Disabilities attract bullies: A new study on students with disabilities and bullying

Many students with disabilities face more bullying and being left out in school compared to their classmates. 

To help teachers deal with and prevent this, the University of Missouri worked on an online training program.

Let's find out more about it.

A new program fighting bullying

The new program teaches teachers to build strong connections with students, notice when something might be wrong, include social and communication skills in their lessons, and give praise to students to make them feel good and work together.

Around 200 elementary school teachers tried this program, and it worked well. 

Now, they want more teachers all over the United States to use it, with the help of extra money from the government.

Teachers sometimes don't feel ready to handle bullying, especially when students have disabilities. 

These students can get bullied more because they are different in some way, like having a speech problem or walking differently.

This online training is helpful because it only takes about four hours to complete, while most other training happens in person and takes a whole day. 

The online lessons cover how to notice and deal with bullying, and how to make classrooms better so bullying happens less.

In one school district, teachers found it useful and it made them more willing to stop bullying when they saw it happening. 

The program suggests that teachers include social and communication skills in their lessons and praise students who are getting along well.

Why it's important

The main reasons bullying happens are because students lack social and communication skills. 

If we can make these better, bullying will decrease, and students will feel more confident, which helps them do well in life.
 

• Related news:
• research
• bullying
• disabilities
• children
• 9 September 2023

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