Bagong Silang High School is a home of SPED students who are active, cooperative and always eager to learn and discover new things. Through the years, they have proven that disability is never a hindrance to success. Their achievements have inspired many students and teachers. They even made their way in the Inclusive Education by not being left out by their classmates in regular classes and in fact some of them even made it to Top 10 in their respective classes.
This time, as the world faces a great challenge, the PANDEMIC. Educational system was forced to abruptly change to meet the demands of this so called “New Normal”. Learners with Special Educational Needs (LSENs) are also greatly affected. Their exceptionalities made it very challenging to learn in a Blended Distance Learning System.
Currently, there are 52 SPED students enrolled in Bagong Silang High School, comprising the 33 Hearing Impaired (Deaf) and others are cases of Intellectual Disability (Mild Autism and Developmental Delay), and Physical Disability with two Low Vision students.
Since a lot of challenges are faced by SPED Students trying to cope with the New Normal. Teachers find different ways to reach their SPED students and provide services to help the learners accomplish their educational tasks. These are as follows:
Google Meets – it gave more opportunity for interaction but can’t be implemented regularly because it is costly on the part of the parents and some area have very low reception of internet signal so other can’t participate.
Signed Video Lessons and YouTube Video Interpreting – this has been beneficial to our Deaf students because of the availability of Sign Language.
Messenger Chat/Video Chat/Text Messages – Learners, Parents, and Teachers frequently communicates here due to convenience and low cost of data load. Activities, video lessons, and explanations were sent by the teachers and viewed by the learners to accomplish the tasks in the module.
Distribution of Modules and Donations to the Parents – module distribution are done weekly. SPED students get their modules on their respective regular classes where they were mainstreamed except those in the SPED Transition class where they get their module from their SPED Teachers.
Learners, in as much as they can, accomplish the modules for each subject every week. The tablets given by the Local government was a big help to them. Others resort to borrowing gadgets from their family member.
SUPPORTIVE FAMILY
Instrumental in the Success of their Child’s Education Specially during this Time of Pandemic
In the past years, parents or immediate family member of Deaf students were encouraged to attend Sign Language Classes offered for free by the teachers of the Deaf.
Not knowing that this has also been a preparation at the time like this, where parents and other family members will be the one to discuss the lesson to their child/learner with special needs.
The patience and perseverance of the parents and family members of our SPED Students are indeed commendable that it led to the successful education of their child at home.
Indeed, the determination of the SPED Students, Parents, and Teachers with the guidance of our administration will surely withstand the educational challenges of this pandemic.
TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!!