24-14
UNDERSTANDING CHILDREN
WITH SPECIAL PROBLEMS
GROUP DISCUSSION
Encourage a class or group
of children to talk about
children who have some
special problem or disability.
Ask questions like:
• Do you know any child
who cannot walk or run
or talk or play like other
children?
• Why can’t this child do
everything the same as
you can?
• Is the child to blame?
• How do other children treat this child? Are
they kind to him? Are they mean? Do they
make fun of him? Do they include him in
their games?
• How would you feel if you had a problem
similar to this child’s? How would you want
other children to treat you? Would you like them
to laugh at you? To pay no attention to you? To
feel sorry for you? To do things with you and
become your friend?
GAMES AND ROLE PLAYING
Children will better
understand the child
with a special problem
if they can ‘put
themselves in his
shoes’. They can
play a game in
which one child
pretends to have
a disability.
The other children act out different ways of
behaving toward the child with a disability.
Some are friendly. Some ignore him. Some make
fun of him. Some help him. Some include him in
their games. Let the children come up with their
own ideas and act them out.
After several minutes, another child can pretend
to have the disability. Let several children have
a turn with a disability. Try to make the pretend
disability seem real.
For example, to pretend one child is lame, the
others can tie a pole or board to one leg so the
child cannot bend it.
Then have the children run a race or play tag.
How well does the child with the ‘bad leg’ do?
After several children have played different roles,
have each of them discuss his experience with the
others: what it was like, what he felt, and why.
REMEMBER: Children are usually kind to a child
with a very severe disability. They are often more
cruel to a child with a less severe problem, such as
a limp.
THINGS THAT CHILDREN WITH
DISABILITIES DO WELL
A child with a disability cannot do everything
as well as other children. But often there are
some things she can do as well, or even better.
Try to have the children think of examples.
A child who cannot use her legs, who has to
walk with crutches, often develops very strong
arms and hands. Or a blind child may develop
unusually keen hearing.
Rather than feel sorry for the child and look
only at her weakness, it is better to recognize and
encourage her strengths. For example: