Mental Stress- A Hindrance in the Path of Learning for Special Needs Children

Disadvantages of Mental Stress for Special Needs Children

Mental stress not only affects special needs student’s learning abilities, but it also discourages students from taking up educational challenges that are necessary to live a productive and independent life. Without any help from parents and teachers, special needs children may not be able to deal with mental stress. The harmful effect of stress will cause students to develop many negative and inappropriate behavior patterns that may lead to poor academic performance. The outcome of stress on the innocent minds of special needs children may produce a damaging effect on their progress and educational development.

Special needs children are often caught in the hands of mental stress and painful suffering because they may not have the capacity to apply reasoning skills to difficult situations nor have the wisdom and experience to deal with daily life situations that may cause them stress in the classroom. Therefore, it becomes the job of the teacher and the experience of teachers to help special needs children to deal bravely with the different types of stress that could occur during the academic day. For the total cognitive and emotional development of special needs children in many respects, it appears to become the duty of teachers to help students deal with daily stress. Teachers daily take responsibility to help special needs children cope with stressful situations encountered in the classroom.

Role Played by Teachers to Help Special Needs Children Deal with Mental Stress

Stress in special needs children can be caused from factors originating from home, school, or society or sometimes can be self-manipulated. Stress may arise from any source; ultimately it will affect the overall development of a special needs child. Therefore, teachers dealing with special needs children have to carefully observe them during their interaction in the class. Teachers should try to identify the children with different physical and behavioral signs, and should able to formulate effective techniques to know the cause for the stress felt by their minds. Once the main cause for the stress is identified by a teacher, he/she can take appropriate steps to disconnect the stress from their minds. Teachers can effectively help special needs children in dealing with the stressful situations by taking them into confidence and turning their minds to some healthy activity.