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Working with Special Needs Youth A goal of 4-H is to create an environment where all youth reach their fullest potential as capable, caring, and competent citizens. Inclusion means that people with disabilities have the same opportunities for involvement in meaningful and satisfying experiences as others.
Inclusion introduces special needs members to 4-H activities while allowing “typical” 4-H members the opportunity to develop skills in leadership and peer relations.
When working with special needs youth each activity may need to be broken down into its simplest form. Use step-by-step instructions and/or some of the following techniques: hand-over hand, visual or hearing aides, going at a slower pace, and allowing for mistakes. All youth should be encouraged to participate.
Adapting common 4-H activities for special needs youth is simple. Persons with disabilities feel more comfortable if few changes are made in an activity. Adaptations should suit ability, not disability. Encourage the youth with disabilities to suggest adaptations. For example, decrease distances in horseshoes, ring toss, and softball. Or, reduce the size of the playing field, court, or area.
Special needs youth want to participate. They prefer empathy to sympathy. Think of ways to include all 4-H members. Remember: 4-H is for everyone!
For more information, contact your local extension office. The 4-H Educator has two resources, the Winning 4-H Plan and a Sensitivity Kit, that contain useful information on working with special needs youth.
Connie Goble, Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development, Ohio State University Extension, Pike County, Ohio &
Nicola Eyre, Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development, Ohio
State University Extension, Highland County, Ohio.
Materials: Construction paper, two banners with the names “RESPECTFUL” and “DISRESPECTFUL, and a list of respectful and disrespectful statements.
Divide the meeting room into two sections, “RESPECTFUL” and “DISRESPECTFUL,” and label for the children to see. Take the respectful and disrespectful lists provided below and others that you add and write them separately on strips of construction paper. Make each statement seem positive, making no reference to whether it is respectful or disrespectful. Give each child a strip of paper and let him/her decide whether it is either respectful or disrespectful by having him/her stand on that side of the room. Go around the room to each child and read aloud his/her statement and discuss as a group if he/she is on the correct side of the room. Make this a great learning experience for the children by elaborating on each statement, asking questions, and/or getting feedback or reactions.
RESPECTFUL DISRESPECTFUL Be nice to everyone Insult others Be polite to others Hurt others Let people be themselves Mistreat or be mean to others Accept individual differences Make unkind comments about people Be honest Take advantage of other people Help others whenever you can Always get what you want Honor the rules Cheat on a test Do not bully others Lie to parents or friends Do not curse Make fun of people
Application: A portion of character building of young people deals with showing respect. This character building activity will either introduce or reinforce the concepts children should hold about respecting others. Respect can be described very simply to children by asking the following question:
How do you want people to treat you? The answer is probably how others want to be treated. This is showing respect.
Children need to show respect not only to people but to property, rules, differences in opinions and abilities, and to the environment.
Source: Ohio 4-H Cloverbud Curriculum. Series II “Building Character.” Author: Michael Gower. Make Respect-acles Respect-acles are a fun way to remind Cloverbuds to show respect to each other. Respect-acles are made from pipe cleaners. Form one pipe cleaner into a circle by twisting the ends together. Then twist the middle a few times to form the nosepiece. Shape each side into eyeglass lens. Wrap one pipe cleaner around each side and fold down end to go over the ear. Put your Respect-acles on. Wearing Respect-acles will remind Cloverbuds to look at others with RESPECT.
Source: “Respect-acles” is just one of the ideas from the University of Missouri's website that supports the six pillars of character. Check it out: http://4h.missouri.edu/go/programs/character/index.htm Special Needs Checklist for Volunteers This checklist offers tips for arranging the learning environment for the child with special needs. It is important to set the stage for learning so that the child is comfortable and relaxed.
Source: Living and Working with a Child With Special Needs, Kids With Special Needs, 1996—The Learning Works. Adapted by Nicola Eyre, Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development, Ohio State University Extension, Highland County, Ohio. 4-H Camp Designed with Special Needs Youth in Mind A special needs 4-H camp will be held at the Elizabeth L. Evans Outdoor Education Center at the Canter's Cave 4-H Camp on June 13-15, 2008. 4-H youth between the ages of 8-19 with multi-handicapped disabilities are eligible to attend this three day camp. Traditional camp activities such as: campfire, swimming, crafts, and nature study will be offered along with horseback riding, music therapy, and archery. Special activities will focus on rocketry. For more information and registration, please contact Connie Goble, Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development, Pike County. The phone number is 740-947-2121.
Connie Goble, Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development, Ohio State University Extension, Pike County, Ohio. Hello 4-H Cloverbud Volunteers!!!
It feels good to make another 4-H Cloverbud Connection with you! I would like to share a few pointers to keep in mind for motivating 4-H Cloverbud kids and for working with children from diverse backgrounds. Ten tools developed by Ripple and Griffiths (1996) are designed to do just that.
Tool #1 - Courage: Try different approaches to engage children when using the 4-H Cloverbud Curriculum.
Tool #2 - Fun: Allow for play, humor, and fun in the learning environment. Play is the vehicle for this to happen.
Tool #3 - Spontaneity: Allow children to be curious and spontaneous. Take advantage of unforeseen educational opportunities.
Tool #4 - Creativity: Stimulate children's creativity by being enthusiastic, novel, and outrageous.
Tool #5 - Ambiguity: Learn to tolerate uncertainty in children's interest and motivation. Accept their best efforts as they sort out their thoughts and impulses.
Tool #6 - Disorder: Be OK with some confusion and disorder during 4-H Cloverbud activities. Although once a particular activity is over, help the children to understand the need to clean-up and get the place back in order. This encourages responsibility.
Tool #7 - Daydreaming and Imagination: Children already possess an excellent imagination; we need to allow their imaginations and fantasies the time and place to operate without excessive demands.
Tool #8 - Respect: Don't criticize children's creativity and imagination. Respect it.
Tool #9 - Be Yourself: Be sincere and genuine with children. They know when adults or others are going through the motions.
Tool #10 - Honor Yourself: Respect yourself, both with who you are and what you are doing.
Thanks for all you do as a 4-H Cloverbud volunteer for improving the lives of children throughout Ohio!!
Scott D. Scheer, Ph.D. State Extension Specialist, Preadolescent Education 4-H
Youth Development, The Ohio State University.
Ingredients needed for one roll-up per person Meat (turkey, ham, etc.) thinly sliced Cheese (Provolone, Colby, Swiss, etc) Leaf lettuce Tomato, thinly sliced Tortilla shell Plates Napkins
Procedure: Have Cloverbuds wash their hands. Allow each member to choose the ingredients they want. Demonstrate how to assemble and roll the snack. Layer the ingredients on the tortilla shell. Fold up the bottom of the tortilla. Roll the tortilla tightly from one side to the other. Enjoy!
Joyce Shriner, Extension Educator, Family & Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Hocking County, Ohio.
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OSU Extension embraces human diversity and is committed to ensuring that all educational programs conducted by Ohio State University Extension are available to clientele on a nondiscriminatory
basis without regard to race, color, age, gender identity or expression,
disability, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, or veteran status. For disability
accommodations please call (740) 472-0810.
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Prepare a learning environment at your 4-H meeting.