Class: Pre-School Level 4
Term: Third Term
Week: 8
Age: 5 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Social Habits
Curriculum Theme: Social Habits
Previous Lesson: Showing kindness and respect to elders and peers.
Topic: Identification of Children with Special Needs, Love and Care
Subject Matter: Children with Special Needs – Children who are: visually impaired; hearing impaired; physically disabled, autistic children, etc. Weekly focus: Children with Special Needs: Identification, Love and Care.

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

Cognitive Domain

Identify different types of special needs in children, such as visually impaired or physically disabled, when shown pictures.
State simple ways to show love and care to children with special needs.

Affective Domain

Express willingness to be friendly and kind to children with special needs.
Show empathy towards children who are different.

Psychomotor Domain

Demonstrate through role-play how to interact kindly with a child with special needs.
Participate in singing a song about kindness and inclusion.

Share ideas on how to include all children in play activities.
Practise being patient and understanding with others.

Reference Materials

NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 4
Early Childhood Care and Education resources
Relevant picture books on diversity and inclusion

Instructional Materials

Charts showing children with different special needs (e.g., a child in a wheelchair, a child with thick glasses, a child using a hearing aid, a child communicating differently).
Posters promoting kindness and friendship.
Video clips showing children with special needs interacting happily.
Puppets or dolls to represent children with and without special needs for role-play.
Picture cards depicting various ways to show care (e.g., helping a friend, sharing, playing together).

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps 5-year-olds understand that some children have different abilities or needs, fostering empathy and acceptance from an early age. By learning to identify and care for children with special needs, pupils develop crucial social skills like kindness, patience, and inclusion, which are vital for building a harmonious community both in school and beyond.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils have previously learned about showing kindness to friends and family, respecting others, and understanding that people can be different in many ways (e.g., height, skin colour, hair type).

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Children with Special Needs: Identification, Love and Care

Some children are born with or develop certain differences that make them need a little extra help or care. These children are called “children with special needs.” They are just like us, but their bodies or brains work in a slightly different way.

Types of Special Needs and How to Identify Them

Visually Impaired Children: These children cannot see very well, or at all. They might wear very thick glasses, use a white cane, or have a guide dog. We can help them by describing things and being their “eyes.”
Hearing Impaired Children: These children cannot hear very well, or at all. They might wear a small device behind their ear called a hearing aid, or they might use sign language to talk with their hands. We can help them by speaking clearly and facing them when we talk.
Physically Disabled Children: These children have difficulty moving parts of their body. They might use a wheelchair to move around, or crutches, or have trouble walking or running. We can help them by making sure paths are clear and including them in games they can play.
Autistic Children: These children’s brains work a bit differently, so they might think, talk, or play in different ways. They might not like loud noises or bright lights, or they might prefer to play alone sometimes. We can help them by being patient and understanding their unique ways.

All children with special needs are unique and wonderful. They want to play, learn, and have friends, just like everyone else.

Showing Love and Care

It is very important to show love and care to children with special needs. We should:

Be friendly: Say “hello” and smile.
Include them in play: Ask them to join your games, and find games everyone can play.
Be patient: Some children might take a little longer to do things or communicate.
Offer help: Ask if they need help (e.g., opening a door, picking up a toy), but always ask first.
Do not tease or make jest: It is unkind to laugh at or make fun of anyone, especially those who are different.
Treat them nicely: Always be kind, gentle, and respectful.

Kindness and Inclusion Song

Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”

We are friends, both big and small,
We play together, one and all.
Some can run and some can see,
Some hear sounds, happy and free.
Different ways, we learn and grow,
Kindness to all, we always show.

Actions:

“Big and small”: Stretch arms up high, then bring them low.
“Play together”: Clap hands together.
“Run and see”: Pretend to run, then point to eyes.
“Hear sounds”: Cup hand to ear.
“Different ways”: Wiggle fingers.
“Kindness to all”: Hug self, then open arms wide.

How to use the rhyme: Sing this song to reinforce the message that all children, regardless of their differences, should be treated with kindness and included in activities. Encourage pupils to perform the actions as they sing.

Watch and Learn About Being Friends

Let’s watch a video about how we are all special and can be friends together.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_D-v121N9U

Key Words

Special Needs – When someone needs extra help or care because of how their body or brain works.
Visually Impaired – Cannot see well or at all.
Hearing Impaired – Cannot hear well or at all.
Physically Disabled – Has difficulty moving parts of their body.
Autistic – A child whose brain works in a different way, affecting how they communicate and interact.
Love and Care – Being kind, friendly, and helpful to others.

What the Teacher Should Show or Draw

Display charts and posters showing children with various special needs (e.g., child in wheelchair, child with glasses, child with hearing aid).
Draw simple stick figures showing children playing together, with one child using a crutch or having a different way of communicating.
Show pictures of children helping each other.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Play-based Learning, Demonstration, Guided Practice, Songs and Rhymes, Storytelling, Picture Talk, Question and Answer, Role-play, Discussion, Video Presentation.

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engagement/Recall

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and leads them in a short “Hello, friends!” song. The teacher then asks pupils to recall what it means to be a good friend and how we show kindness to others.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings, sing along, and share ideas about being a good friend.

Learning Point: Pupils recall the importance of friendship and kindness.

Step 2: Presentation – What are Special Needs?

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Visual Aid

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the topic “Children with Special Needs.” Using simple language, the teacher explains that some children are a bit different and need extra help. The teacher shows a chart with diverse children and asks, “Do you see how we are all different? Some children have special needs, which means their bodies or brains work differently.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the charts and listen attentively to the explanation.

Learning Point: Pupils understand the basic concept of “special needs” as differences requiring extra care.

Step 3: Identification of Different Special Needs

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Identification/Examples

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher uses picture cards and posters to introduce specific types of special needs mentioned in the subject matter:

“This child cannot see well, so they are visually impaired.” (Show picture of child with thick glasses/cane).
“This child cannot hear well, so they are hearing impaired.” (Show picture of child with hearing aid).
“This child uses a wheelchair to move around, so they are physically disabled.” (Show picture of child in wheelchair).
“This child might talk or play differently because their brain works uniquely; they might be autistic.” (Show picture of child engaging in a unique play style).

The teacher asks pupils if they know any children like these in their neighbourhood or school.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils look at the pictures, listen to the descriptions, and identify any children they know who might have similar needs.

Learning Point: Pupils can identify various types of special needs through visual cues and simple explanations.

Step 4: Rhyme and Discussion on Love and Care

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Reinforcement/Discussion

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads the pupils in singing the “Kindness and Inclusion Song” with actions. After the song, the teacher asks, “How can we show love and care to these special friends?” The teacher guides the discussion, emphasizing being friendly, including them, being patient, and not teasing.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing the song with actions and contribute ideas on how to show love and care.

Learning Point: Pupils reinforce the message of kindness and inclusion through song and discussion.

Step 5: Video Presentation and Reinforcement

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Visual Learning/Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the short video “Sesame Street: We All Sing with the Same Voice” and plays it for the class. After the video, the teacher asks simple questions like, “What did you learn from the video?” or “How did the children in the video show friendship?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the video and respond to the teacher’s questions.

Learning Point: Pupils visually reinforce the concept of diversity and inclusion.

Step 6: Role-Play: Showing Love and Care

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Practical Application/Role-play

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher sets up simple role-play scenarios using puppets or by assigning roles to pupils (e.g., one pupil pretends to be visually impaired, another helps them to find a toy; one pupil is in a pretend wheelchair, another invites them to play). The teacher guides the pupils to demonstrate how to be friendly, offer help, and include everyone.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils participate in short role-play scenarios, demonstrating acts of kindness and care towards children with special needs.

Learning Point: Pupils practise showing love and care in practical scenarios.

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 4–5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher checks pupils’ understanding through short questions and practical tasks.

Show a picture of a child with thick glasses. “What special need does this child have?”
“Name one way you can show love and care to a friend who uses a wheelchair.”
“What should we NEVER do to a child with special needs?” (Expected answer: tease or make fun).
“Can children with special needs be our friends?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond orally and demonstrate the required skill where appropriate.

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes

Teaching Skill: Summarization/Encouragement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarizes the lesson by reminding pupils that all children are special and deserve love and care. The teacher encourages them to always be kind and inclusive to everyone they meet. The teacher leads a final chant: “Be kind, be fair, show love and care!”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils repeat the chant and promise to be kind and caring friends.

Learning Point: Pupils internalize the importance of kindness, love, and care for all children.

Lesson Keywords

Special Needs – When someone needs extra help or care.
Visually Impaired – Cannot see well.
Hearing Impaired – Cannot hear well.
Physically Disabled – Has trouble moving.
Autistic – Brain works differently, unique ways of interacting.
Kindness – Being nice and friendly.
Care – Helping and looking after someone.

Differentiation

Support: For pupils who find it difficult to identify the different needs, the teacher can use fewer examples, provide clearer, larger pictures, or use hand-over-hand guidance to point to features on the charts. Repetitive oral drills and pairing with a more confident peer can also help.
Extension: For pupils who quickly grasp the concepts, the teacher can ask them to suggest more ways to help or include children with special needs. They can also be encouraged to describe a specific scenario where they would show care, or to lead a small group in a role-play activity.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Before this lesson, prepare your charts, posters, and picture cards carefully to ensure they are age-appropriate and respectfully depict children with various special needs. Ensure the video clip is pre-screened and ready to play. The main idea children must understand is that differences are okay, and everyone deserves kindness, love, and inclusion. Be sensitive when discussing special needs, using positive and empowering language. Avoid using terms that might be perceived as negative or pitying. Encourage pupils to share their own experiences or observations respectfully. When pupils role-play, ensure a safe and supportive environment where all attempts at showing kindness are praised. Observe if pupils can correctly identify different special needs from pictures and articulate simple ways to show care. Their ability to participate in role-play and discussions, showing empathy, will be key indicators of understanding.