Inclusive education gains mainstream acceptance

TIANJIN－Sitting upright dressed in a purple and white school uniform, 17-year-old Zihe was all ears as he attended his favorite history class in a middle school in Tianjin.

He sometimes raised his hand and answered questions, and sometimes took notes. Though he wrote the Chinese characters very slowly, his handwriting was neat and clear.

Zihe was diagnosed with Down syndrome when he was a toddler. It is a genetic disorder usually associated with delayed physical growth and mild intellectual disability. To convey a message of solidarity with people with Down syndrome, March 21 was declared World Down Syndrome Day by the United Nations in December 2011.

"When my son was diagnosed with Down syndrome at the age of 1, I was so saddened and could hardly accept the fact," says Suyun, Zihe's mother. Both Zihe and Suyun are pseudonyms.

Suyun made him learn Chinese characters word by word. "I opened my mouth much wider to let him watch my lips and tongue, and even touched his throat to teach him how to speak," Suyun says. Zihe could only utter his first word－mama, or mother－when he was 2.

Zihe was a quiet boy. When he reached school-going age, Zihe could not keep pace with his peers. He was enrolled into a special education school offering professional education to children in need.

Big changes took place in 2014 when Tianjin's Beichen district set up an education program, guided by the concept of inclusive education. The concept, originally proposed by UNESCO, respects individual differences among children and provides education to all without discrimination. It allows children with challenges to learn with their peers.

In 2016, Zihe became a beneficiary of the program by going to a mainstream primary school with a full-time teacher, who guided him to understand the rules of the school and build friendships with his classmates.

Through love and guidance from his family and school, Zihe made significant progress at the mainstream school. "His language skills improved quickly and he became more capable of expressing his emotions, and was more open-minded than before," Suyun says.

Three years later, Zihe entered middle school. This time, he could attend classes without a special teacher accompanying him.

"He was a little reserved and shy in a new environment. We paired him up with some classmates to let him know he was not alone and that he was an integral part of the class," says Zhou Hui, Zihe's teacher.

Moreover, the school tailored teaching plans for Zihe, including helping him to gain more knowledge in class and build friendships with other students, while paying attention to his emotional changes.

"It's still difficult for him to catch up with other students in math and English, but he is persistent and loves drawing, reading and being with his friends," Zhou says. Teachers from the special needs service and guidance center in Beichen district will also visit Zihe's school regularly to check on his condition.

Wang Jincheng, principal of the middle school where Zihe studies, says inclusive education provides a safer and more inclusive environment for children with varying functional needs, allowing them to be healthier physically and mentally, and to build relationships with their peers. At the same time, their peers can understand the meaning of care and love, experience the happiness of giving, and know how to respect others.

Hu Meifeng, principal of the special education school in Beichen district, says that more than 80 children from the district have joined the education program in the compulsory education phase, and more than 20 people have found jobs after receiving inclusive education.

"Inclusive education has become an important way to improve social adaptability and help them participate in public life," Hu says.

In China, more and more schools and welfare institutions are promoting inclusive education for children of different ages and with different health conditions, and help those with different functional needs to enjoy equal access to education and integrate into society in a better way.

Wang says inclusive education has been hugely beneficial. "We will continue to strengthen our relationship with special education schools," Wang says. "We hope more children like Zihe can receive a good education, and make the school a place with love and warmth."

Xinhua