This course is designed to provide students with advanced knowledge and skills to work with students with special educational and emotional needs in Hong Kong, particularly in the areas of autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, and behavioural and emotional problems. Various intervention approaches in working with children and adolescents with mental health problems and their families will be discussed, including: narrative therapy, positive psychological intervention, positive parenting program, cognitive behavioural therapy, etc. In addition, this course provides students with experiential learning activities to enhance learning and application of intervention approaches and skills. In particular, by working with children and adolescents on their life stories, students will learn how to help children and adolescents develop strengths and hope for their lives.

Assessment Details

AM1: Quiz (20%)

Students are required to take a quiz for consolidating their knowledge of students with special educational and emotional needs, such as diagnostic criteria, clinical features, and management strategies. 

AM2: Presentation & Role Play (30%)

The students are asked to divide into groups. Each group is responsible for a case presentation about a mental health problem in children and adolescents. Using a role play, students demonstrate their understanding, application and intervention skills of an intervention approach to work with a child or adolescent with a mental health problem.

AM3: Term Paper (50%)

Each student is required to submit a term paper of approximately 2,500 words on the critical evaluation of an intervention approach learnt in this course working with a child or adolescent with a mental health problem.