INTEGRASI TEORI VAK, KECERDASAN PELBAGAI DAN PEDAGOGI ORANG ASLI DALAM PEMBANGUNAN KURIKULUM PENDIDIKAN KHAS : RESTROSPEKSI GURU

Abstract

Special education curricula should be responsive and inclusive of the diverse cultural, cognitive, and social learning needs of students. In the context of Indigenous students with learning difficulties, this need becomes even more critical due to the existing gap between mainstream curriculum content and the actual learning realities of students from Indigenous communities. This article discusses the integration of three key theoretical approaches namely, Fleming’s VAK Learning Styles Theory, Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences, and Yunkaporta’s "Eight Ways of Aboriginal Learning" Indigenous Pedagogy Model as the foundation for developing a contextual and student-centered special education curriculum. The discussion focuses on five essential components of curriculum design: goals, objectives, content, teaching strategies, and assessment. The argument emphasizes the need to align learning objectives with students’ dominant learning styles, plan culturally relevant content, and implement authentic and reflective teaching and assessment strategies. This approach is expected to minimize pedagogical mismatches, holistically empower students’ potential, and strengthen the connection between schools and communities. The implications of this discussion point to the need for a curriculum reform in special education that is more culturally sensitive, contextual, and transformative. This paper advocates for the application of educational equity principles through the development of a curriculum that values student uniqueness and integrates Indigenous epistemologies into the formal education system. In doing so, the curriculum functions not only as a tool for knowledge transmission but also as a medium for identity formation and community empowerment.