SPECIAL NEEDS EDUCATION

                                           -IN PRESCHOOL,

                       -http://www.european-agency.org/nat_ovs/finland/4.html

                                    Goals in preschool education

n  The role of pre-school education shall be to promote children’s growth into humane individuals
and ethically responsible membership of society by guiding them towards responsible action and
compliance with generally accepted rules and towards appreciation for other people.

                                  The role of preschool education

n   The core role of pre-school education shall be to promote children’s favourable growth,
development and learning opportunities. It shall support and monitor physical, psychological,
social, cognitive and emotional development and prevent any difficulties that may arise. Early
childhood education and care, pre-school education and basic education form an integrated whole
progressing consistently in terms of children’s development.

                                         Special supporting

n  Special supporting pre-school education is needed by children, whose conditions for development,
growth and learning have been affected by illness, disability or reduced functional ability. In
addition, children in need of psychological or social support for their growth shall receive special
support

                                            …supporting

n   Children whose development according to experts in education and pupil welfare services and
parents or other guardians, involves risk factors related to learning potential, shall also be
entitled to special support. In addition, special support in pre-school education shall be provided
for children, who are within extended compulsory education or whose basic education has been
deferred until one year later, and for children admitted or transferred to special education during
pre-school education.

                                        Learning enviroment

n  The physical and social learning environment and the necessary support services in children’s
pre-school education shall primarily be organised so as to enable children to participate in group
activities as fully as possible.

                                     Individual education plan

n   A child’s pre-school education plan shall be drawn up for each child in need of special support
together with parents or other guardians and the relevant experts

n   The plan shall include the objectives set for the child’s growth and development and an
assessment of the child’s strengths and risk factors and difficulties related to learning.

                                            …individual

n   The plan shall indicate any change needs related to child’s learning environment and the support
and pupil welfare services required for participation in instruction, the bodies responsible for
those and the monitoring and assessment of progress.

n   The plans for those children admitted or transferred to special education shall be prepared in
the form of personal plans covering the organisation of education