Today, I will examine the notion that children with severe to profound intellectual disabilities are capable of learning. This document will focus on understanding the various learning domains, including early learning and lifetime learning, education and care, and skill development. Now, let's examine what is being learned.

The definition of learning is acquiring new information or abilities. This can be accomplished by instruction, experience, practice, or study. Children with intellectual disabilities are frequently perceived as incapable of learning and incapable of acquiring new information. This is a fallacy. Intellectually disabled individuals can and do learn. When we think about intellectual impairment and how it affects different learning areas, we frequently focus on the intellectual disability itself, yet every child learns and develops skills in multiple learning areas. So, what are the primary developmental learning areas?

There are four primary developmental learning domains. Also known as development areas; physical or body, cognitive or mental capacity, social or communication, and functional ability. In each of these domains, the child acquires skills sequentially and in a particular order. Typical or normal development is described as the average or anticipated growth of specific physical, mental, social, and functional milestones across specific age groups. We shall examine skill development a little bit later.

We can use regular developmental milestones as a reference for children with intellectual disabilities because our goal is always to get the child to the next stage of skill development. Physical or body needs include aspects such as gross and fine motor, meaning large and small muscle movements, and sensory-motor, which involves the body's Physical or body needs include aspects such as gross and fine motor, meaning large and small muscle movements, and sensory-motor, which involve the body's Possessing some memory and focus abilities.

Social skills include communication, the ability to comprehend others or express oneself, as well as sharing and interacting with others. Social and emotional skills include the ability to correctly express feelings to individuals or in groups. Functional ability includes daily actions such as eating, dressing, using the restroom, and bathing. Early and lifelong learning includes playing correctly with items or people and playing with purpose or meaning. There are a variety of developmental stages and factors that influence the development of intellectually disabled children.

 Let's proceed to early childhood education and lifelong learning. Early learning implies that a child requires early stimulation and learning for optimal growth. Children develop the foundations for greater ability and future potential through early learning experiences and learning opportunities. When a kid has developmental delays, he or she requires early stimulation and activities to aid in the development of all body and mind systems. Therefore, early childhood education is extremely vital for our children with severe to profound intellectual disabilities. The development of all children is influenced by numerous factors, including early stimulation, in addition to intellectual disability. Some of these aspects include social, psychological, and biological factors that have a significant impact on our early development.

The location and context in which we reside have an impact on our learning possibilities, health, and family structure. This is also true for children with intellectual disabilities. It is vital to remember that the earlier we initiate learning and development stimulation, the better off the learner with severe to profound intellectual disability will be in the future. It is essential to recognise that human development is a continual and lifetime process when it comes to learning. Lifelong education When assessing the development of children and young people with intellectual disabilities, it is essential to examine learning from a lifelong perspective. Personal development occurs throughout a person's lifetime, and we've gained knowledge from a variety of life situations. Play. Play should be a component of early stimulation and learning for children with intellectual disabilities since children learn through play.

The most effective technique to promote a child's development and well-being is through play. When we play, we provide children with the opportunity to engage in activities that promote their growth. We learn by movement, touching items or toys, singing, smiling, and using body language while playing. Play is also the best way for a child to acquire new information or experience. Children play naturally, and when we want to teach them something, we can motivate them to practice new skills in a fun and engaging way by including play. Children can develop their creativity, imagination, functional skills, and physical, cognitive, and emotional strength through play. Play is essential for healthy brain development, and it is through play that young children learn to engage and interact with their environment. Play enables children with severe to profound intellectual disabilities to create, explore, and conquer their fears of the outside world.

When we, as adults and caregivers, play with our children, we teach them new skills that lead to increased self-assurance and the fortitude, or resilience, they will need to confront future obstacles. Let's shift our focus to education and care. It is essential to keep in mind that education occurs outside of official education settings. Education is the process of learning, and learning can occur anywhere. Education occurs through care for our children with intellectual disabilities; how we care for and nurture our children with special needs is crucial to their development. Every day, we can help them learn by communicating with them about something new in their surroundings or simply by tending to their everyday requirements. When caring for children with intellectual disabilities, we can teach them through our physical interactions and the words we use to introduce them to new concepts. Learning can take place not only in a school setting but also in a child's home or community.

We can assist children with severe and profound intellectual disabilities in learning by providing them with early stimulation as well as regular stimulation throughout the day. Stimulation and learning can occur anywhere if we seize the opportunity. Stimulation in learning simply refers to stimulating and motivating learning in various ways. Occasionally, children may require a motivational toy to complete a specific activity. On occasion, a child may benefit from a communication book designed just for them to retain something they have learnt. It is essential to understand that education and care can occur simultaneously and do not require different places. Through the care and stimulation of children with intellectual disabilities, learning is possible.

The last topic I wish to discuss is skill development. Development is a process that can be viewed as the path to acquiring new abilities. To make each region easier to comprehend and monitor, development has been segmented into several sub-areas. A child's skill development simultaneously produces a wide range of abilities. These distinct development regions overlap and mature concurrently, rather than in isolation.

All development areas should be examined together, rather than separately. Commonly, skill development is referred to as developmental milestones, which are typical or average markers of a child's growth. These skill indicators are used to monitor a child's growth when he or she reaches different achievement levels. These average developmental milestones were determined based on when most children are projected to acquire a particular skill within a given time frame or the average range throughout time. When recognising that children with severe to profound intellectual disabilities are capable of learning, we must also remember to modify our expectations of the child before attempting to instruct.

It is recommended that we adhere to conventional developmental norms, but we must adapt and change our techniques based on each child's aptitude. We must also alter our teaching methods so that children with intellectual disabilities can learn in a new manner by making education more participatory and enjoyable.