Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/places-for-all-children-building-environments-for-differing-needs/5009340/
Increasing inclusion of children with differing abilities in early childhood classrooms is one of the most exciting developments in education today. It reflects the coming together of two professions, each of which has a strong tradition to contribute. What early childhood education has to offer is developmentally appropriate practice: how to design curriculum and implement a program based on child development theory that promotes child-initiated and active learning. What special education brings is a strong focus on individualizing: identifying each child's strengths, interests, and needs in order to adapt the curriculum to promote individual growth.While the move to inclusion may have begun as an issue of simple justice, we are now beginning to understand and appreciate the far ranging benefits of inclusion for everyone involved. All children learn best in an environment appropriate for their individual stage of development, an environment that emphasizes initiative and active exploration. Studies have shown that children with special needs, in particular, thrive in situations where adults encourage them to select their own play materials and initiate their own actions, and when adults respond to children's actions and encourage verbal and nonverbal communication.
The opportunities for all children ...