Manual equips educators of normal schools to teach children with disabilities

الجمعة, ديسمبر 5, 2014

Press release

 

Manual equips educators of normal schools to teach children with disabilities

 Tirana, December 3, 2014– The number of children with disabilities in local schools has grown significantly, since Law nr. 69 passed (in June, 2012) prioritizing the inclusion of children with special needs into regular institutions, as opposed to isolating them in specialized facilities. After three studies that examined the educational situation of children with disabilities in Albania and at the request of teachers, World Vision Albania created a manual for educators on how to teach children with disabilities. The manual I am among you, different, equal” is full of practical information, recommendations, examples and was officially launched today, with support from the Ministry of Education and Sport.

“The pity that I used to regularly express to my student who suffered from autism did not help him,” recalls Gjovalin, a teacher from the Fushe-Mamurras area. “I understand only now that this was wrong. The best thing that I received from this manual was the tactics on how to help a student with disability to become independent,” he added.  Gjovalin is one of 339 teachers who have already received training from World Vision Albania in 10 districts (Tirana, Durres, Dibra, Shkodra, Lezha, Kurbin, Elbasan, Librazhd, Durres, Korça), on how to use the manual.

The Albanian Vice Minister of Education and Sport, Mrs. Nora Malaj called the manual ‘I am among you, different, equal’, “a very important tool for Albanian teachers. This manual meets a need of our kindergartens and schools and it will be a very valuable tool for our teachers in their everyday work,” she said. “I really have to thank World Vision for the hard and immense work [in the manual’s preparation].”

Inclusive education enables Erjola, a child with disability, to attend a regular school, teacher training will improve her experience

Two years ago, am 8-year-old girl named Erjola in Elbasan could not go to her local school. The effects of epilepsy made it difficult for her to walk. She also suffered from a mental health condition. As a result, she was sent to a special school in Elbasan. “During that time, World Vision started to organize awareness activities on including children with disability in mainstream education,” shared her story during the conference  Rein Dekker, National Director of World Vision in Albania and Kosovo. “We were approached by her grandfather who expressed his desire to bring Erjola in a normal school of their community,” he remembers. “This was a great desire, but Erjola’s teacher was hesitant because she did not know how to [treat] her in the classroom as there was no multi-disciplinary groups to support her and the other children still showed some forms of stigma when we talked to them about Erjola,” recalls Dekker.

A big change in a short time

“In these two years, we trained the teachers of this school on how to work with children with disabilities and the Students Government organized several activities to promote inclusive education in their school,” explains Dekker. “[The] students themselves organized an initiative to provide a wheelchair for Erjola so that her grandfather wouldn’t need to carry her all the time. Now, Erjola goes to the same school as her peers. She is supported by them in the class homework, her teacher has designed an Individual Education Plan for her and she is attending physiotherapy sessions,” he added. 

Putting practical tools in the hands of teachers

Inside the manual, teachers find specific chapters on how to work with students who have different types of limitations—physical as well as intellectual—including: autism, limited speaking, reading, writing and communication abilities, limited math abilities. The manual also helps teachers by giving them techniques to use with students who struggle with hyperactivity and dyslexia. In addition to the theory, the manual also presents real life case studies as well as a simple method to help teachers prepare individual education plans for each child with special needs in their class.

World Vision plans to train another 580 teachers during the coming year, in 58 schools across Albania. The organization has just sent the manual to be accredited by the Commission of Accreditations and Trainings (CAT), which is part of the Ministry of Education and Sport. The accreditation procedure will hopefully be concluded in February 2015. After this, the manual will be officially recognized as one of the tools for the Albanian teachers to be used in their classrooms so that children with disability can be included in education.

ENDS.

About World Vision in Albania and Kosovo

World Vision is one of the world largest humanitarian, development and advocacy organizations, working to improve child well-being in nearly 100 countries.

The organization began working in Albania in 1999. Today, approximately, 34,000 children are registered in its projects across the country. World Vision began working in Kosovo in 1989. The bulk of the organization’s work here is focused on peace building.

For more information, please contact:

Elda Spaho Bleta

 

Communications Advocacy Officer

World Vision in Albania & Kosovo

Office Phone: +355 4 22 58 333/4| Mobile: + 355 68 5015224| Email:
elda_spaho@wvi.org |
| Main office address: : World Vision, "Asim Vokshi" Street, USLUGA
Complex, Tirana, Albania|
| Mailing address: P.O.Box 1725 Tirana, Albania|
  meero.worldvision.org