Teaching Emotionally Disturbed Children

Abstract

Even though emotionally disturbed children are often labeled as throwing tantrums, research suggests that this issue has grave consequences and should be held delicately. A teacher has an important role to play in this context, as suggested by this paper.

Abstractii

Introduction1

Definition of Emotional Disturbance1

Prevalence1

Discussion2

Reasons Accounting for Emotional Disturbance3

Problems in Identifying and Assessing4

Features of Disturbed Behavior4

What should be done by the Teacher7

Conclusion9

References10

Teaching Emotionally Disturbed Children

Introduction

Definition of Emotional Disturbance

Even though every human being experiences negative emotions at some points during his lifetime, the term “emotional disturbance” can be classified as those emotional and social disruptions that

(a) have such an influence on the individual that they disrupt/hamper his daily activities

(b) he or she is incapable of dealing with them

(c) they leave him socially and emotionally impaired (Mastropieri & Scruggs, 2010).

Prevalence

People categorized as being emotionally disturbed or having disorderly behavior signify a total of 8.1% of students under the IDEA (Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance). This makes up around 0.72% of American school population, as of 2002. Studies suggest this percentage is likely an undermined one and the real figure tends to be much higher, and that emotional disturbance is around 3 times more frequent in boys as compared to girls.

In children, emotional disturbance is a behavior that is exhibited as an abnormal part of the developmental process. It can be identified by several indicators, some of which include:

Failure to behave appropriately even in normal situations;

Failure of maintaining consistent relationships with family, friends, teachers, etc;

Exhibiting negative and disrupting emotions such as anxiety and/or depression.

Exaggerated fear of school, or of embracing difficult situations.

Discussion

All of these behaviors have significant implications for teachers of such students, since schools happen to be one of those places where such behaviors are identified for their existence. Therefore, this paper aims to provide an overview of emotional disturbance, its existence in children, and what their teachers should do in order to cater to the specific needs of such children and accommodate them within the classroom along with the rest of the students (McDowell et al., 1982).

Regardless of the time since they had been existent, the above mentioned behaviors receive attention after being consistently repeated and showing up on daily performance. For children, since they are of school-going ages, it shows up in their performance at school. People who have been identified to be having disturbed emotions show a diverse range of intensity, which may not necessarily be a permanent affect. When observed for frequency of and specification, the outcomes included several emotional disturbance disorders including selective mutism (the inability to speak in certain conditions), schizophrenia, aggressive and extreme non-conforming behavior (including disorderliness). All of these behaviors are directly correlated with certain psychological conditions, such as anxiety, self-mutilating behavior, withdrawal from society, extreme or abnormal aggression, inappropriate conduct, occurrence of phobias, as well as psychosomatic problems.

As per the IDEA, children who are incapable of adapting to social situations would not be considered as emotionally disturbed unless they also show other signs of ...