Regarding the correspondence and support for students with learning disabilities: Cooperation with school, parents and facilities

Abstract

This case study reports on the understanding and communication that was undertaken with a student with learning disabilities who had entered general high school. He was unable to communicate with other students, often overly responding to small stimuli with panic. The student asked for help from his homeroom teacher, grade manager, guidance counselor and the school health teacher (the author) to aid him in coping with stressful situations. Several approaches were undertaken to assist the student. These were: (1) To fully understand the nature of his learning disability I communicated with him in school, gathering knowledge, information and support from him, his family, family doctor, the educational center and from meetings with parents of children with learning disabilities. (2) To hold the students behavioral acts as a result of a secondary disorder to a minimum, the sick bay was designated as a place where he could go to calm down and have some relief time. I then worked on developmental and educational tasks by using other students from different grades to establish contact with the student while he was taking time out in the sick bay. Through this he was able to establish communication with other students beyond his grade level. (3) While supporting the student I also supported the homeroom teacher so as not to affect his classroom management. (4) I also offered him information regarding his future course. Practical reports on students with learning disabilities in general high schools are few. In this case a systems approach was used in cooperation with the students surrounding the learning disability student, the parents, and the various Institutions involved. The cooperation of the aforementioned is a vital part in the support of a student with learning disabilities.