Mentoring Opportunities for Students with Special Needs

Abstract

In Hungary, special needs students include students with special needs, disadvantaged and multiple disadvantaged students and students undergoing long-term treatment. The number of students requiring special attention is increasing year by year, so they need increased attention and support. In our study, we present exceptional mentoring opportunities for these students. One of the experiences of digital education introduced due to the pandemic was that it was effective for students with the least attention, and the vast majority of disadvantaged students were excluded from education. Returning to attendance education has confronted students, parents, and educators that it is challenging for these students to “return” to education and fill gaps. Mentoring students can help them catch up, increase their knowledge, develop their personalities, and be more successful in school and everyday life. The paper provides an insight into domestic and international research on the above issues and analyzes the peculiarities and possibilities of educating and catching up with students with special needs based on their research and teaching experiences. The paper presents the mentoring programs in Hungary, which contribute to helping and catching up with students who need special attention.