How is psychological and pedagogical support provided for a child with special educational needs?

Psychological and pedagogical support is provided on the basis of rules and programs for assessing special educational needs:

• at the classroom level, teachers treat students using individual and differentiated approaches to teaching;
• at the level of SPPS specialists, educational organizations (educational psychologists, social educators, special educators, teaching assistants, career guidance teachers) using individually developing and correctional-developing programs;
•  at the level of educational organization with the involvement of specialized specialists (sign language teacher, typhlopedagogue), as well as in cooperation with interested bodies and organizations.

Psychological and pedagogical support is provided on the basis of rules and programs for assessing special educational needs based on a decision of the Psychological and Pedagogical Support Service and/or recommendations of the psychological, medical and Pedagogical Consultation (PMPC).

The content of psychological and pedagogical support for children with disabilities includes the following social and psychological and pedagogical conditions:

1) adaptation of general education curricula, preparation of individual development programs, individual curricula and programs;

2) changes in the ways of evaluating the results of education and training (student achievements). When the assessment methods change, control tasks and assessment criteria are selected, taking into account the individual capabilities of the student and taking into account the content of the implemented curriculum.;

3) the use of variable, special and alternative methods of education and training. The form or method of applying methods of education and training are adapted to the individual characteristics of the student (reducing the volume and number of tasks, reducing or increasing the time to complete tasks, simplifying learning tasks, using short and step-by-step instructions, speaking tasks aloud, providing samples of tasks, tables, reference materials). Alternative methods and technologies of education and training are used by educational psychologists and special educators in individually developing work with students with specific learning difficulties caused by disorders of certain mental functions (perception, memory, attention);

4) selection of textbooks, teaching aids, preparation of individual teaching materials. Special textbooks, workbooks and educational materials intended for visually impaired children (books with enlarged font, textbooks for the blind, printed in Braille; relief drawings, diagrams, special models), musculoskeletal system (large-print inscriptions), hearing (textbooks using symbols (sign language), video materials with titles, educational computer programs), intellectual disabilities (textbooks and teaching materials published for special schools of the appropriate type);

5) creating a barrier-free environment and adapting the place of study to ensure physical access to the educational organization for children with disabilities: with limited mobility (transportation to school, ramps, railings, lifts, elevator, specially equipped educational place (table, chair), common areas (toilet, dining room), visually impaired (blind, visually impaired) (tactile tracks, tactile signs, railings), with hearing impairment (visual tables, sound amplifying equipment). The adaptation of the educational place involves adapting the learning environment to the individual characteristics of children with disabilities (physical features (hearing, vision), behavioral features);

6) the use of equipment and furniture in accordance with the Standards for Equipping preschool, secondary education, and special education organizations with Equipment and Furniture, approved by Order No. 70 of the Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated January 22, 2016 (registered in the Register of State Registration of Regulatory Legal Acts under No. 13272) (hereinafter referred to as Order No. 70).

7) providing special psychological and pedagogical support to children with disabilities (by a teacher-psychologist, special teacher, teacher-assistant) based on the conclusions and recommendations of the PMPC.

Psychological and pedagogical support includes:

• identification of learning, upbringing and development difficulties and assessment of special educational needs of students, including children (persons) with special educational needs;
• advisory and methodological assistance to teachers and families of students, including children (persons) with special educational needs;
• creation of social, psychological and pedagogical conditions for successful learning, development and socialization of students, including children (persons) with special educational needs.