**** ETNI on the web http://www.etni.org.il http://www.etni.org **** Hi all, If you haven't yet participated in the present ETNI poll, please do so soon -> www.etni.org.il or -> www.etni.org Here are the present results and comments: "I feel I am qualified to teach students with learning difficulties because:" I am a certified teacher in this area ----------------------------------- 15% I have participated in at least one in-service course in this area ---- 14% I myself experience learning difficulties --------------------------------- 2% Someone in my family experiences learning difficulties --------------- 2% As a teacher, I know how to adapt my teaching to the individual needs of all of my students ------------------------------ 24% ===================================================== I do not feel qualified to teach students with learning difficulties ---- 36% Other - view suggestions -- 6% COMMENTS: -> We are working under adverse conditions and yet still expected to deal with special needs. Will try to learn more in the future. Without proper funding, these kids will never get the attention they deserve. -> I have been certified as a teacher of students with learning difficulties after completing a 2 year program at Beit Berl. During this program I learned special methods and acquired special tools and skills to help students with a variety of different difficulties. An English teacher no matter how qualified, patient, experienced, etc.. does not possess these skills and therefore in my opinion is not properly qualified to work with these pupils. -> special needs require special teachers -> I'd say a combination of all, including that I don't feel qualified. That's because there's such a variety of disabilities. Some I can handle, and some I can't, for objective and subjective reasons. Guess my answer is "all of the above. -> from my personal experience, many teachers who claim to be certified teachers in this field are not. -> Why should I feel qualified? Did I take courses? Did I choose to teach LD students and prepare myself for this? NO! Of course, when I was studying education, this didn't "exist" to the extent is does today. Now suddenly, I'm supposed to be qualified. I don't think so. So we told to something we're not qualified for and not getting compensated for. My daughter has learning difficulties so I am sympathetic to the problem, but that doesn't make me qualified or suited to teach her. -> The one thing that I realized after participating in several inservices on this subject over the years is that these students need experts to teach them and only after studying intensely in a course such as the one given at Bar Ilan could anyone even remotely think that they are expert enough to teach these students. The Ministry of Education should send and pay for several teachers in each school to learn in these courses. Perhaps the funding could come in place of the Moed Bet test -> able. One thing for instance, is to have them sit near the front so you can read aloud any text the class happens to be studying. Also, having extra pencils to hand out is good for those who often forget things (a common LD problem). I find myself collecting all the lost pencils I find on the floor around the school! Another good thing to remember is that LD students often work far more slowly than others so don't expect them to finish everything. Better that they do half the work - but do it well. -> There is a vast difference between being qualified to teach LD students and being able to do so in a classroom situation -> I feel inadequate both because of lack of specific training but far more because I have no time to devote to these students. I am pulled every direction by the demands of my students. It seems that the number of students with special needs is growing and we are fighting to keep up -> I have participated in several short courses but still do not feel qualified to teach pupils with learning difficulties. I have taught pupils with different degrees of difficulty & have had different degrees of success. However, I feel inadequate to the task and believe that only teachers with appropriate and specialized training should teach pupils with learning difficulties. ##### To send a message to the ETNI list email: etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ##### ##### Send queries and questions to: ask@xxxxxxxx #####