Brackenfell teacher recognised for excellence in special needs teaching
Chantelle Carstens, a teacher at Paarl School for pupils with disabilities in Brackenfell, clinched an award at the provincial teaching awards on Friday, August 15.
Image: Supplied
Chantelle Carstens, a teacher at Paarl School for pupils with disabilities in Brackenfell, clinched an Excellence in Special Needs Teaching award at the provincial teaching awards on Friday, August 15.
The awards ceremony was livestreamed by the Western Cape Education Department (WCED).
In a motivation statement, the WCED said Ms Carstens’s commitment to inclusive education makes her a worthy candidate for the award.
It stated that her philosophy of placing the learner at the heart of the learning process is evident in her innovative use of multi-sensory approaches and differentiated teaching strategies that ensure that no child is left behind.
“Chantelle creates an inclusive learning culture where tactile activities, visual aids, and assistive technologies form the backbone of teaching.
“She skillfully integrates adaptive devices such as eye-gaze technology, reading pens, hearing aids with FM systems, large print keyboards, mobile phones with reading apps, text-to-speech software, and even myo-electric prostheses to ensure accessibility and participation for all learners, regardless of their barriers to learning.
“She makes use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication strategies throughout her teaching to enable learners with communication barriers to express themselves and engage meaningfully in their learning journey.
As acting head of department at the Paarl School, Ms Carstens is leading cultural programmes and organising concerts, planning career guidance and excursions for the school learners.
She said the award inspired her to continue teaching with even more passion and dedication.
Making her learners feel proud and showing them it's possible to reach their goals is what she considers her greatest achievement, she said.
“I see it not only as a valuable learning opportunity for myself, but also as a chance to be a role model for my learners. I want to show them that hard work, perseverance, and passion are always rewarded.”