GIVEN that other diagnostic tests and procedures are not fully available or applied vigorously, it is believed that many undiagnosed children in the school system suffer from Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Despite the disorder as a common disability, there is still a lack of awareness and many prejudiced feelings towards such people. This has filtered down into the school system. There are about 42 children in the public education system who have been diagnosed with autism.
These children and those with other special needs or disabilities, are monitored by the Ministry of Education’s Special Educational Needs (SEN) Unit, which has officers in five regions, and monitors 13 special needs institutions across the country country. “Recognizing that students learn differently provides challenges for the teacher. The response of the system will be slow as teachers are also people with many past prejudices and must learn to abandon those prejudices in attendance [of] the findings and changes that are happening in education worldwide, ”National Special Educational Needs Officer Savvie Hopkinson-Hamilton told the Guyana Chronicle in a recent interview.
The SEN Unit is a division of the National Center for the Development of Educational Resources (NCERD). The unit continues to strive to get teachers more aligned with the changing needs of the education system. “Over the past few years, the SEN Unit has provided ongoing training to equip teachers with the knowledge and skills to support the needs of students with special educational needs and disabilities including those with ASD. However, many teachers have not yet been exposed to specific training to work with students on the spectrum, ”said Hopkinson. ASD is a developmental disorder characterized by difficulties with social interaction and communication, and by limited and repetitive behavior. This presents challenges for the education system. “Every child with autism presents unique needs and behaviors, and requires support staff to help overcome many of the challenges faced in the classroom. What we’re talking about here is a major paradigm shift in education, ”Hopkinson explained to this publication.
Hopkinson said that despite the need for teachers to become more competent in dealing with the students, the ministry is aware of the challenges facing special needs teachers who deal with autistic learners, and those who deals with other types of special students.
“Autism is just one of the developmental challenges of learning that teachers face in every classroom. We cannot over-emphasize the value of teachers or minimize the huge tasks they face. The home and community are definitely in partnership with the school to prepare the nation’s children for today’s competitive environment, ”he said.
The unit is currently celebrating Autism Awareness Month with a number of activities throughout April. The activities, which started on April 1 and run until April 30, include a number of virtual awareness forums, sensitization events, awareness walks, a virtual concert, several radio and television broadcasts, a panel discussion and a debate competition secondary schools.
CHALLENGES
Hopkinson noted that, besides tearing prejudices, assessing children who may have the disorder also presents its own challenges.
“We can’t provide data for students on the spectrum in every administrative region, school or level. This would require comprehensive evaluations and monitoring to avoid labeling or misdiagnosis. The Ministry of Education Special Education Needs Unit is currently not equipped to perform full testing or work with the entire public school system but provides interventions where clear and obvious cases exist, ”Hopkinson explained to the Guyana Chronicle.
Even outside Guyana, diagnosing ASD can be difficult because there is no medical test, such as a blood test, to diagnose the disorder. Doctors look at the child’s developmental history and behavior to make a diagnosis. However, ASD can sometimes be diagnosed at 18 months or younger.
Through the MoE, learners are placed in special educational institutions, such as David Rose Special School where there is an Autism section dedicated to those on the spectrum.
“The SEN Unit consistently provides teaching / learning resources that match their learning styles. Special school students were given assistive devices such as tablets with software that matched their educational needs. Students are currently participating in home education since March 2020, ”said Hopkinson.
The ChildLinK organization is also involved in a project where it works with 26-30 learners on the spectrum in mainstream schools. There is also the Step by Step School, a charitable non-governmental organization, dedicated to providing a bespoke organization for children with autism.
Although the current situation in the public education system leaves much room for improvement, Hopkinson is hopeful that the system will one day become fully equipped to provide a comprehensive comprehensive evaluation through the Special Education Needs Unit and diagnostic services through ‘ r Regional Special Educational Needs and Disability. Diagnosis and Treatment Center.
“In this way development difficulties will be identified more quickly and interventions will happen sooner. This would result in all students with Autism receiving an Individual Education Plan (IEP) tailored to their specific needs and learning styles. Teachers and parents would work to the plans to support the child’s needs, ”he said.