Special Populations essay

Teaching students with different background and special needs may raise substantial difficulties, because the learning process will be different compared to a convention classroom. In this respect, students with disabilities will have different needs and requirements compared to the average learners, whereas the advanced learners will have different needs compared to the average learners and learners with disabilities and the same trend will be traced in the bilingual classroom. In such a situation, learning students of the 5th grade literature may raise significant barriers, which educators have to overcome. In this regard, the use of the technology and media can help educators to increase the effectiveness of the learning process and adapt to needs of the specific students’ group. In other words, the contemporary technology and media allow educators adapting the classroom environment and the learning material to specific needs of students and their current level of the academic development.

Using technology in the classroom with students with disabilities

Students with disabilities may need the use of special equipment and software. For instance, students with visual impairment may use PCs or laptops, which have voice software, which may provide instructions for students and allow them using PCs or laptops in the course of learning.

Students with hearing impairment, on the contrary, will need additional visualization of the learning material and the modern software and computers allow such visualization. As a result, they will learn more effectively and successfully. In such a way, the use of special software and hardware can help students with disabilities to learn successfully since the software and hardware will close the gap between them and other students, which do not have any disabilities.

Furthermore, students with disabilities may have additional support, while learning the new material. In such a situation, the software offering students assistance can be used to facilitate their learning and increase the effectiveness of learning. For instance, the use of Microsoft Word application can offer students an opportunity to check their writing and suggest eliminating possible errors, which they can make in the course of writing. As a result, students with disabilities can use the application to minimize their errors and to learn correct writing models.

Using technology in the classroom with advanced learners

Advanced learners may need the special software, while learning literature. For instance, users can create their presentations using software, such as Microsoft Power Point or any other application, which they can use. The creation of presentation is very useful for the development of students in the fifth grade. In addition, presentations created with the help of software help students to enhance their skills of using specific applications. In addition, such approach to their learning stimulates creativity of advanced learners, which is very important for them because they may feel bored, while performing routine tasks like many other students do on the regular basis.

Furthermore, advanced learners can create a sort of film or photo presentation, which they may back up with the material they learn. For instace, while learning a literary work, students can shoot a film or a series of photos, which mirror their attitude or interpretation of the literary work.

In addition, advanced learners can use modern telecommunication systems, such as Skype to communicate with each other or with other users. For instance, when they learn literature and develop their writing skills, they can communicate with professional writers or journalists.

Using technology in the classroom with bilingual learners

Bilingual learners have special needs compared the average learners as well as other learners discussed above. In this regard, the use of two languages is the distinct feature of the bilingual classroom. In such a context, the use of online dictionaries can be helpful, while learning literature to help them understand better the meaning of certain words. For instance, there are many words that have the similar written form in English and French or Spanish, but they have different meaning and, therefore, cannot be applied in the specific context. However, bilingual learners can fail to catch the difference and they may just misinterpret some words.

Furthermore, bilingual students can use visual media to learn information in any of the two languages, which they know. In such a way, they can watch films in any of the two languages they speak in the classroom and discuss them.
Finally, bilingual students may face the problem of the identity loss or mixed identity. In such a situation, the communication with successful representatives of their communities, who have already solved this problem, may be very helpful for them. In this regard, the use of online chats or Skype can help them to enrich their cultural experience and to tackle their identity problems.

Conclusion

Thus, taking into account all above mentioned, it is important to place emphasis on the fact that different groups of students have different needs. Students with disabilities need the learning environment that adapts to their disabilities and eliminates barriers that arise on their way to learning because of their disabilities. In such a situation, the use of the supportive software and hardware is helpful. Advanced students are successful in learning but they need challenging tasks and learning material that will make them keep on progressing. Otherwise, they will degrade and deteriorate their performance believing that they can cope easily with any task without making many efforts. At the same time, bilingual students also have special needs. They may use the full potential of the two languages, which they use in their regular life to increase the effectiveness of learning. At the same time, the learning process should also help them to tackle problems that arise in the course of their learning because of the risk of the identity loss and errors made because of similarities in words used in both languages, which they speak. Consequently, educators should pay attention to specific needs of their students. On identifying special needs of students, educators should elaborate the strategy that will help them to meet those needs and to minimize the risk of unaffordable difficulties. As a result, students will learn successfully and they will be highly motivated. In this regard, the use of the technology and media, as recommended above, can be very helpful. At any rate, modern technologies and media allow educators to tackle problems, which are unique for the specific classroom environment. More important, educators can use technology and media to maximize the effectiveness of learning, increasing students’ interest to the learning process and learning material.