Job Discussion Forums

[kovac]

Has anybody here had any experience with this ? One of my schools request I teach lessons to the "tsukushi" children. (mentally handicapped, elementary school)...Im at a loss what to do with them, I scale everything down to nursery grade and its nigh on impossible.

Anybody had any experience with this ? Any views on the conditions / treatment mentally handicapped children have in schools in Japan ? (Ive been quite taken aback...)

Yoroshiku

[Tonester]

Well from my experience, you could get them to say hello and shake your hand. Games like "Simon Says" where they can move can also be of benefit but what kinds of disabilities do those kids have?

Are they just mentally retarded, or are there disabilities such as Down's Syndrome or Asperger's Syndrome?

Some posts on genkienglish by a poster named "SEATAkun" who is a Japanese qualified special needs teacher gave some hints as to how to approach mentally handicapped children in an ESL class:

http://www.genkienglish.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=229&highlight=mentally+handicapped

[Lynn]

I taught special needs children for 2 years in the Japanese public elementary schools. At some schools I spent more time in the "sunflower" class than I did in mainstream. I think the staff didn't knwo what to do with me, so they just put me there. It was pretty intimidating and very frustrating at first. I didn't know what was expected of me and what is taboo.

At one school the "sunflower" class constisted of 2 autistic children, 1 downs syndrom and 2 others. I learned a lot about autism those 2 years. As for the lesson, the first few times I just tried to do it as usual, and I felt like I was talking to a wall. Eventually, we ended up sitting on the mats and the children would play with their puzzles and I'd play with them and just say the names in English. They never repeated after me, but the teacher thought it was good they got the exposure. That's all that was expected of me.

I also taught at the "sunshine" class room which consisted of 5 children, 4 of whom had emotioanly disabilities, which is a whole new ball of wax. Mayumi-chan barked like a dog. Two barks for 'yes', one bark for 'no'. She'd growl when angry and whimper when sad. Then one day, she turned to me and asked in perfect Japanese how dogs bark in America. I told her that little dogs barked "arf, arf" and big dogs "woof, woof". She laughed so hard. I was so shocked that she could actually speak. The teacher told me that she is a very smart girl and doesn't have any learning disabilities whatsoever. She acts like a dog to be loved. This sunshine class was pretty difficult because they were not mentally handicapped, but emotionally. Except for Ito-kun. He was mentally handicapped and he was huge. He slapped me on the face one day. I was so stunned. that was the first and last time I had ever been slapped on the face. It felt so terrible, shoch, shame, degrading all at the same time. I almost cried right then and there.

Anyway, to answer your question. In general, kids do not pick on the special needs kids. That is just way too "kawaisoo". In Japan handicapped kids are usually not mainstreamed, and the notion of equal rights doesn't exists like it does in the states.

[Iwantmyrightsnow]

[Celeste]

Depends entirely on the school adn the wishes of the parents. With the kids that I have worked with, I have used all kinds of activities. Some of the kids can who are mainstreamed just follow along with the regular English lesson. When I have been asked to teache at a school for the disabled, I have mad up lessons more tailored to them, but none of them were so severely handicapped as to be completely unable to participate. I use a lot of TPR stuff with these kids. Simon says, itsy bitsy spider,london bridge is falling down. Genki-ENglish songs are also good.

[kovac]

hmmm thanks for the input (though more is accepted if anyone has it)

Its a mixed class of mentally and physically handicapped (some students are both) ranging in varying degrees...from mild (ADHD) to severly mentally handicapped.

I identify with the "intimidating" thing..well not intimidating..just "shocked" the class room was in the basement bowels of the school, overwhelming smell of urine and feces and the teachers seemed a bit "heavy handed" with the students...(Do I raise this issue ? or is it widespread ?)

Its quite tricky to try and teach when one of the more "hyperactive" children is squeezing the poo through a physically handicapped childs trousers screaming "unko"....or the other kids are slapping another child so hard she just bawls and cries screaming "okasan tasukete"...Do I just go along and "play" with them ?

Some of them are alot of fun and when singing songs or doing activities are really engaged...but the teachers kind of sit expectantly thinking Im going to teach them English (mebbe im worrying too much about what they pick up, expectation, etc)

In the past I had worked as a mental health and handicapped care volunteer, but in my native language; I just cant tie "FELT" and "care" concept together at all....again should I just go along and go with the "care" concept ? (which might be tricky..this is the school I'm "Banned" from using Japanese...and to top it all..now they want me to teach the "tsukushi" children for 50 mins...while other children just have 20-30 min lessons)

doushiyou !?

[waxwing]

What on earth is the point of teaching a foreign language to children like this?
Wouldn't it be better to give them skills which help them to gain at least some independence?
May as well try to teach them calculus.

[guest of Japan]

I'd say the point is simply to give the Japanese teachers a break.

[Lindsay]

I used to work with adults with developmental disablilites. This was in Canada, and all communication was in English (except for Jason, who is a non-verbal paraplegic). I worked with individuals with Down's Syndrome, Autism, and a serious brain injury. I think it is great that people with developmental disabilites in Japan can have a chance to learn a little bit of English. One guy I used to work with, Brian, has Down's Syndrome and is an Elvis Impersonator! He would always ask me how to say things in French. He would have loved to attend lessons in another language. Ofcourse I understand that not all people are going to be like Brian and levels of understanding will vary. From my experience, I would just try to be their friends, and hang out speaking in English. I love people with Down's Syndrome, they are the sweetest most affectionate people!

[Lynn]

[Lynn]

[lajzar]

It depends on the schools. In one school I work at, he disabled kids were mostly in special classes, but would occassionally be taken to normal classes with a special needs supervisor. In another, they were mainstreamed.

Mainstreaming in Japan sucks, because in order to protect the disabled kids' right to a normal education, they feel it is inappropriate to tell anyone, such as part-time teachers (this definition includes ALTs) which kids are disabled. This has obvious potential for messing up your reputation as a responsible teacher.