Sunday school teachers are used to working with mixed-ability classes. As in ecclesias, we do not separate off the intellectually bright from the slow. We can all learn from each other, appreciating the special contribution that each part of the body can make to the successful function of the whole.
Sometimes we may have in our Sunday school children who are “learning disabled”. They may have congenital abnormalities, like Down Syndrome; they may be brain damaged, or simply slow learners. They may have multiple handicaps. Some are easy to recognize by their physical characteristics. Others will be less obvious. But we shall soon be aware, as we teach them, that they have memory retention problems, difficulties with concentration and problems with understanding.
How like us! We have to admit that we are all “learning disabled” in the things of God. We hear the message and so soon forget it! We start the readings and find our minds wandering! We are all too often “fools and slow of understanding” in spiritual things.
If we remind ourselves of this, we shall be even more motivated to do our best for all the children in the class, whatever their capability. What is more, we shall encourage the class to respect all of the members. Cleverness is no passport to the kingdom. Humility and love are essential requirements. Children with learning difficulties provide a real opportunity for the strong to help support the weak. The disabled will often demonstrate strengths of their own that the more apparently capable may lack.
The Lord’s example
But how are we going to cope with such children and make their learning experience worthwhile, at the same time as managing the rest of the class? What did the Lord do with his slow learning disciples?
- He cut through the complicated burden of the teaching of the Scribes and Pharisees to get to the heart of God’s message. The key points of any effective lesson will be simple and relevant.
- With admirable patience he kept repeating the same points, over and over again.
- He made extensive use of visual aids, drawing on the experiences of his listeners.
- He engaged them in active learning. We all generally learn by doing faster than we learn by listening. He demonstrated his message and gave his disciples opportunities to have a go themselves! In fact the whole point of teaching people about God’s kingdom is to enlist them into active service now, in preparation for the future.
Keep it simple
Take the story of Naaman (2Kings 5). Much of the detail and KJV Bible language that the more able children can grasp will be lost on the less able: e.g., Syria, “mighty man of valor”, leprosy, mistress, prophet, talents, raiment, rending of clothes, flesh, rivers of Damascus.
But we might successfully link the story to the children’s own experience: being in someone else’s house without your own mom and dad, being kind and helpful to a sick person, going to the doctor (would taking a big present make any difference?), being obedient — medicine is not always welcome!
At the heart of the story is the lesson to be kind and helpful in all situations, and to be obedient to God. We shall want to emphasize that baptism is a key demonstration of such obedience. A simple proof, like “You must obey the voice of the Lord your God” (Deut 27:10), would be appropriate.
Of course, the lesson will not be all talk. Some activity will be needed — drawing and coloring, simple model-making, dramatization, filling in missing words, checking off the right answers, a simple word search. Clearly what is possible will depend on the capabilities of the class. Where there is a great range of ability and maturity, different activities will be needed to meet differing individual needs. The teacher’s knowledge and experience of each child is the guide.
Involve the parents
Education is a partnership, involving parents, students and teachers. Sometimes disabled learners are not easily able to communicate with parents what has gone on in the lesson. But if we teachers can get the parents working with us, how much more effective the process of learning will be. So we must talk to them, spend time finding out what they can tell us about their child’s abilities and interests. They can help us to find out what succeeds. We can seek their cooperation in preparing for the lesson, in following up by reinforcing the message, by ensuring that any follow-up task is managed successfully.
Above all we must remember that the key partner in our work is the Lord, himself. His attitude to us will be the inspiration for our attitude to each of our students!
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One