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John Koonce

Ellis

EDUC 2301

11 November 2019

Teacher Engagement with Special Populations

All students deserve an equal opportunity when it comes to getting an education. This

extends from the gifted and talented students, to the mentally handicapped, as well as ESL

student and other special populations. It is a teacher’s job to make sure these students are

accommodated for and treated with respect.

When engaging with gifted and talented students the teacher must be prepared to

challenge students thought processes and responses. These are students who are high in potential

so it is imperative that they receive unique lesson plans so that they can receive the most

fulfilling education possible. Outside-of-the-box critical thinking skill should be applied by

students and encourage by teachers.

Special Education students should be payed the same amount of respect and dedication.

Disabled students should not be talked down to or patronized. What is truly important here is that

these students should be treated as regular people. These students should be accommodated for

whether they are handicapped physically or mentally. Providing classroom notes in handout form

or recording lectures can be beneficial to certain groups whereas enlarged print on presentations

or note sharing with other students can be helpful for other groups. Whatever the case, it is vital

that the professor identify and adjust to each student’s need.

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Another group I would like to touch on would be ESL students. These students will often

be bright but don’t have a full grasp on the English language yet. As a matter of fact, these

students could be very well educated. In this environment you must make sure your students are

comfortable so that they can engage with you and classmates, ensuring they get the most out of

the class. Providing constructive criticism and feedback is also very important in this class. The

best way to learn a language is to practice it and students need to be able to do so.

Whatever the case, when dealing with special populations like mentioned, you should

always extend your hand in respect as you would with anyone else. Being able to see the

potential in every student and understand their needs is a core component of being an educator.