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Unleashing the Power of an Individualized Education Plan

by Saurabh Gupta Digital Markter

In a rapidly changing world, the only way to truly progress is by creating equal opportunities for everyone. While this holds true for every person living on the planet, it becomes more important to apply the concept while dealing with children with special needs. In the words of Magic Johnson, “All kids need is a little help, a little hope, and someone who believes in them,” and as parents and educators, it is our prime duty to cater to their needs!

At the Excelsior American School, one of the top schools in gurgaon, we take holistic education for each of our pupils very seriously, and special children are equally inclusive in our aim when we say that! We have established a dedicated learning support unit for our special tots at our school that focuses on creating a holistic and inclusive learning environment for special kids with speech or learning difficulties. We have a team of expert educators, therapists, and counselors who work relentlessly to give every child a fun and fulfilling learning experience and equal access to a specially crafted curriculum.

If you are a parent to a specially-abled child or know someone who is, you have probably come across the term, Individualised Education Plan or IEP. But, like other aspects of special education, there is not much clarity on what comprises a good IEP and why your child deserves one.

So, in this blog today, we will shed light on this essential part of parenting and walk you through the meaning, components, and importance of having a well-structured special learning program for your child. Read on.

Decoding the Basics of an IEP

Special education has been a topic of controversy for the longest time. People have remained clueless about providing an equal opportunity for special needs children at par with others.

However, thanks to several national and international policy reforms and a tectonic shift in people’s outlook, there is a huge change today in the state of special education globally. In the following sections, we will discuss the history of IEP and the basic features you should look for while selecting a school for your child with special needs.

What is an IEP?

As the name suggests, an Individualized Education Plan or IEP is a personalized learning framework that adapts to the special learning and behavioral needs of every child who uses it. Simply put, it is like a roadmap for your kid’s education and personality development that uses small, achievable targets to answer an all-important question – Is the child picking up skills and learning how to operate in day-to-day life?

Think of IEP as a weighing balance. For successful implementation of an IEP, schools, and educators are on one side of the balance and parents on the other side. It takes continuous feedback and reassessment on both their parts to maintain the delicate balance.

Who Needs an IEP?

Any child who exhibits signs of learning or psychological difficulties qualifies for an IEP. There are several reasons why children might need a special learning program. While some may show learning difficulties, others may suffer because of psychological problems. This makes it crucial that the school your child goes to have a broad assessment criterion (in accordance with international laws). At the Excelsior American School, one of the best school in Gurgaon, we understand this and thus work with child counselors, doctors, and other skilled professionals to identify and provide inclusive support to our special needs students. Some of the common grounds include:

  • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
  • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
  • Speech, hearing, or sight impairment
  • Physical disabilities (PD)
  • Learning disabilities (LD)
  • Emotional disorders
  • Intellectual disability
  • Delay in normal development

What are the Salient Features of a Good IEP?

The overarching idea behind IEPs is to give every child an equal opportunity to attain formal education. Since every child has unique needs, an IEP must target exactly these pain points. Unlike other learning programs, an IEP is much more than just an academic learning program. It extends to helping children overcome their behavioral, social, and emotional problems. In essence, it gives them a renewed chance at a normal life.

Ideally, a good IEP should cover two fundamental aspects of child education –

  1. General Curriculum: The goal is to give the kids a holistic and inclusive curriculum based on their needs. The idea is to take a general curriculum used in schools and tweak it to fit unique needs.

 

  1. Extracurricular and Co-curricular Activities: Every child needs some allied activities to make the learning experience more meaningful and fun. Such activities help to boost their confidence and develop skills.

How Does a Good IEP Improve the Learning Outcomes and Standard of Life?

Now coming to the most critical question that the parents may ask – How will my child benefit from an IEP framework?

So, be assured that the benefits of enrolling your kid in a school that uses IEP guidelines are multi-faceted. These guidelines aid teachers and parents in coming up with a structured education plan. top 10 schools in gurgaon The annual goals are measurable and, most importantly, set by keeping the child’s learning patterns and challenges in mind.

Additionally, the framework improves the general quality of life for special children by empowering them with life skills and an education that is at par with other children. Here are some of the many ways in which IEP can immensely benefit your child.

  • Enables special children to attain international standard education – By accommodating the unique needs of children, IEP focuses on imparting the kids with international standards of education so that they don’t miss out on learning opportunities in any way.
  • Respects and accommodates emotional and learning needs – A well-implemented IEP framework involves the active involvement of different professionals like special educators, therapists, counselors, etc. They understand the individual needs of differently-abled children and plan their educational goals in a way that doesn’t put mental and psychological pressure on the kids.

Some other benefits of IEP include:

  • Increases self-confidence
  • Aids in the development of life skills
  • Gives a clear path for educational advancement

Summing Up

At Excelsior American School, one of the leading schools in Gurgaon, our goal has always been to provide our young budding geniuses with a holistic and meaningful learning experience,


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About Saurabh Gupta Advanced     Digital Markter

76 connections, 1 recommendations, 317 honor points.
Joined APSense since, June 28th, 2018, From Delhi, India.

Created on Oct 20th 2021 01:11. Viewed 312 times.

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