Name: Saisa Claire S.
Abello Date: August 15, 2024
Course and Year: BSED- SCIENCE 2
THEORIES ABOUT SPECIAL EDUCATION OR SUPPORT SPECIAL EDUCATION
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its
whole life believing that it is stupid.” – Albert Einstein. This famous quote from a well known
perspective shows how Einstein advises against evaluating people's general intelligence or potential
using limited standards that ignore their individual talents and qualities. People should not be labeled
or rejected as "unintelligent" simply because they do not succeed at specific jobs; their genuine
"genius" may exist in other, less evident domains. The phrase promotes a more comprehensive,
empathic understanding of human strengths and potential. To support this statement here are some of
the theories that encompasses the depth of Special Education and supports it.
Constructivist Theories
John Dewey (1859-1952)
- Philosophical founder of constructivism.
Jean Piaget (1896-1980)
Jerome Bruner (1915- ) - Cognitive Constructivism – focuses on developmental stages and learning
styles
Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934) - Social Constructivism – how meanings and understandings grow out of
social encounters.
Ernst von Glasersfeld (1917-2010) - Radical Constructivism - Knowledge is the result of a self-
organized process and not necessarily a representative of the “real” world
Constructivist Theories assert that knowledge is a result of how people interact with their
surroundings and not a commodity that can be passed down from one person to another. To make it
simple Students apply what they're learning to their prior knowledge and experiences, resulting in a
reality that is unique to them. This learning paradigm emphasizes learning as an active process that is
distinctive and unique to each student.
Students have different backgrounds and privilege. An example for applying Constructivist
theory in a classroom is to allow pairs of students to teach each other. Learners pose their own
questions and seek answers to their questions via research and direct observation. They present their
supporting evidence to answer the questions. This creates a healthy and balanced environment making
each student feel involved with knowledge or not regarding the topic. For special education engaging
with this environment contribute to learning potential as it helps students create their own learning
and understanding.
Humanism Learning Theory
Humanism Learning Theory directly focuses on the idea of self-actualization. Self-
actualization is the realization and fulfilment of one's potential. Teachers can create an environment
where in students’ needs are net to get them closer to their self-actualization. Through emotional and
physical needs or by simply providing them a safe and comfortable place to learn is the most
conductive to helping students learn.
For example: Teachers must always be prepared to cater the needs of diverse students in any
aspects. Teacher Anne has a student with hearing impairment, in order to engage without a form of
discrimination she delivers the lesson through verbal and sign language. Soon the other students
learned to communicate and through this teacher Anne realized that her student has become more
active and involved during discussion.
Cognitive Learning Theory
The cognitive theory of learning delves into the mental processes that drive how we learn.
Unlike behavioral theories that focus on external stimuli, cognitive learning highlights how we
actively acquire, process, store, and retrieve data. It emphasizes the importance of current knowledge,
as new information is built on what we already know. Think of it as mental scaffolding. This theory
also recognizes how internal elements such as motivation and external factors such as social
interaction affect learning effectiveness. Within cognitive learning, there are sub-theories such as
Piaget's phases of development, which investigate how our thinking capacities change as we mature.
According to cognitive theory, both internal thoughts and external forces play a vital role in
the cognitive process. Students gain more control over their learning and conduct as they become
more aware of how their thoughts influence them. On teaching special education, it is a must to make
it clear that there is no correct way in formulating ideas as an example we must understand that if we
limit the imagination of an autistic person just because they’re different this impose that we are
limiting his or her potential by not giving them control over their cognitive response.
Trauma-informed Care (TIC) or Trauma-and Violence-informed Care (TVIC)
The TIC principles place a strong emphasis on the necessity of comprehending the extent of
what is considered dangerous and the ways in which trauma affects a person's ideas, feelings, actions,
relationships, and general health. Individuals who have encountered potentially fatal situations require
security, autonomy, and assistance in mending relationships. It is known that exposure to danger
affects a person's adaptive responses from the past and present as well as their information processing
habits.
Special needs and disabilities are not just physical; they can also relate to a person's emotional
and mental health. For instance, in terms of mental wellness. One of the most common mental health
conditions that interferes with day-to-day functioning, including schooling, is depression. In order to
increase the care provider's empathy and foster a sense of safety, a fundamental aspect of trauma-
informed care (TIC) is fostering a comprehensive understanding of the possible repercussions of
trauma. This contributes to the development of a caring atmosphere and a strong support network for
individuals in need.
Behaviorist Theories
Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936), Edward Lee Thorndike (1874-1949), John B. Watson (1878-1958), and
B.F. Skinner (1904-1990).
Behaviorism is an approach to learning. Behaviorists believed that learning occurs in reaction to a
stimuli. This response involves a physical change. Learning is crucial when behaviors can be
observed and measured. We can more easily measure the impact of a lesson aimed to influence
behavior, which is important to behaviorist theories about learning. Learning, according to
behaviorists, is 'a change in behavior', which could be as basic as a change in an individual's typing
speed, a new way of thinking, or understanding a difficult demonstration. This is because behaviorists
consider that all behaviors are acquired.
This means that any person (no matter what their ability) can learn and any learned skill can be
broken down and taught in a manner that is accessible to individuals with learning disabilities.
Finally, learning is viewed by behaviorists as occurring when there is a permanent change in an
individual's capacity to perform a skill.
In a study conducted by Snyder, a group of learning disabled students were taught how to read using a
phonics approach. The students were divided into two groups. One group was given M&M's for
correct responses and the other was not given anything. It was found that the group who received
M&M's learned to read sooner than the group who did not receive positive reinforcement (Skinner,
1974). While the use of food as a reward may be questioned, there is no doubt that the principles of
this case study can be applied to a real classroom. Learning disabled students often have a poor self-
concept and can quickly become discouraged.
Positive reinforcement can help to build a student's self-esteem and also promote good behavior and
learning habits. When handled effectively, punishment may be a powerful tool for changing behavior.
The objective is to achieve the appropriate balance between punishment and reinforcement. It is
critical for teachers to remember that the purpose of any punishment is to prevent a certain behavior
from occurring again in the future. Punishment is only effective when the pupil understands exactly
what he or she did wrong. It is also crucial to understand that if punishment is too severe or too
frequent, learning challenged pupils may grow upset and may develop additional emotional or
learning issues. Given the possible risks, special educators should carefully consider using
punishment and seek advice
from behavior management specialists.
REFERENCES:
Wikipedia, 2024
Source (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trauma-informed_care#:~:text=Harris)
Source (https://aithor.com/essay-examples/leading-theories-for-special-education)
