OVERCOMING DISABILITIES WITH TANGO

Students with special education needs performed tango with the support of students of Child Development Program, Vocational School of Health Services, Izmir University of Economics (IUE) and students of Care and Rehabilitation for Disabled People Program of Atatürk Vocational School of Health Services, Ege University.  

Students in groups or in couples danced at the performance that took place on campus of Ege Artı Special Education and Rehabilitation Center. Special students had a chance to dance and express themselves socially and emotionally. IUE students Deniz Tuna, Canset Çalışkan, and Tuğçe Gayretliler and Ege University students Necmettin Kaman and Hüseyin Öncü also accompanied the young talents.

Songül Özgün, Lecturer, IUE Vocational School of Health Services, Child Development Program, stated that equipping students with special education needs with independent life skills was an important goal of education. Özgün said, “Working with disabled children in order to raise them as individuals who can establish good relations with others and adapt to their environment prevents them from becoming marginalized. Activities such as sports, dancing, etc. especially allow students with special needs to express themselves freely. They experience success when they feel approved in such activities. So, when working with special needs children, planning activities by taking their social and emotional development into consideration would contribute positively to their development”.