Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
social environment. As a result, they receive little educational stimulation. Usually,
they have no strategies to cope with their intense experiences but aggression, anger,
and violence. More carefully stated, the interaction between their milieu and
personal development is very complex and diverse (Kultusministerkonferenz,
2000
).
1
Thus, the present study focuses especially on the effects of the inquiry
implementation regarding students
affect.
Students with emotional disorders need—more than other students—feelings of
success, ability, and social embeddedness to cope with their affective lability.
Teachers have to be aware of students
'
emotions to design the learning process
accordingly (Boekaerts,
2010
). “Emotions can overwhelm thinking and concentra-
tion so that intellectual efforts are swamped and rendered wholly ineffective”
(Alsop & Watts,
2003
, p. 1043). Learning opportunities are mandatory which
observe students
'
emotional stage next to their developmental age, their social
situation, as well as their individual prior skills and knowledge. Their horizon of
experiences can be very specific and this has to be taken into account in every
school subject to make learning meaningful for the students (Manske,
2009
).
Here, science is seen as particularly relevant as the students can learn about
nature and technology that is not only linked to their surroundings but also enables
them to extend their horizon of experiences. “Students with disabilities, many of
whom have had more limited life experiences, can benefit from the systematic study
of the world of living and non-living things” (Mastropieri et al.,
2006
, p. 131).
“Moreover, it ensures that
all
students learn about science and become scientifically
literate, which is a stated goal in the National Science Education Standards (NRC,
1996
)” (Trundle,
2008
, p. 80 original emphasis). However, the study of Maria, dos
Santos, and Fleury Mortimer (
2003
) shows that working with phenomena close to
students
'
surroundings is not enough to learn a science subject. “The competence of
the teacher in installing and maintaining a student-centred approach in the class-
room and her skilfulness [sic] in relating chemical knowledge to everyday phe-
nomena were not enough to guarantee an affective proximity between students and
school chemistry” (
2003
, p. 1109). The emotional reactions of the teacher and a
constant reflection of these reactions were crucial.
Other studies show that traditional approaches in science like the use of text-
books, remembering verbal instructions, or other language-based strategies are not
effective and can be demotivating for special-needs students (Scruggs et al.,
2008
;
Trundle,
2008
). Teaching strategies have to be applied that take their affective and
cognitive challenges into account.
'
1
It has to be acknowledged that attributes of the students cannot be taken as explanations for
difficulties in school. “More and more people are convinced that the medical approach of the
concept of
should be replaced with a more educational approach: the central focus has
now turned to the consequences of disability for education. However, at the same time it is clear
that this approach is very complex, and countries are currently struggling with the practical
implementation of this philosophy” (Meijer,
2010
, para. 3). This is also called “the social model
where a child is perceived as having an impairment, but is disabled by attitudes and the environ-
ment” (Kearney,
2011
, p. 6).
handicap
'
'
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