Working with Maori Children with Special Education Needs

Who are Maori children with special education needs? Why would working with them be any different to working with other children with special education needs? Why is this a highly important job? This book provides essential information for those striving to provide culturally responsive, effective education for Maori children. Working with Maori Children with Special Education Needs emphasises the importance of learning from the past and listening to Maori children, their parents and wider whanau (families). It explores the key components of culturally responsive, evidence-based, special education practice; it describes holistic and inclusive responses to educating all tamariki (children), especially those with identified special education needs; and it discusses a paradigm for Maori disability identity-whanau haua. This book also features specific categorial studies, outlining Maori concepts and advising professionals. The studies explore the needs of deaf children and their whanau; outline general, educational and cultural barriers for Maori who are vision impaired or blind; and discuss physical disability, intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, and giftedness from a Maori perspective. This book then considers ways that teachers and whanau can capitalise on their respective strengths and knowledge in order to take joint responsibility for students' learning and behaviour.