Trends and Issues in Consultation for Teachers of Special Needs Education: A Review

Abstract

The problems of teacher burnout and mental fatigue are worsening. Some scholars contend that teachers cannot form relationships with students who have various difficulties and needs. The present paper examines this idea with 2 purposes: (a) to clarify the relation between the difficulty of teaching and special educational needs, and (b) to clarify the difficulties of teachers and the special needs of students at various age levels, especially when transitions are involved. The categories studied were from infancy to elementary school; in the lower, middle, and upper grades of elementary school; the transition to junior high school; and in junior high school. The results indicated that students in the lower grades had difficulties because of hyperactivity and with personal relations; these problems may result in maladjustment. In the upper grades, teachers have problems due to their failure with students who have had an accumulation of troubles and have low self-esteem. Consultation support for teachers was discussed. Appropriate consultation can deepen teachers' understanding of age-appropriate difficulties, allowing them to retain a sense of competency. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)