Coping with Handicapped and Exceptional Learners by Student Teachers of Tertiary Institutions

Abstract

This paper takes into cognizance the fact that student-teachers are teachers in training who will come across different types of students in school while they are on teaching practice and thereafter. Like the actual teacher, they need to know the needs of individual learners in order to assist them for better performance. This paper therefore highlights the characteristics of handicapped and exceptional learners in schools. This is to create awareness among the student-teachers and intimate them on the need of these categories of students in order to cater for them for effective learning and attainment of educational goals at that level and beyond that level. The paper recommends among others that teachers should not isolate the learners as a result of their handicap or exceptionality, give group activities that will involve the handicapped and exceptional learners as members or as leaders and arrange the class to favour these group of learners though not at detriment of other learners.