The article “Social–behavioral skills of elementary students with physical disabilities included in general education classrooms” written by Coster, W. J. and Haltiwanger J. T. in 2004 discusses the problem of teaching the children with physical disabilities. It is the main idea and the purpose of the research related to this problem and helpful for those who work with such children. Specifically, the research evaluates the strengths and limitations in the social–behavioral skills of elementary students with physical disabilities included in general education classrooms. The researcher chose 62 students (37 boys and 25 girls) who require the special education as the subjects of the analysis. Results of the research demonstrated that although the students with physical disabilities performed the results below the grade, they provided a good level of the skills rather than the capability to perform it.
The research is informative and provides the clear and comprehensive results. Thus, the authors claim that the students with physical disabilities usually leg behind in schools not due to their inability to study appropriately; however, those students are inconsistent to perform their skills on the same level with other students. Additionally, this particular kind of research was conducted for the first time; therefore, the novelty of this research is obvious: analysis of the behavior of the students with physical disabilities presented the new perspectives for the psychological development of children. However, the main limitation of the research is that it gives pieces of advice how the problem may be eliminated but it does not indicate the items of its nature and reasons.
The article dwells upon three key elements such as the level of social and behavioral skills of students, strengths and limitations of the performance and the issues indicated the problematic areas of social and behavioral function of students with physical disabilities based on social and initiative judgment. The research provides the ideas that help to understand why students with physical disabilities leg behind and what measures should be done in order to solve this problem. The inconsistency to perform on the same level with other students should encourage teachers to create the particular programs and to use the individual student-based teaching approach. Additionally, the article demonstrates the dependence of students’ grades from the social-behavioral functioning when the students with physical disabilities consider themselves as limited in this direction. The authors are sure that the correct approach to each student and the ability to satisfy the needs of students with physical disabilities will lead to better outcomes in the future (Coster, Haltiwanger, 2004, pp. 99).
After consideration of this article, I clarified the social-behavioral situation in class with students with physical disabilities. The awareness of the problem may help realize the particular information for teaching students. The understanding of the students’ inconsistency to get higher grades may help me change the program according to the demands and necessities of students with physical disabilities in my class in order to help them get more knowledge with the same efficacy as other students. Christian principles in teaching require being more patient and tolerant with all students and especially with those who demonstrate the lack of confidence due to their physical disabilities. Additionally, it is possible to notice that students are able to perform the information; however, they are restricted by some particular social-behavioral issues. This information helps me understand the reasons for students’ low grades and, as the result, I can help them study better by using the individual approach to each of them.
Reference List
Coster, W. J., & Haltiwanger, J. T. (2004). Social–behavioral skills of elementary students with physical disabilities included in general education classrooms. Remedial and Special Education, 25(2), 95-103.