are successful. That is because every student is an individual, with their own strengths and weaknesses, and every good teacher recognizes that.

What do we mean by personalized attention?

Personalized attention is when a teacher regards each student as a unique individual, and adjusts their instruction accordingly. Rather than having one template and using it for every child, they will take the time to identify every student’s strength and weakness to ensure that lessons can be tailored to their needs. This can manifest as multiple check-ins with the student, providing various visual aids, and many more. 

Why is personalized attention so important?

It is a common refrain that if you have met one person with autism, you have met all persons with autism. The same is true of intellectual disability and other forms of learning difficulty or neurodiversity. Whilst a diagnosis of a certain condition may imply certain traits, the exact way those traits manifest can differ widely and does not necessarily take into account individual interests and personalities. As each student will have their own particular strengths and weaknesses, the most effective classroom instruction will take that into account and will work with the student at their current level.

This approach will allow each student to feel valued as an individual. It will also give them the opportunity to display their strengths, and, therefore, develop a sense of accomplishment and self-worth. They will be better motivated and more engaged in their own learning. Meanwhile, they can work on building the skills that they find challenging and alternative teaching methods can be developed where the traditional approach may not be effective or accessible. Realistic, achievable goals can be set and progress can be monitored based on each individual’s starting point and likely attainment, rather than on arbitrary or grade-based standards. Some skills may be viewed as less achievable, or unnecessary for their stated goals, and the pressure on the student can therefore be relieved. Goals are recognized beyond the academics and for individual.

How can learning disabilities programs ensure every student receives personalized attention?

There are a few ways that special education programs can ensure that students receive the personalized attention they need. One of the most significant is the individual education plan (IEP), developed in consultation with the student, teachers, parents and other relevant persons such as doctors and therapists. This will set out a unique path on which the student should progress throughout the year, acknowledging their distinct strengths, weaknesses, interests and needs. Instruction should be delivered according to the IEP, but adjusted as necessary depending on how the student develops through the year. At Brighton, we also value the opinions and goals of parents, and we ensure that we receive parent’s input when creating IEPs for students.

Another part of ensuring personalized attention is small class sizes. It is impossible to treat each student as an individual when you are trying to manage dozens of children at the same time. Smaller classes ensure that every student can be seen and heard, allowing more time and space for individual adjustments. Additional staff, or the use of teaching aids and assistive technology, can also help manage a class so everyone receives enough attention, even if they need alternative methods of communication to do so.

Conclusion

If you want a student to be successful in school, they need to have access to a specially tailored program that responds to their unique needs. Only by acknowledging their individuality and adjusting lessons accordingly can you be certain that they will receive the most appropriate instruction for their specific strengths and weaknesses.