Inclusive education

ak299 Active member

30POSTS

10 years ago

Hi All,

I am going to Kuwait to teach this August and have found out my school doesn't have an SEN department. Is this common? Coming from Engliand, it wasn't even a question I asked at interview because I assumed everyone would have an SEN department - very naiive in my teaching career so far.

I was wondering if anyone in Kuwait could tell me about how children with special needs (dysleixia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, autism, ADHD, etc) are included? Are schools selective, are children with SEN in mainstream (private or state) schools or are they given their own schooling? If anyone has any more information that would be great.

I realise I should have done more research before!

Thank you.

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lovinghimQ8 New member

9POSTS

10 years ago

Very interesting topic! I would also like to know about this information. Did you learn anything?

Ribosom VIP Member

944POSTS

10 years ago

My wife is working in a school as a counsellor, and from what I have heard there is no special care for children with special needs even though there are many. So yes, it is common unfortunately.

lovinghimQ8 New member

9POSTS

10 years ago

So what do the kids with special needs do?!?!

Ribosom VIP Member

944POSTS

10 years ago

They are mixed with other kids so both sides are suffering.

legacy Kuwait Expert

3431POSTS

10 years ago

there are schools for special needs in Kuwait,, I suggest you contact Dasman Model School and inquire there - the problem is most parents with kids with special needs face stigma in fessing up to it, so they insist their children should be enrolled in regular schools.

1 member reacted to this post

lovinghimQ8 New member

9POSTS

10 years ago

That's sad.... just because a child has special needs does not make the child stupid. It usually just means that they need extra help with certain things. The kind of help that a regular school wouldn't offer there. It is not something to be ashamed of. Special needs students can be just as smart, if not smarter than a regular student but their knowledge may need to be expressed in a different way other than a standardized test.

kuwait411 ViP

231POSTS

10 years ago

If the kids don't 'look or act' like they have disabilities then they are indeed enrolled in normal schools but are then labeled the 'slow' kids or the ones with behavior problems. There is Dasman as stated and they do deal with children with mild disabilities like ADHD or dyslexia. Kuwaiti disabled kids can find more resources but the family of expat kids have to pay. There is ABC Kuwait which teaches children with autism, I think they do collect money to go towards helping families who can't afford it but it runs into the thousands of KDs.

ak299 Active member

30POSTS

10 years ago

Thank you so much, all of this is extremely helpful. I will be teaching full-time but my Masters course is specialising in special needs so I wonder if I can contact ABC and Dasman to help with my course?

I would count dyslexia as a very mild extra need, would they really send children to a separate school for that?

Do you think schools would be open to setting up SEN departments and get support in place or is that too culturally different?

lronalds New member

7POSTS

10 years ago

#10

I'm a British expat living in kuwait with a child on the spectrum. The concept of inclusion does not exist in any of the schools in the middle east. My son goes to a private special education school. The fees are prohibitive but the level of care and attention he is given is second to none.