BY SHARON DALTON WILLIAMS
THE CHURCH DOORS ARE OPEN, the lights are on, music is playing softly in the sanctuary, and smiling people are gathering together quietly, catching up on the week's activities while waiting for Sabbath school to begin.
ou've studied all week, made your teacher's notes in the margin of the Sabbath school lesson guide, and are ready to open God's Word to the class. At the appointed time you take your place at the front of the sanctuary, signaling the start of the program.
During the first song Gary eagerly bursts into the sanctuary, as he does every Sabbath. And yes, he has his football helmet on again. You inadvertently groan inside because even though Gary means well, he is a disruptive influence in your class. It's really not his fault; he's developmentally disabled, and there just isn't another class that meets his needs. It doesn't have to be this way.
Do you have developmentally disabled members in your church? Have you been frustrated because you want to meet the spiritual needs of these dear souls, but they don't seem to fit in either the adult or the children's Sabbath school classes? Then take heart. You can have a special Sabbath school class that fits just right.
Completing a Pass
Sally Pierson Dillon has a mission: to equip those who have a heart for the developmentally disabled. Dillon is the author of "Emmaus Eyes," a regular column in the Sabbath school Leadership magazine. This column is written with suggested tools, ideas, and activities to help Sabbath school departments teach the regular adult Sabbath school lessons to their developmentally disabled members, thus helping them to meet the spiritual needs of this special group of people within our church.
Dillon states that developmentally challenged members tend to fall into one of four categories:
Primarily nonverbal, needs assistance with some activities of daily living, and uses a wheelchair.
Verbal, though sometimes difficult to understand, and able to move about on their own.
Verbal, able to move about on their own, can read simple sentences, and find and recognize numbers.
Reads, has been to school, has learning and reading disabilities, and has some behavior problems.
The suggested Sabbath school format is to begin with all adult Sabbath school members in one place for the opening exercises, e.g., song service, Mission Spotlight. This breaks down the stigma of being "different" and helps the developmentally disabled member feel a part of the whole. Public schools are doing this in mainstreaming their special education students, except for sessions in which the material is specifically geared to various cognitive levels.
Once the opening program is complete, the members separate into individual classes—one being for the developmentally disabled. This class studies the regular adult Sabbath school lesson adapted to the members' cognitive levels. The goals of the lessons, crafts, and activities are to personalize each member's relationship with Jesus, learn stories about His love for them, and learn Christian values.
Preventing a Fumble
Below are six issues that face teachers of developmentally disabled classes, as well as positive ways these issues can be addressed.
1. Respect. Provide a name tag for each class member. This is a good way to remember the members' names, and the name tags also encourage other church members to personally address these individuals.
In general, the name on each member's name tag will be written in the way each one would like to be addressed. If you desire to be called Mrs. Wilson, then the same courtesy should be given to your developmentally disabled class members, and their names should be written as Mr. Smith or Miss Danport. It is important to treat each member with respect.
2. Promote Active Learning. Rather than lecturing during the entire class, it is important to have several short segments of varying activities, both listening segments and doing segments. This will break up the teaching time into easy-to-learn nuggets, help those who have shortened attention spans, and give all the members the opportunity to learn Bible truths, because all learn in different ways.
3. Use Age-Appropriate Illustrations and Activities. Make sure that the illustrations used while teaching show people who are close to the same physical development of the members of the class. Rather than using a picture of a small child praying in church, the picture of a young adult kneeling may be more appropriate for the class members.
Another example of using illustrations that are not close to the same physical development of the members can be seen in a picture that shows a little girl standing on a stool helping her mother wash dishes. This illustration was used in a class of developmentally challenged adults to teach being helpful to others. After church some of the class members went to their group home and climbed onto kitchen stools, standing and spinning high above the floor because that is what they had learned in Sabbath school.
It's important to remember that developmentally challenged class members will take the illustrations and activities literally, so care must be given in what is chosen for teaching tools.
4. Music. When choosing songs to sing in class, it is important to use wording that is appropriate for the class members. For example, in singing a song about sharing, rather than using "I have two dollies and I am glad," this can be changed to "I have two sweaters and I am glad." Rather than teaching about sharing toys, lessons about sharing the radio or the television remote could be substituted.
5. Adaptability. You will need three characteristics as a teacher: adaptability, adaptability, and adaptability, with a little flexibility thrown in!
There will be times when the best-laid Sabbath school teaching plan will not work. At those times, be flexible, and lovingly plant whatever seeds of truth can be planted that day.
6. Know Your Participants. It is important to know as much as possible about each member in the class.
Get to know the member's caregiver. Find out how to contact the caregiver in case of an emergency. Learn about the member's living arrangement: alone, with family, in a group home, etc.
Does the member have seizures? If so, he/she may wear a football helmet to church to protect the head during episodes.
Learn the member's dietary habits. Serving punch and cookies after class would not be good for diabetic members.
Learn the member's toileting schedule and whether or not he/she needs reminding.
Learn the member's medication schedule and whether or not reminders are needed.
Learn the member's birthday and any other important occasions in his/her life. Make sure to personally acknowledge these special occasions and celebrate with the member.
Learn as many other things as possible to help make the Sabbath school class a personal, enjoyable experience for all members.
Going for the Touchdown
You may be thinking that you do not have any developmentally disabled members in your church who need a class. However, potential members could exist in your community, and who are waiting for such a class to learn about Jesus.
Reach out to these beloved souls in your church membership and in your community. Utilize the resources provided in "Emmaus Eyes" and in Sabbath School Leadership and involve those in your church who have heart to reach the developmentally disabled. Even those who come to church in football helmets can experience the joy of God's personal love.
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Sharon Dalton Williams is a freelance writer living in Laurel, Maryland.
