There are many pros and cons of labeling children in special education. As indicated by the word “pro”, special education labeling has its positive points and conversely it has negative aspects. Both pros and cons can have minimal to extreme implications. These implications can range from academic to personal impacts.
There are many pros academically for labeling a student as “special ed”. Mostly, this label, special ed, comes with a plethora of services. By being labeled, the student is afforded the opportunity to receive additional specialized educational support to improve academic growth. As a student with a disability, they may be eligible for an IEP or Individualized Education Plan. This would allow for specially designed academic instruction and/or accommodations, either conditional or non-conditional. In addition to specialized instruction, the instructional setting may prove to be an important factor. These are just a couple of reasons being labeled as special ed could be seen as a pro.
As with all good things, there is a propensity for negative effects of being labeled as special ed. There are many cons to this label. The major con is that the students self-esteem may be severely impacted, depending upon the students self-awareness. This self-awareness grows with age so the label may have more of an impact at the high school level vs. the elementary level. The level of awareness dictates the impact. This label may also lower the student’s expectation of