UNDERSTANDING AND

MANAGING EDUCATIONAL
ISSUES IN PWS

Amalia Raluca Sabău

Psychologist, RPWA
Content

• Educational issues (legislation,

educational alternatives, strenghts and
needs of the child with PWS)

• Pragmatic suggestions and strategies

to help educators/teachers
The role of education…

To develop skills necessary for

integration into community, to
maximize child’s functioning,
independence and happiness
Education Legislation
• Article 15. - (1) Persons with disabilities have
free and equal access to any form of education,
regardless of age and according to the type,
degree of disability and their educational needs.
(Law nr.448 / 2006)
Education Legislation
• Identification
• Evaluation of the child by an
interdiciplinary team – standardized
intelligence tests
• Diagnosis
• Design of an Individualized Education
Plan (IEP)
• EDUCATION and related services
Educational alternatives
a) educational centers for inclusive education;
b) integration of the individual in mass education units,
including units in the languages of national minorities;
c) special groups or classes integrated in regular
(pre)school units;
d) educational services through itinerant / support
teachers;
e) home schooling until high school graduation, but no
later than age 26 years;
f) education during hospitalization;
g) educational alternatives.
Law 448/2006
Educational alternatives

Regular school with support teacher (school

counselor, speech therapist)

Special education school (speech therapy,

physical therapy, psychological
intervention)

Day care centers (NGO’s, public institutions)

Decision making
Parents decide!
based on

The needs of the child

The support (services) that school system is
able to provide in regular and specialized
settings
Medical issues with impact on the
educational process

• An altered level of arousal

• Pronounced appetite disturbance
• Diminished muscle tone and motor planning
skills

Have impact on classroom performance and

perceptions of the child with PWS by
teachers and classmates.
 Poor fine and
gross motor
skills
Attention deficit Poor impulse
control

Rigid thought process Lack of social

Child interactions

with PWS
Perseveration/
obsessive Expressive language
thinking

Weak short
Compulsive tendencies term memory
Strenghts
Education
Educationshould
shouldcapitalize
capitalize
on
onstrenghts!
strenghts!

• Long-term memory for information (events,names)

• Receptive language
• Multi-sensory learners (Visual learners)
• Hands-on experience
• Reading skills
• Social and friendly
Infancy
RECOMMENDATIONS:
• Rapid development and • Early intervention is
learning necessary

• Poor gross and fine motor • Focus on physical

skills stimulation,
communication and
• Limited expressive skills socialization
(difficulties in developmental
assessment,
underestimation of cognitive • Compensate for
abilities) limitations (physical and
occupational therapists)
Preschool
• 3 years – the child is RECOMMENDATIONS:
eligible for • positive behavioral
comprehensive school strategies, speech
programs therapy, physical therapy,
• Delayed motor skills a predictable environment
• Delayed speech abilities • Pre-academic learning
• Difficulties adapting to • Early social skill training
change – resistance to • A predictable daily routine
physical activities, • Restrict the behavior to a
frustration, tantrums certain place and time
School age
• Weak short term memory
• Difficulties to concentrate in settings with a lots of
distractors
• Difficulties in changing the directions once he gets on the
wrong track
• Difficulty understanding abstract concepts
• Poor motor skills
• Visual learners, learn better if he can verbalize material
• Disruptive behaviors
• Need great structure and routine
Recommendations
• Teaching rehearsal strategies
• Repeating and rephrasing verbal instructions
• Writing down lists of procedures
• Facilitating sufficient opportunities to practice
new motor tasks
• Physical education and therapy (useful for
the development of strengths, coordination,
balance, motor planning tasks)
Adolescence

• A challenging time
• Increased awareness of the differences
between themselves and their classmates
• Difficulties in develop and sustain
friendships
• Bahavioral challenges
Recommendations
• Schedules are needed (consistent, with a
minimum number of transitions)
• Focus on the practical use of learning
(application of math skills to manage money,
time)
• Skills necessary for community living
(enhancement of social skills needs to
continue)
• A course about sexuality, designed
specifically for persons with developmental
disabilities
Conclusions
• Awareness of the broad spectrum and
characteristic patterns of learning disabilities
• Behavior modification technique
• Need great structure and routine in their lives
– help them to review the changes
• Use different strategies and teaching
methods
For success…

Organize,
Repeat,
Enjoy!